Hangjiahu Plain has abundant rainfall, flat terrain and fertile soil. Suitable for planting mulberry and sericulture. The development of modern commodity economy, the extension of the Yangtze River and the development of transportation and water transport are all conducive to the circulation of commodities. Jiangnan has been rich since ancient times and has the purchasing power, so Suzhou and Hangzhou in China are famous all over the world for their silk garments.

As early as the pre-Qin period, Sichuan and Chongqing in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, two lakes in the middle reaches and Jiangnan in the lower reaches were all areas where sericulture and silk production of the Han nationality were concentrated. Since the Han Dynasty, three famous brocade and three famous embroidery have appeared in areas where silk production has been developed, which are outstanding representatives of China silk culture.

Since the Song Dynasty, the focus of silk production of Han nationality has moved to the south, and Jiangnan, Sichuan and Yellow River basins have become the three major centers of silk production in China, especially Jiangnan, which became the most important silk production base in China in the Ming Dynasty. The commercial production of sericulture and silk here started early and has a high degree. Silk takes trade as the main form of communication and has become a commodity with great external influence.

During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, silk was produced almost everywhere, and the varieties of silk were more abundant, mainly divided into three categories: silk, silk and brocade.

The appearance of brocade is an important milestone in the history of China silk. It combines the excellent performance of silk with art. Silk is not only a noble material, but also a work of art, which greatly improves the cultural connotation and historical value of silk products and has far-reaching influence.

During the Qin and Han Dynasties, the silk industry not only developed greatly, but also the trade and export of silk reached unprecedented prosperity with the large-scale expansion of China in the Han Dynasty.

The promotion of trade further developed the economic and cultural exchanges between the Central Plains and the border areas, and between China and its eastern and western neighbors, thus forming the famous "Silk Road". This road starts from ancient Chang 'an, passes through Gansu and Xinjiang to the west, passes through Central Asia and West Asia, and finally reaches Europe.

References:

Baidu Encyclopedia-Development of Ancient Silk