The City of Jade
According
to historical records, after the visit to western
area, the king of the Western Zhou Empire had
ever brought back thousands pieces of jade from
Kunlun Mountains. Actually, most of hundreds
of jade wares, unearthed at the ruins of capital
city in Shang Dynasty in An’ yang, Henan, were
considered as Hetian jade after textual research.
It shows Hetian jade was spread to China late
in Shang Dynasty and became treasure collection
in royal palace. Displayed in the Palace Museum
in Beijing, a piece of green and white jade
sculpture, 5,300 kg in weight, was a tribute
made by Hetian jade to emperor Qian Long in
Qing Dynasty, recorded about Da Yu, that was
a leader in remote antiquity, preventing floods
by water control. Yangzhi jade in Hetian is
reputed as the king of jade in whole global.
Most of the peasants in Hetian dredge for jade
in Yu Longkashi River (also named White Jade
River), Hetian River (also named Green Jade
River), Ka Lakashi River (also named Black Jade
River), or collect jade in Kunlun Mountains.
Tourists in Hetian are keen to buy some kinds
of jade ware in the jade factory as a memento.
There
is a story in New Annals of Tang Dynasty about
a princess who was married with the king of
Yutan. She brought the seeds of mulberry by
keeping it in secret in her hat. Since then
there were mulberry trees and silk industry
in Yutian. According to the research, Yutian
had silk industry early in 3rd century BC or
some time earlier. The silk industry has been
prosperous during recent 2,000 years. In the
rural area of Hetian, almost every family has
loom, and everyone can weave silk. Aidelaisi
silk they produce is a kind of tie-dyed silk
with unique style and bright color, being liked
very much by Uygur women.
Situated
in the western suburb of Lasikui town, Hetian
Silk Factory is a modernized factory. Tourists
can not only visit process of weaving silk by
loom in the near town, but also choose and buy
excellent Hetian’s silk in the silk factory.
Written by www.travel-silkroad.com
Translated by Beijing Star-light Translation
Center
September 12, 2002
