High-end Handcrafted Small Python Dragon Pattern Black Gold Chinese Zhuang Brocade Silk Cloth Scarf Tea Table Cloth

What's Zhuang Brocade 壮锦？

The Zhuang people have a very ancient history, having lived for generations in parts of Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Hunan in southwestern China. Zhuang brocade, also known as "Zhuang brocade" or "velvet quilt," is relatively thick and is considered one of China's four famous brocades, a treasure of Guangxi's ethnic culture.

Intangible cultural heritage preservation: In 2006, Zhuang brocade craftsmanship was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Zhuang brocade is an art form skillfully woven on a hand-operated loom equipped with a support system, transmission device, heddle system, and jacquard weaving device. It uses cotton yarn as warp and various colored silk velvets as weft, employing a technique of continuous warp and discontinuous weft weaving.

The traditional patterns mainly include more than 20 types such as two dragons playing with a pearl, meander pattern, water pattern, cloud pattern, flowers, and animals. More than 80 new patterns such as "Guilin landscape" and "national unity" have also emerged, which are rich in national style.

（Python Dragon pattern)

Python Dragon pattern ore Symbolism: Power, Nobility, and Prosperity
The python-dragon pattern primarily symbolizes power, nobility, auspiciousness, and the flourishing of the family. It integrates the Zhuang people's ancestors' worship of pythons and dragons, possessing both the python's formidable power and the dragon's sacred majesty. This pattern typically appears on clothing or accessories worn on important occasions, representing the expectation for a better life, such as lasting wealth and prosperity, and peace throughout the land.

Python Dragon Pattern Composition: A Perfect Blend of Geometry and Nature
The python dragon pattern is quite distinctive. It doesn't depict a dragon directly, but rather uses hexagonal or octagonal geometric patterns. These geometric shapes resemble both python scales and dragon scales, making them highly recognizable. Within these rhomboid or hexagonal grids, various auspicious small patterns are filled, such as the sun, birds, flowers, and even star anise, a specialty of Guangxi.

Cultural Origins: From Totem to Tribute
The Evolution of Totem Worship: The origin of the python dragon pattern can be traced back to the Zhuang people's totem worship of snakes. In the warm and humid environment of Guangxi, snakes were both a threat and a source of mystery. People incorporated this reverence into brocade weaving, which gradually evolved into the python dragon pattern.

(Anise Flower Pattern)

Anise Pattern
Meaning: The Anise pattern in Zhuang brocade symbolizes the worship of the sun. The Anise pattern is often used in Zhuang brocade to represent the sun, symbolizing reverence for it. The design inspiration for this pattern comes from the Zhuang people's observation and understanding of nature, reflecting their awe and respect for the sun as a natural phenomenon. The shape of the Anise pattern is similar to the radiating pattern of the sun, thus representing light and warmth.

Two sides available to use/wear

Zhuang Brocade Process

Warp preparation → warping → reed threading → combing and winding warp → loom setup → separating small heddles → separating large heddles/threading jacquard heddles → reed threading → weaving the selvage → picking patterns and knotting the base → feeding the warp and opening the weft opening → picking patterns (color matching) → shuttle running → weft insertion.

A traditional, colored Zhuang brocade, measuring 50cm in width and 180cm in length, of moderate difficulty, takes approximately 160 hours to complete. The weaving time for Zhuang brocade of medium difficulty is doubled, and the time for Zhuang brocade with multiple colors is even longer.

Material: 50% silke ,50% cotton

Size: 180cm, 40cm( it can be a bit varied one from one)

Maintenance: Please wash it by hand with silk detergent. The silk is very precious, and please pay attention while using avoid snagging. 

Reminder: as it's 100% handmade by hand-operated loom, the patterns are very varied, for the big pattern, the cloth can be so substantial like machine make. 

P.S Please provide your phone number when placing an order. This is very important when shipping the package. I appreciate any help you can provide.