The Importance of Silkworm Breeding and Mulberry Cultivation in the Livelihood of Hexi Region from the Han Dynasty to the Jin Dynasty
Hexi region flourished as trading center of(mainly silk)products between the east and west.Mural paintings from the tombs of Jiuquan and Jiayuguan from the Han Dynasty to the Jin Dynasty indicated that Hexi people,besides importing silk products from the East and Shu to Hexi,also bred silkworm and cultivated mulberry,which constituted a vital part of local social economy.Idioms like"planting mulberry and elm"from the wooden slips,which was excavated from Linze Huangjiawan Tan Jin Tomb,underline the importance of silk industry in the rural economics and local administrative system from the Jin Dynasty to Tang Dynasty.The information from ancient local documents,though limited,also witnessed the progress in silkworm breeding and mulberry cultivation techniques.A research on silk industries helps illuminate the ecological conditions,economic conditions and living standard in Hexi region on the Silk Road.
mulberrysilkwormJiuquanfrom the Han Dynasty to the Jin Dynastymural paintingLinzewooden slips of the Jin Dynasty
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