Textile tradition
Song Brocade
Discover the woven character, intricate pattern and refined history behind Song brocade.
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Get closer
to the craft.
Materials, techniques and cultural meanings belong together. Browse the journal by the kind of story you would like to explore.
01 · Craft & materials
Begin with how it is made.
Textiles and decorative objects reveal the knowledge held in fibres, tools, repeated gestures and time.
Embroidery
Suzhou Embroidery
Explore the silk threads, detailed stitching and expressive imagery of Suzhou embroidery.
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Craft object
Oil-paper Umbrella
See how bamboo, paper and oil come together in an object made for beauty and use.
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Decorative craft
Velvet Flower Craft
Fine fibres are shaped into vivid blossoms for expressive hair ornaments.
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Woven material
Yun Brocade
Rich colour and complex weaving give Yun brocade its distinctive presence.
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Dyed textile
Xiangyunsha
Get to know the softly lustrous textile also called Gambiered Guangdong gauze.
Read the story02 · Symbols & meanings
Look beyond the surface.
Materials and motifs carry histories of their own. These guides explain the meanings through the objects where they appear.
Symbol & meaning
The Chinese Phoenix
Explore how the phoenix came to represent grace, harmony and renewal across Chinese art and design.
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Material & meaning
Cinnabar
Understand the colour, material history and cultural associations connected with cinnabar.
Read the story03 · Living with craft
Traditions carried forward.
See how seasonal customs and small everyday objects keep cultural practices close to daily life.
Living tradition
Chinese Scented Sachets
Small embroidered objects bring together fragrance, gifting and cultural meaning.
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Annual edition
2026 Year of the Horse
A seasonal selection inspired by movement, vitality and the cultural character of the Horse.
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