Brocade (织锦) is a rich and decorative material, often made of colored silk, with delicate patterns on it. China has a variety of brocades, (primary) Shu, Song, Yun and Zhuang brocades.
Chengdu, with a reputation the "Land of Abundance", has a long history of brocade art. Since Sichuan is called "Shu" for short, the brocade (produce) in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan, is called Shu brocade.
The earliest records of Shu brocade are from the Spring and Autumn period. By the Warring States period, Shu brocade (treasure) widely, becoming an important export product. Thus Chengdu served as the starting point of the famous Southern Silk Road, played an important role in connecting China with the outside world. During the Han dynasty, Sichuan silk cloth became so popular that almost every nobleman in the country had suit made out of it. And the(centre) government appointed a special officer in Chengdu (manage) the brocade industry, which is why Chengdu is also known as the "City of Brocade".
The Shu brocade industry reached its peak during the Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties, with more designs and patterns (arise). The quality of the material also improved considerably in (compare) to the former versions.
