Hangzhou Silk Cultural Festival

China – the name conjures up several images in our minds and all of them complimentary. China has one of the oldest and greatest civilizations in the history of the evolution of human civilizations. This Asian country had introduced a totally new way of life, totally new concepts about how an elegant life should be led to the world. Amongst the many firsts that were introduced by China, two most prominent ones are silk and tea. China has a glorious history of acquainting the world with silk, it was one of the most cherished possessions of the genteel society. Some festivals are held in China as a tribute to this silk culture, one of the most well known is Hangzhou Silk Cultural Festival.

One of the most defining moments in the history of progress of man is the time when silk was discovered in China. The discovery of silk was quite by accident and dates back to several centuries before the birth of Christ. In 2640 BC, Chinese princess Xi Ling Shi stumbled on a reel of silk cocoon which had fallen in her tea by accident and thus started the journey of China as a silk monopoly in the world. And this monopoly continued for the next 3000 years. By the time third century BC arrived Asia was the trading ground for Chinese silks, and why only Asia, Chinese silks were traded and sent to far away places like Europe. Cherished and delicate, silks were welcomed with open arms by the polite society, it came the symbol of wealth and grandeur and this fascination with silk still continues even in contemporary society. Visit Hangzhou when the annual ode to this glorious festival begins which is known as Hangzhou Silk Cultural Festival.

Hangzhou Silk Cultural Festival has several participants ranging from the Hangzhou Municipal Government to China National Academy of Fine Arts. The main attractiveness of this festival is that the garments which are showcased are all an elaborate study on Hangzhou silk, Hangzhou embroidery, Hangzhou jet weaving Hangzhou color spray and Hangzhou printing and dyeing. You can prepare yourself for a visual treat!