Shu Brocade at Sichuan: Reinvention of Tradition and Commoditization in the Context of Chinese Modern Society

Abstract

Brocade is the general name for the characteristic brocade produced in Shu County (in the area of Chengdu, Sichuan) from the Han Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms period, and it is a traditional skill in Sichuan Province. Shu Brocade is an important part of Chinese traditional culture and the first of the "Four Famous Brocades" in my country. In terms of content and artistic creation, Shu Brocade has long been not only a handicraft, but also a cultural commodity symbol. It has been integrated into literary works through the ages and into our daily consumption, and at the same time, based on the development of China's economy, these reasons have jointly contributed to the re-invention of Shu brocade tradition and the commercialization of commodities. This study analyzes the traditional reinvention of Shu brocade and the commercialization of Shu brocade from two aspects: social process and artistic product.

The purpose of this study is to:

1.To study the historical context of Shu brocade in modern period in Sichuan, China.

2.To study on the reinvention of tradition of Shu Brocade in the context of modern Chinese society.

3.To analyze the commoditization of Shu Brocade in the context of modern Chinese society.

This research takes Shu brocade as the research text, analyzes the reinvention of Shu brocade through the development history of Shu brocade, and analyzes the commercialization of Shu brocade through the commodity form of Shu brocade. Informants include critical, general, and incidental information. Screening was performed using intentional sampling. Tools used were basic surveys, observations, interviews, focus group discussions and literature searches.

The results of the study are as follows:

This study analyzes the works of various dynasties of Shu Brocade, and experienced the replacement of many dynasties, such as the Spring and Autumn and Warring States, the Northern and Southern Wei and Jin Dynasties, the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, and the influence of wars, and experienced the Second Sino-Japanese War, China Civil war, the founding of New China, reform and opening up and many other Chinese historical periods. Shu Brocade has also undergone many changes, such as changes in patterns, styles, and production methods. Through the research and analysis of Shu brocade and works of Shu brocade in various dynasties, we can find the re-creation of Shu brocade tradition and the change of commodity form in modern society. The earliest traditional Shu brocade works in China were created around 770 BC to 221 BC, and Chinese traditional Shu brocade has a history of more than 2,000 years in the 21st century. In the process of development, due to the reasons of China's economic construction, scientific and technological progress, and the support of the rulers, its spread has become more and more widely, and it has been widely recognized by the Chinese people, and eventually became one of the traditional and important commodities in China.

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