论古代长江流域丝绸业的历史地位

On the History Position of the Ancient Yangzi-River's Silk

长江流域丝绸的生产历史悠久,丝绸品种繁多,名品迭出,在中国乃至世界丝绸文化史上占有突出重要的地位。早在先秦时期,长江上游的川渝、中游的两湖和下游的江南就已是我国蚕桑丝绸生产比较集中的地区,从汉代开始,在这些丝绸生产一向发达的地区递次出现了三大名锦和三大名绣,它们是我国丝绸文化的突出代表。大约从宋代开始,我国丝绸生产的重心南移,江南、四川和黄河流域共同成为我国丝绸生产的三大中心,特别是江南地区,至明代成为我国最为重要的丝绸生产基地,这里蚕桑丝绸的商品化生产起步早,程度高,丝绸以贸易为主要传播形式,成为对外影响较大的商品,在世界经济大流通中扮演了极其重要的角色。

The silk produced in the Yangtze River reaches, where various famous products constantly come into being, had a long history and a great important position in both Chinese and world silky cultural history. Early in the period before the Qin Dynasty, the silkworm breeding, mulberry growing and silk weaving in ancient China were already concentrated in the areas of the Yangtze River reaches, including Sichuan Province, Chongqing city (a municipality of west China directly under the Central Government) in the upper reaches, Hunan and Hubei provinces in the middle reaches, and east China in the lower reaches (mainly the Yangtze delta zone), where the three famous brands of brocade and three famous brands of embroidery which stood out in the silky culture of China were invented successively since the Han Dynasty. Approximately in the Song Dynasty, the base of silky production gradually moved to south so that the east China, Sichuan Province and the Yellow River reaches become the most important silk weaving areas. Especially, east China had turned into the most important silk weaving base in the Ming Dynasty. Its commercial production concerning silkworm breeding, mulberry growing and silk weaving with a earlier start than other areas reached such an extent that the silk became a significant merchandise with great influence spreading abroad in its own way and played a great important role in the booming world trade.