The precious artifact of ancient women, the Han Dynasty jacquard machine, has arrived in Hangzhou

Zhejiang News Client Reporter Mali

       This month, a major exhibition at the China Silk Expo - "Silk Road Silk: Origin, Spread, and Exchange" - will end on October 15th. However, the day before yesterday, a set of exhibits suddenly appeared at the main entrance of the West Lake Museum: two mini looms.

       This is not an ordinary weaving machine, it is the world's earliest jacquard loom (capable of weaving patterns), dating back to the Han Dynasty.

       From July 2012 to August 2013, four wooden jacquard weaving machine models, also known as the Hades, were first unearthed from the Han Dynasty tomb of an old official in Tianhui Town, Chengdu.

       The jacquard machine has been buried underground for over 2000 years. When it was first discovered, it was completely immersed in water and would shatter at a touch. So, for the past three years, experts have been working on protection and restoration. Until the exhibition was almost over, two of the machines had just been restored and were still operational, and were quickly transported to Hangzhou.

       It looks like these two jacquard machines are similar to the weaving machines we remember. What's so unusual about them? Please see the journalist's interview on the jacquard machine.

       Reporter (hereinafter referred to as Ji): Jacquard machine, hello, are you the weaving machine at Mulan's house?

       Jacquard machine (hereinafter referred to as "Ti"): "Ji Ji Fu Ji, Mulan is the household weaver". Her machine is my junior student, just a plain loom, weaving ordinary fabrics, such as cloth clothes. I want a lot of high-end, specialized in weaving patterns, such as brocade and satin. The most famous Du Jinsheng from Hangzhou is all woven by me.

       Remember: But your appearance is average, how amazing are you?

       For thousands of years, I have relied not on appearance, but on strength. Do you know embroidery? Embroidering once will create a pattern. And I must first write a program that can be used continuously and repeatedly.

       The invention of the first generation of computers was influenced by the telegraph, which was influenced by the jacquard machine. I can say that it was inspired by computers. More importantly, I was invented in China.

       Remember: So, in ancient times, were you a necessary tool for women to showcase their wisdom?

       Ti: You are wrong. Because the products I produce are very prestigious, they were very rare during the Han Dynasty. This is not something that ordinary people have. In the Han Dynasty, when I was used to weave Sichuan brocade, there were specialized talents in this field to use it.

     For our family of jacquard machines, weaving patterns and programming become precious due to the high difficulty involved, and the entire process is kept confidential. We have a saying: pass on a daughter-in-law, not a daughter. Because my daughter is going to get married, I absolutely cannot tell her the secret or pass it on to her.

       So, in order to get married well at that time, one should use a jacquard machine with caution.。

     （Thanks to Zhao Feng, Director of the China Silk Museum, and Xiao Jiao, Director of the Cultural Relics Protection Center of the Chengdu Museum, for their support of this article)

       Silk Road Silk: Origin, Spread, and Exchange

       Time: Before October 15th

       Location: West Lake Museum (No. 89 Nanshan Road, Hangzhou)

     Reminder: This exhibition is only one month long, with the last three days remaining. The exhibits were carefully selected by the China Silk Museum from 26 cultural, museum, and archaeological institutions across the country, with most of them coming from the northwest. If you want to see it, you need to hurry up.。

       According to Qianjiang Evening News