Originating in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and produced in Suzhou, Song brocades, together with Yun brocades of Nanjing and Shu brocades of Sichuan, are known as China's top three famous brocades. Showing gorgeous colors, delicate patterns, and soft textures, 14th to 19th centuries were the prime time for Song brocades. Influenced by the modernized western industries and wartime in the earthy 20th century, the techniques of making traditional Song brocades have been nearly vanished. In 1995, a reproduction center for silk and brocade relics was founded in Suzhou, whose in-depth researches and reproductions of traditional crafts and ancient brocades created opportunities for reviving Song brocades. On May 20th, 2006, the technique of producing Song brocades got the approval of the state council listed in the first batch of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage in China.
Originating in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and produced in Suzhou, Song brocades, together with Yun brocades of Nanjing and Shu brocades of Sichuan, are known as China's top three famous brocades. Showing gorgeous colors, delicate patterns, and soft textures, 14th to 19th centuries were the prime time for Song brocades. Influenced by the modernized western industries and wartime in the earthy 20th century, the techniques of making traditional Song brocades have been nearly vanished. In 1995, a reproduction center for silk and brocade relics was founded in Suzhou, whose in-depth researches and reproductions of traditional crafts and ancient brocades created opportunities for reviving Song brocades. On May 20th, 2006, the technique of producing Song brocades got the approval of the state council listed in the first batch of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage in China.