Lu Silk - High Altitude Special Silk from Loess Plateau
Lu Silk is a representative of luxury Chinese silk, which is as famous as Suzhou embroidery and Shu brocade.
Lu Silk was named after Lu'an Prefecture in the early Ming Dynasty. Lu Silk production began in the Sui Dynasty (about AD 581), flourished in the Tang Dynasty (about AD 618), and flourished in the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty (about AD 1368 - 1912).
The cocoons used in Lu Silk are produced at 35.5 degrees north latitude, 1200 meters above sea level on the Loess Plateau, in the south range of the Taihang Mountains. The geographical conditions here are unique, in the relatively dry north, the silk export is dry, not easy to have yellow spots cocoon. Yet the high altitude cuts are on the leeward slopes of the Pacific monsoon, which brings not too much, not too little, just the right amount of rain for silk production. The southern Taihang Mountains, a little-known silk production area in northern China, produces cocoons in only two seasons a year, and the cocoons are of the highest quality in terms of length and toughness. In the north of China, the land is rested during the cold winter months when people do not cultivate the land. The difference in temperature between day and night increases the accumulation of sugar within the mulberry tree and makes the mulberry leaves for silkworms more nutritious. As a result, the quality of the silk thread used in Lu Silk was outstanding. Moreover, in the relatively dry northern part of the country, the silk dries up when exported and is not prone to yellow spots, which is why Taihang Mountain cocoons have been protected by China's National Geographical Indication since 2006.
Tracing back the history, Lu Silk was only a tribute to the royal family during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. You can see the famous shop of Lu Silk in the "Riverside Scene of Qingming". There are still 58 pieces of silk in the collection of the Palace Museum.
In the 1970s and 1980s, brocade quilts made of Lu silk were famous all over the country and once became the symbols of national weddings, carrying the memories of weddings for a generation, and they were in great demand, requiring the approval of the relevant departments, and were known as "a flower of the Taihang Mountains". As a symbol of weddings, it carries on and celebrates the importance of family culture and family customs, and holds people's expectations for a happy and fulfilling life.
Silk home products produced by Lu'anfu are of extremely high quality, with a touch that is incomparable to ordinary silk. Characteristically, the Lu Silk Wedding Silk Quilt series is very precious and uses large areas of hand embroidery. In the marriage customs of the Loess Plateau region, there is a tradition of mothers handcrafting exquisite quilts for their daughters. In Chinese pronunciation, "a quilt" and "a lifetime" share the same pronunciation. Therefore, this custom also carries the expectation of parents for their children's marital happiness. In the busy modern life, many folk cultures and skills have been gradually forgotten. Mothers no longer make quilts by hand, so custom-made Lu silk quilts have become a way for modern mothers to convey their blessings to their children, and also represent the inheritance of traditional customs in people's hearts. So in addition to use, it has more collection value and commemorative significance. The production of high-end Lu silk wedding quilts is limited. The limited production of silk every year makes it even more precious and luxurious. It takes 3-24 months to make a custom-made quilt, which is the result of the efforts of local farmers, artisans, and designers.
