In the instructional videos on yarn, silk, and cloth, I realized the painstaking work required to even create the yarn for weaving. I found it reassuring that while drop spindle spinning, it isn’t a setback if the yarn breaks, because you can put the yarn back together (I see myself easily breaking the wool while drafting). It surprised me how difficult it is to spin on a wheel and that it is nothing like the movies!

The article “Cotton Textile Production in Medieval China Unravelled the Patriarchy” describes how in Medieval China, women carried out the production of textiles, spinning, and weaving the fibers into cloth. “The rise of cotton in China brought about a ‘golden age’ for women’s incomes” due to a combination of factors. It was an industry that allowed textiles to be produced at home which made it possible for women to earn money and take care of their families. Also contributing to the high level of earnings by women for almost 500 years were inefficient labor markets and a state taxation system. Women were supporting themselves and their families even after the death of a husband. The status of women was elevated by their ability to contribute to the household income, but by 1840 British imports challenged Chinese textile production and made it less significant. In some places though where there had been pre modern cotton-textile production, both men and women still considered women to be just as competent as men because of their history of contributing economically to the household. The cotton revolution in China demonstrates that attitudes can be changed by a large increase in women’s productivity and will result in a more positive view of women.

Textile production was costly during this time, but was a profitable business. While some people (sellers and manufacturers) could accurately calculate the cost of production, others (buyers) estimated the cost of a textile looking at and feeling it. Also, depending on the textile, they were either used on the Silk Road or for other exchanges. Textiles could be classified as simple, complex, or fancy. China’s economy during this time was described as “far from primitive”. Some criteria for money were utility, portability, stability of value, and liquidity. The symbolic value of textiles was also important; the king would receive silk as a tribute or tax payment. One factor that determined the price of textile was the effort it took to produce a piece. So if more work was required to create something, it cost more. A textile also costs more depending on the rarity of its fiber. When weaving, the three basic techniques were tabby, twill, and satin. In most cases, to pay less tax, people would weave sparsely, coat textiles with powder, or package textiles with small pebbles; to increase the weight.

Bibliography

Google Slides on textile production

Xue, Meng Melanie. Cotton Textile Production in Medieval China Unravelled the 

Patriarchy, Aeon, June 27, 2018.

Sheng, Angela. “Determining the Value of Textiles in the Tang Dynasty: In Memory of 

Professor Denis Twitchett (1925-2006)”. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 

Third Series, 23, no. 2 (2013): 175-95.