“An inch of Nanjing Yunjin brocade is worth an inch of gold.”
This ancient saying captures the luxurious essence of Yunjin brocade, a silk fabric woven in Nanjing City, east China’s Jiangsu Province. Renowned for its intricate designs and vibrant colors reminiscent of the sky—earning it the name “cloud brocade”—Yunjin represents the pinnacle of China’s weaving techniques.
Historically, Yunjin was so valued that artisans developed a special wooden shuttle loom with over 1,900 parts to create garments exclusively for emperors and their families. The weaving process is so complex that even modern machinery cannot fully replicate the delicate craftsmanship, particularly the weaving of gold and silver threads and the inclusion of peacock feathers.
In 2009, Yunjin weaving was recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, highlighting its cultural significance. However, mastering this craft is no simple task. According to Chen Cheng, a Yunjin inheritor, artisans must undergo at least three years of training to grasp the basics—understanding raw silk properties, operating intricate looms, mastering hundreds of color nuances, and knotting tens of thousands of threads.
“It’s a painstaking process, but preserving this heritage is crucial,” says Chen. “Each thread we weave connects us to our history and brings beauty into the present.”
Today, visitors can witness firsthand how Yunjin is made, observing the elaborate loom operations and the meticulous weaving of gold into fabric. This experience reveals why “an inch of gold” is more than a metaphor when it comes to Yunjin brocade.
As modernity embraces tradition, efforts to keep Yunjin alive continue, allowing the legacy of this ancient craft to travel across time, from dynasties to the modern world.
