1. What are some key characteristics that make high-quality silk different from lower-quality silk?

2. Why do you think silk has the nickname “The Queen of Textiles”?

3. How did the ancient Silk Road help silk become such an important luxury fashion product?

M at Hello! Welcome to a rather glamorous episode of China Lifestyle Journeys . Today, we're looking at the world of silk and its role in both Chinese fashion culture and even global fashion. Now, silk has always been cherished in China as a symbol of beauty, elegance, and luxury. We know that; I think everyone knows this. I also know that silk has a really smooth texture. (Actually, there's a word or an expression that we use quite a lot in English to mean really smooth—“silky smooth.” And we use this expression “silky smooth” to talk about anything like food, drinks, or materials, when the texture is really smooth … we say it's silky smooth.) So, I know that silk is smooth, but apart from this, what makes it so special as a fabric for clothing? So, Jocelyn, let's talk about silk fashions and what makes silk so special for Chinese women.

J ocelyn OK, I think that's a great place to start! Silk has been an important part of Chinese fashion culture for centuries. Silk is smooth, or “silky smooth,” as you say in English. It has a unique shiny finish to it. It flows and hangs in a really beautiful and elegant way. Imagine a large piece of cotton; think about how it hangs down. Now imagine a piece of silk hanging, and you can almost picture that special quality, the way that it drapes so elegantly. Now, that's just the start. It also feels very soft and delicate on the skin when you wear it. So, because of these qualities, silk is perfect for making elegant shapes in traditional Chinese clothes like qipao dresses , tangzhuang jackets , and things like that.

M at Hang on a second; I get the part about the silky smooth texture and the way it hangs, but what were those words you just said, qipao and tangzhuang ? I think you'll need to explain those before we continue.

J ocelyn Sure! A qipao is a traditional Chinese dress that's known for its elegant, fairly tight, figure-hugging design . It's often worn by women on special occasions and features a high collar and unique patterns. You've definitely seen one before—it's the classic traditional Chinese dress. It's a symbol of grace and femininity. A tangzhuang , on the other hand, is a style of traditional Chinese jacket. It has a straight cut and a stand-up collar . Both of these classic clothing items look best when they're made from silk.

M at Ah yes, I can picture them now. So, let's get back to the fabric, silk. Now, I know that there are different types of silk, like different quality levels or grades (I remember this, I think, when I was in a traditional silk shop somewhere). So, how can we tell how good a piece of silk is? How do we measure the quality?

J ocelyn So, when it comes to silk quality, there are a few things to look for. One of the most important things is the sheen (that's just a fancy word for how shiny the fabric is or the material is). The highest-quality silk has a natural, beautiful shine. It looks glossy and almost wet. And it behaves like a liquid; it has a unique fluid flow (that I've mentioned before). The highest-quality silk looks so shiny that it has a strange reflective quality to it. Now, as you go down in quality, the sheen is lower, so the silk looks less shiny, and this gives it a less fluid appearance, and it looks kind of flat. And there's another important difference: the higher-quality silks are stronger because they are made from the best raw material. Cheaper, lower grade silk isn't as strong because it's made from inferior materials; it doesn't last very long and it can break or tear quite easily.

M at Now, that's quite interesting because I thought the opposite would be true. In my mind, when I picture high-quality silk, I imagine a fabric that is really delicate and easy to rip. But it seems like you're saying that this isn't the case.

J ocelyn That's exactly what I'm saying. Because of its light weight, silk is often thought to be unable to withstand everyday wear. A lot of people think silk is fragile because of its appearance. On the contrary, silk is one of nature's strongest natural fabrics. When it's high-quality silk, it's really strong. A well-made silk dress can last for decades and even become an heirloom piece. In Chinese museums, you can find examples of old silk clothing that is hundreds and even thousands of years old.

M at Wow, I didn't know that. So silk is one of the strongest fabrics, or natural fabrics, in the world. That's pretty cool.

J ocelyn Yeah, I forgot to mention before that it has a nickname, “The Queen of Textiles,” and it gets that name partly from its appearance and partly from its strength.

M at Right, that's quite a cool nickname. I'm impressed. So if silk is the queen of textiles, what's the king?

J ocelyn Haha. To be honest, I don't know the answer to that, because it's meant to be an episode just about the queen, silk, I guess.

M at Sure, so what else do I need to know about silk before we finish?

J ocelyn Well, if you really want to know more about silk, you should really visit the city of Suzhou, the silk capital. It is a must-visit for any silk fan. You can explore the silk shops on Pingjiang Lu, learn all about silk craftsmanship at Suzhou Silk Museum, and witness silk production in a factory. You can take home exquisite souvenirs like embroidered gowns , fans, and bedding . Speciality shops even create bespoke qipao s and tangzhuang jackets, making you feel like a real Chinese silk goddess!

M at I'm not sure if I really want to be a silk goddess, but I think this is a good place to make some cultural connections. We can think about silk beyond China too. Of course, the ancient Silk Road trade enabled silk to travel from China to places like Persia, Rome, Egypt, and many other regions in ancient times. So silk's luxurious reputation spans many centuries and many different civilisations. And of course, these days, silk is really important globally in luxury fashion. Top designer brands from Italy, France, and around the world, many of them use silk for their most prestigious and most expensive garments. I know that, actually, in my country, England, when we think about very formal, traditional clothing, a silk tie is considered to be the highest quality tie you can find. So silk's luxury appeal is actually important to people all around the world, not just in Chinese culture.