The process of creating Yunjin brocade
The beauty of Chinese Yunjin silk brocade, whose history spans over 1,600 years. This video shows the incredibly painstaking and mesmerizing process of creating it.
Its name translates as "cloud brocade," owing to its iridescent patterns reminiscent of clouds at sunset. Traditionally, it was produced in Nanjing, where luxurious fabrics for the imperial court have been created since ancient dynasties.
Yunjin is distinguished by its incredibly complex hand-weaving technique. Two artisans are required to operate the loom, and it can take days or even weeks to create one meter of fabric. Gold and silver threads were woven into the patterns, and in some rare varieties, the finest threads of peacock feathers were used to achieve a special shine and shimmer. The designs often depict dragons, phoenixes, clouds, and flowers—symbols of status, good fortune, and power.
In 2009, Yunjin was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
