Shànghǎi: Silk Carpet and Embroidery Factory

Monday, 15th April, 2013.

 

Part of being on a tour involves being taken to manufacturers of local crafts, which is a valid service for people who wish to buy goods from a reputable source.  You are normally given a very interesting, sometimes humorous description of the craft, and the showrooms are generally beautifully presented.

The down side is that as soon as the introduction is over, a salesperson attaches themselves to you like a limpet and follows you around the showroom until you just have to leave.

 

Taking a walk first, we see why the streets of Shànghǎi are so clean – this man is hosing the gutters from a tank in this little van.

 

This bamboo and twig broom is so new it still has leaves.  Obviously, not all of Chinese goods are made in factories.

 

On the way into the silk factory is a poster describing the origin of the “Mongolian Barbecure.”  It’s a shame that the “enticing aroma” principle hasn’t been further developed in the arms race.

 

Silkworm cocoons.

 

Pat with a silk carpet we were invited to fondle.  Behind him, on the wall, are orders for carpets, obviously designed to encourage us.

 

This lady is working on a carpet which would normally take a year to complete.  Because it is a “rush order” (for an American) there are two ladies working a double shift on it, so it will be finished in six months.  I think the guide said the cost to the customer would be $US4,000, so it didn’t seem that these skilled workers would be receiving much for this back-breaking, eye-straining work.

 

Magic Carpets:

Viewed from one end (top picture) the blue is light; viewed from the other end (bottom picture) the blue is dark.

 

 

Viewed from one end (top picture) the green is light; viewed from the other end (bottom picture) the green is dark.

 

More pictures of silk rugs.  (We didn’t buy any) :

 

 

 

 

 

Silk embroidery in progress.

Our guide Ahwen described silk embroidery as “a feast for our eyes.”  Here are some pieces:

 

 

 

 

 

Not quite original.

 

 

This was Pat’s favourite.  It cost nearly $5,000 so we didn’t get it.  Pat said there were some of these embroidery pieces that he really liked, but they were too expensive, and the ones that were cheaper, he didn’t like at all.

The photos do not do these embroideries justice at all.  The silk colours really glowed.

 

Pat with a silk embroidery of two rare Chinese crested ibis.  We later saw one of these birds in the Beijing Zoo.

 

This is a detail from a magnolia screen that I really liked.  We certainly had enjoyed a “feast for our eyes.”