About Sericulture Park
A. Project Basis
1. Sericulture History of 5000 Years
Sericulture and silk technology originated in China, and have since served as a cultural symbol of the Chinese nation. Silk making comprises a number of distinct technologies, including mulberry cultivation, silkworm breeding, silk reeling, dyeing and weaving. The production of silk gave birth to a range of sophisticated tools, culminating in highly complex looms, which were then able to produce an entire range of silk products, such as damask, gauze, polychrome brocade andkesi, or silk tapestry. Sericulture also gave rise to an entire folk culture, including myths, legends, social and economic customs. Over the course of 5,000 years, silk has played an important role in Chinese history,and has exerted a significant influence on human civilization, in the earliest times through the medium of trade on the ancient Silk Road.
2. "Sericulture and Silk Craftsmanship in China" Included in World Cultural Heritage List
In 2009, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, led by Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and China National Silk Museum, "Sericulture and Silk Craftsmanship in China", was awarded a place on the "Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO. In 2010, China National Silk Museum, on behalf of the entire project, accepted the award.
3. Rich Resources of Sericulture and Tourism in Haining
Haining, a famous sericulture base since ancient times, has formed a well-developed sericulture and silk industry. Sericulture and silk craftsmanship used to be a dominant economic source in this area, and is an important part of Haining cultural heritage. The long history of silk production in Haining has given birth to a shared body of distinctive customs, many of which are still practiced today. According to a survey, several modern industrial relics still remain in Haining, as well.
4. An Excellent Opportunity for Zhejiang Cultural Industries
The Twelfth Five-Year Development Plan of Zhejiang province has set a grand goal in cultural undertakings and industry developing. It is a great opportunity for Haining Sericulture Park.
5. Uniqueness
Recently, as the United Nations is encouraging the declaration of the Best Practice of Human Intangible Cultural Heritage Conservation around the world, this sericulture park would highlight the status and role of Haining, since it is the first one integrating museum static display mode and eco-park conservation mode, the first one built for intangible cultural heritage conservation and communication in China, and the first to integrate heritage conservation and cultural creativities.
B. Cooperation between CNSM and Haining Municipal People's Government
On January, 2011, after deliberations, Haining Municipal People’s Government and CNSM made a decision to co-construct a sericulture park in Haining, on the basis of Haining’s developing objectives and sericulture resources. In late February, CNSM made a conceptual plan. In early March, a cooperation agreement signed.
The conceptual plan of sericulture park aims to conserve, culturally transmit, develop and expand Chinese sericulture and silk craftsmanship, and to develop Haining’ cultural tourism industry and Agri-tourism industry.
A series of works have been done from March and May, 2011, by CNSM and Haining Municipal People’s Government.
1. Survey and Investigation
March 14, Dingqiao Town and Yanguan Town (sericulture farmers, cocoon stations, mulberry fields, sericulture products, etc.)
March 15, Changan Town (Changan ancient Town, Zhejiang No.1 Silk-making Mill), Yunlong Village
March 18, Ningbo Tiangong Fazenda
March 23, Zhuqiao Village
April 13, Zhuhui Village, Yanguan Scenic Area
April 1 - April 3, silk, intangible cultural heritage and other related theme parks in Nanchong, Chengdu, Shenzhen, etc.
May 9, Yanguan Scenic Area Management Committee, Haining City Development and Planning Bureau, Haining Sericulture Station
Through the field investigation and survey to Haining, Ningbo, Sichuan, Shenzhen, and related parks, basic information on Haining is obtained, which provides a sufficient basis for developing a conceptual plan.
2. Meetings
March 8, a forum held in Haining, participated by CNSM, experts from Haining intangible heritage, leaders from Haining Museum, Haining City Cultural Broadcasting Press and Publication Bureau, Industrial Assets Company, Haining Municipal Science and Technology Association, Sericulture Technical Guidance Station, Cocoon Drying Company, Yanguan Scenic Area, Changan Village, Yanguan Village, and Dingqiao Village, providing lots of information and suggestions.
March 22, CNSM held a meeting, determining the frame of the conceptual plan, on the basis of former investigation.
March 23, Haining held a meeting, completing the frame.
March 24, CNSM held a meeting, determining the following works.
April 8, Huang Zi, Xu Weijin, etc. were invited by CNSM to discuss the frame, and assign tasks.
April 26, Haining held a meeting, discussing the arrangements of work.
April 29, Haining held a meeting, discussing experts’ consultation issues.
May 3, Haining Municipal People's Government held a meeting, with Zhao Feng introducing the ideas of planning, leaders making suggestions.
May 5, CNSM held a meeting, confirming the following works.
May 10, CNSM held a meeting, detailing the following works.
May 12, CNSM held a meeting, discussing the design of the catalog type setting.
May 16, CNSM held a meeting, discussing the design of the catalog type setting.
May 18, CNSM held a meeting, discussing the details of experts’ consultation issues.
C. Introduction of Sericulture Park Plan
The Sericulture Park, located in Yanguan Village, Zhouwangmiao Village, and Changan Village in Haining City, has an area of about 20 square kilometers, including: a sericulture ecological area, silk culture area, heritage creative area, silk industrial heritage area, and a recreation area.
The silk culture area includes: Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum of CNSM, Jiangnan Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum and Sericulture Heritage Conservation Center, which should be the entrance area of the park, near Yanguan Scenic Area.
There will be silk craftsmanship workshops in the heritage creative area, aiming to conserve, culturally transmit, develop and expand Chinese sericulture and silk craftsmanship, to explore and revitalize the deep value of silk culture, to seek a connection between heritage and market, and to upgrade the Chinese silk industry. Workshops will include: mulberry root carving workshop, embroidery workshops (Suembroidery,Shuembroidery,Xiangembroidery,Yueembroidery,etc.), weaving workshops (silk reeling, silk making, Shu brocade, Nanjing brocade, Song brocade,Kesi, etc.), dyeing workshops (tie dyeing, clamp-resist dyeing, etc.), painting workshops, artware workshops, Chinese traditional hats & garments workshops, creative design studios, etc.
Silk industrial heritage area is located in Changan Village, retaining its original cocoon storage where is used as modern silk industrial museum, displaying the process of Chinese silk production from ancient handicraft to modern industry.
Sericulture eco-museum is located inZhuhui Village, turning former sericulture into Agri-tourism industry, showing sericulture and farming life.
D. Experts’ Consultation Meeting
May 21, 2011, experts’ consultation meeting on conceptual plan was held in Haining, attended by:
Yi Hui: president of China Silk Association
Li Zhaosheng: deputy inspector of Department of Market Operation, Ministry of Commerce; deputy director of National Cocoon and Silk Coordination Office
Lu Pintian: dean assistant of Chinese National Academy of Arts; deputy director of Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center
Zhou Qishan: researcher of International Bureau of Outreach Department of Ministry of Culture
Zhang Bing: director of Cultural Heritage Protection Division of Ministry of Culture
Lan Jing: director of Intangible Cultural Heritage Division of Ministry of Culture
Baoxian Lun: deputy director of Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture; director of Cultural Heritage Bureau of Zhejiang Province
Chen Guanzhong: deputy director of Cultural Heritage Bureau of Zhejiang Province
Wang Miao: director of Zhejiang Intangible Heritage Protection Leading Group Office
Xu Weijin: chief planner of Zhejiang Provincial Development Planning & Research Institute
Zhong Bingzhang: general manager of Shu Brocade Institute
Wang Chen: deputy curator of Suzhou Silk Museum; inheritor of Song brocade weaving
Wang Jinshan: senior industrial artist; inheritor of Kesi weaving
Shao Guanxing: general manager of Hangzhou Fuxing Silk Factory; inheritor of Hanzhou gauze weaving
Zheng Xiaohua: general manager of Yunhe Shuanglin Silk Corporation; inheritor of Shuanglin damask weaving
And related leaders of Haining.
