The long linked posts are tied together through the "table of contents" below ("sections" are linked directly through titles there, although some scrolling down may be needed if MDL software does not link exactly to chapter/section start).
TABLE OF CONTENTS Direct links to sections:
PS. Tan Songyun's New Year wishes (*) scroll down from target reached if target point remains imprecise for that "chapter" Sources : MDL, Sohu, Baidu, Weibo, Douban, Wikipedia and other articles, recordings from YouTube, Youku, Weibo or other media. (highlighted texts lead to sources ; most pictures lead to their source or further information, except simple screenshots from the drama). Gifs are my own except stated otherwise. To view the list of my other drama companion pieces (with links to them), check : HERE. |
1. General information |
Chinese title : 蜀锦人家 [Shǔjǐn rénjiā ] (Shǔ brocade family)
International title : Brocade Odyssey
| Original Writing: "Shǔ Brocade Family" (蜀锦人家) e-novel by Zhuāng Zhuāng (桩桩) The novel is divided into parts :
Note: The novel starts very differently from the drama which is more in the manner of a variation than just an adaptation. Both may be enjoyed as different stories. |
2024 TV series - 40 episodes
He has directed or co-directed about 20 dramas since 2003, including : 2018 The Rise of Phoenixes2020 Renascence 2021 People's Property 2022 Our Times 2023 Thirteen Years of Dust
2014 Battle of Changsha 2015 Nirvana in Fire 2018 Legend of Fuyao 2021 The Sword and The Brocade 2021 One and Only 2021 Novoland: Pearl Eclipse 2022 Who Rules The World 2023 Lost You Forever 2023 A Journey to Love 2023 The Last Immortal 2024 The Rise of Ning 2024 Deep Lurk 2024 Blossom 2025 Love Beyond the Grave |
2020 Legend of Fei 2021 Rattan 2023 Royal Rumours 2023 The Legend of Zhuohua 2024 Sword and Fairy 2024 Snowfall |
| OTHER CREW : Costume Designer 1:
see in Interviews and articles section 16 a long interview of Huáng Wēi for Global Times inJune 2024.
|
|
AIRING DATES AND PLATFORMS
Airing from November 30, noon Beijing time on: [*] Needs a subscription ; for those unable to subscribe or georestricted, try on Kiss (subtitled) or YouTube (subtitled) |
Drama Weibo : The drama social media posted many information about the release, and, true to its promise, some information about silk weaving brocade techniques such as the « knots », which are a key part for weaving of silk tapestries ; and it linked to the 成都蜀锦织绣博物馆 [Chéngdū shǔjǐn zhī xiù bówùguǎn] Chéngdū Shǔ Brocade Embroidery Museum's social media page, where more could be admired and learned, such as the way the emblem of Chéngdū city, the archeological gold leaf sun birds, was used for a pattern, the functioning of the loom, etc (see section 12 "More about brocade") |
Airing calendars from Nov.30 to Dec.27 with clues about episodes (click on pictures below to view the full posters from photo section in better details)
|
Link back to Table of Contents
2. Shooting dates and other production details |
Synopsis : The story takes place at the time of Táng Emperor Xiànzōng 唐憲宗 (reign 805–820), whose era name was Yúanhé 元和 (in episode 23, "merchant Bái" reveals that he camz into power in Nánzhào in the 10th year of Yúanhé, roughly when the drama Jì family was targeted wrongly - so we might assume the fictitious Shéng Fēngzé is modeled loosely around king Quàn Fēngyòu 勸豐祐 ( r.823-859) [see the section about the historical Nánzhào]). But the status of " Bái" remains mysterious for long, since there is also a ruling king in his country. The drama is set mostly around Yìzhōu (former historical name of Chéngdū in Sìchuān) which was an important producer of silk at a time when silk was more valued than gold or silver, so the silk tribute to the emperor was of great importance. "During the Táng Dynasty, the beauty of Shǔ brocade was renowned worldwide. Nobles and the rich coveted it, and the military even used brocade as a form of payment. Under the thriving brocade industry in Yìzhōu, unseen tensions developed beneath the surface. The Jì family's Shǔ Red Silk, renowned for its unparalleled quality, was so highly sought after that it earned the saying, "Shǔ Red outshines all reds." Yet, this very reputation led to tragedy. The Jì family became caught in a fake brocade scandal, resulting in the unjust death of Jì Yīngyīng's father and the family's overnight downfall. From a young age, Jì Yīngyīng demonstrated intelligence and a passion for dyeing silk. Her natural talent grew, and she vowed to restore the glory of the Jì family’s brocade business and clear her father’s name. However, her journey was filled with obstacles, particularly from Zhào Xiūyuán, the son of the prominent Zhào family, whose unrequited love for her turned into hostility. Yáng Jìnglán, the illegitimate son of the prestigious Brocade Master family, returned to Yìzhōu after years of study away with the crown prince in Cháng'ān. He had arrived to uncover the truth behind the death of his former master. His path crossed with Jì Yīngyīng, the spirited girl who had left an indelible impression on him during childhood. Together, they tackled crises and challenges that threatened the brocade industry. Jì Yīngyīng’s innovative dyeing techniques earned her fame across Shǔ , drawing the attention of Shéng Fēngzé, the king of Nánzhào State, who had long coveted the secrets of various brocade houses. As Nánzhào’s aggressive tactics put Yìzhōu in peril, Jì Yīngyīng took risks to protect her fellow artisans. Meanwhile, Yáng Jìnglán ventured into Nánzhào, joining forces with Jì Yīngyīng to negotiate and safeguard the brocade trade. Their collaboration revived the brocade industry and left behind a timeless tale of Shǔ brocade’s legacy. " (adapted from dramawiki) |
Shooting dates : 2023, September 12 to January 2024.Filmed mostly in Dūyún Film City of Guìzhōu.Dūyún Qínhàn Film Studio 都匀秦汉影视城 [Dūyún Qínhàn yǐngshì chéng] in Guìzhōu 贵州 province covers an area of 900 mu and consists of more than 230 reproductions of ancient buildings mainly from the Qín and Hàn dynasties, including the "two palaces and one altar" in the inner city and the "four districts and five mansions" in the outer city. One of the 280-meter-long Cháng ān Avenue fully displays the streetscape of the Qín and Hàn dynasties. |
| Care about details of the silk industry Silk brocade being an intangible heritage, great care was taken for the drama, with the Chéngdū museum lending looms and help with the setting up of the silk workshops in the drama. MDL member Alexis0501 posted to the photo section some interesting pictures and a couple of tweets about these details :
|
The cheerful attitude of the lead actress impressed the workers!
Chéngdū museum crew setting up the weaving loom 
Link back to Table of Contents
3. Music |
Song names in the table below link to the MV recordings with Hanzi/Pinyin/English translations on YouTube made by PeacheyBlossom. (and her full compilation OST video) ; plus alternative versions of interest by other Youtuber translators 
Song Name /名称 (type of song) | Singer / 演唱 | Lyricist and Composer |
|---|---|---|
Red 《红》Hóng  |
(His most famous songs are his first one "Drowning Sorrows" 消愁 ; "Black moonlight" 黑月光 ; and "Bù rǎn/Unsullied" 不染 ) | L: Zhāng Péngpéng 张鹏鹏、Jīn Dàzhōu 金大洲
|
Years Grow Long《年长》 Nián chǎng
|
| L: Zhāng Péngpéng 张鹏鹏
|
Wind-blown snow 《 风吹雪 》 Fēng chuīxuě
| singing "Boundary" 界 from 2024 drama As Beautiful As You (one of her two songs there) | L: Liú Jié 刘捷、 Chén Kěxīn 陈可欣
|
Thoughts《挚念》Zhì niàn
|  Tán Sōngyùn 谭松韵, in addition to OST songs, has also composed and sung own songs like the one above: "Stability" 安, "I am Here" 我在, and "Go Away Without A Plan, okay" 说走就走可以吗 |
|
|
M: Wèi Zǐfū 未子夫 | |
Heart's Brocade《 心上锦 》 Xīn shàng jǐn
| L: Wú Shūtíng 吴姝霆
|
Source: Official OST list from the Baidu drama page
As a bonus, here is the list of OST songs Seven Tan has sung before Brocade Odyssey:
| Song name | Drama |
| Love Is more Beautiful than Starlight 《爱比星光美丽》 | As Beautiful As You (2024) |
| Boundary 《界》 | As Beautiful As You (2024) |
| Qing Chun Wu Yang 《青春无恙》 | Road Home (2023) |
| Like Shining Star | Flight To You (2022) |
| I Can Finally Say That I Love You 《终于可以说出那句我爱你》 | Master of My Own (2022) |
| Flower Wish 《花愿》 | The Sword and the Brocade (2021) |
| Miss You 3000 《想见你》 | New Generation, eps 33-40 (2021) |
| This Summer 《今夏》 | Under The Power (2020) |
| Memories Are Filled With You《 回忆是你》 | Dear Mayang Street (2020) |
| Like A Breeze | Go Ahead (2020) |
| My Dear 《亲爱的》 | The Fox's Summer (2020) |
| Dear Classmate 《亲爱的同学 》 | With You (2016) |
and a musical clip to support underprivileged children in the mountains, released in January 2023: 《随诗落入你梦里》(Falling Into Your Dream With The Poem) from the public welfare 19'30" short movie 《把诗歌唱出山外》(Singing Poetry Out Of The Mountains, in full in the link).
Link back to Table of Contents
4. Character relationship charts and Alphabetical list |
In the table below, the character number refers to appearance in the Character/Cast List by order of appearance. The table also gives a key in [Red] to frequent abreviations and main roles of character names, in comments. Although it could be disputed, I consider the two main couples in this order : FL>ML , 2FL>2ML, and 3ML as rival of ML; additional couples are not lead roles but 4MS/4FS, 5MS/5FS
50. "Bái Shéng" Merchant Bái from Nánzhào (ep.12---21) /Shéng Fēngzé SFZ [3ML] 106. Tǔfěi - bandit (ep.31) 107. Dīngshāo tǔfěi - Lookout bandit (ep.31) 108. Dīngshāo tǔfěi - Lookout bandit (ep.31) 27. Brocade Bureau servant -- Subordinate of Yáng Jìnglán (ep.4-) 42. Brocade bureau officer -- Subordinate of Yáng Jìnglán (ep.7-) 98. Buyer of Brocade JYY's first silk box customer (ep.27) |
115. Chén fùjiāng Lieutenant who stayed faithful to Mù Huī (ep.32) 11. Chén sānláng Third Mr. Chén of Shining brook Dyehouse, Silk Society member (ep.1--40 ) 51. Chì Hǔ Subordinate of Bái Shéng (ep.12... 28) 90. crown prince, xiǎo Tàizǐ (in flashback with YJL and Shěn Rúfēng ep.25) 91. crown prince adult, Tàizǐ (in flashback with YJL, ep.25 ; ep.39, 40 ) 60. Cūnmín jiǎ / Villager A of Gubei village (ep.16) 61. Cūnmín 2yǐ /Villager 2B of Gubei village (ep.16 ) |
D 73 Debt collectors (ep.21) 89. Deputy general of Niú 's army (ep.84) 107. Dīngshāo tǔfěi - Lookout bandit (ep.31) 108. Dīngshāo tǔfěi - Lookout bandit (ep.31) 23. Dishonest patron of the Yuèbùhuàn inn (ep.2) 118. Dù Yàn Highest "Qīngpíng guān" minister of Nánzhào (ep.35) 4. and 67. Dūyùn guān "supervisor" later revealed to be Dù Yǔ (ep.1 +18-19) 68. Dù Yǔ qīzǐ / Wife of Dù Yǔ (ep.19) 68bis. Dù Yǔ nǚ'ér / Daughter of Dù Yǔ (ep.19) |
47. Gāo Fàng leader of the rangers on Mount Qingcheng (ep.12) 46. Governor Zhāng Cìshǐ (ep.11) 82. Hùwèi zhǎng - Chief of guards at the governor's office (ep.22) 19. Guo Kui dog of the Jì family (ep.1 -) Guards : also see Liùbù hùwèi, 6 Departments guards, Qiān Niú wèi guard |
20. Huā Róng ambitious businesswoman and wife of Huā Xiǎngróng (ep.1-) 15. Huā Xiǎngróng Huā family’s son-in-law and husband of Huā Róng (ep.1-) 85. Hùwèi yǐ - Guard, at the gates of Nánzhào (ep.23) |
J 8. Jì Guì butler of the Jì family (ep.1, 5, 21, 28, 40) 1. Jì Guī Nán creator of Shǔ hóng red silk dye, father of JY an JYT (ep.1+flashbacks) 7. Jì Xú shì /Madame Jì mother of JYY and JYT (ep.1 and following) 18. JYT - Jì Yàotíng [4MS] weaver (ep.1 --- 40 ) 6. Shǎo Jì Yàotíng child, elder brother of JYY (ep.1+flashbacks) 10. JYY - Jì Yīngyīng [FL] Creator and recreator of silk dyes (ep.1 and following) 14. Jiǎng liùláng - Sixth Mr. Jiǎng, of Flowing Moon dyehouse, Silk Society member (ep.1 ---40 ) 52. Judge at the Brocade weaving competition from which the Silk Society was banned (ep.) |
| K 76. Kànyànguān crimes inspector (ep.22) |
L 57. Lady A /Niángzǐ jiǎ dancer in the cosmopolitan quarter of Yìzhōu (ep.15) 66. Lǐ shīfù - Master Lǐ , a weaver from Yú Shū brocade house (ep.18)74. Lǐ Fēng Madame Lǐ's husband, uncle of JYY (ep.22, 24, 25) 116. Lǐ fùjiāng Lieutenant of Mù Huī who turned coat to Niú Jǐn (ep.32) 71. Lǐ Xú shì Madame Lǐ of Bā county was JYY's aunt, mother's sister (ep.21 + flashback 25) 59. Liú lǎobó Gubei village chief (ep.16) 62. Liú èr Gubei villager who needed money (ep.16) 97. Liú zhǎngguì - old weaver Liú (ep.27) 109. Liùbù hùwèi, 6 Departments guard Zhang Tingyan from ministry of Personnel (ep.31) 110. Liùbù hùwèi, 6 Departments guard Zhao Xun from ministry of War (ep.31) 111. Liùbù hùwèi, 6 Departments guard He Dapeng from ministry of Justice (ep.31) 112. Liùbù hùwèi, 6 Departments guard Wang Zhaofang from ministry of Revenue (ep.31) 113. Liùbù hùwèi, 6 Departments guard Wu Xinfei from the ministry of Works (ep.31) 3. Liú Jǐnguān officer of the Brocade Bureau (ep.1)97. Old Weaver Liú (ep.25-28) |
77. magistrate Méng xiànlìng (ep.22-23, 25) 63. Mù Huī Military commissioner of Yìzhōu (ep.16, 31 -.) 119. Mù Lán silk weaver in Nánzhào (ep.36-40 ) |
N 78. Former Nánzhào king - Qián Nánzhào wáng - (flashback in ep.22) 99. Niánmài zōngqīn -old Yáng family clans member (ep.27, 31) 57. Niángzǐ jiǎ /Lady A dancer in the cosmopolitan quarter of Yìzhōu (ep.15) 54. Níng Dài Bái Shéng's junior and spy in Yìzhōu (eps.14, 17, 20, 21, 37-39 ) 43. Niú fūrén - mentally deficient mother of NWN (ep.8, 33 ) 45. Niú Jǐn Father of NWN, general, vice commander of Jiànnán (ep.11--40.) 89. Niú Jǐn fùjiāng Lieutenant general who tried to arrest YJL (ep.24) 28. NWN - Niú wǔniáng [2FL] ambitious and ruthless daughter of general Niú (ep. 4--33.) 44. Servant of Niú wǔniáng (ep.8) |
| O 38. Overseer of the secret workshop on Qīngchén mountain who worked for NWN (ep.5) |
87. Physician (Lángzhōng) who diagnosed Madame Jì (episode 24) 13. Pín (Pearl) / Miss Zhū xiǎoniáng, daughter of Sunset clouds dyehouse, Silk Society member and JYY's best friend (ep.1 and following)
|
| Q 70. Qián zhǎngguì- trader whose order was turned down for too short delay (ep.21) 78. Qián Nánzhào wáng - Former Nánzhào king (flashback in ep.22) |
47. Rangers on Mount Qīngchéng, leader Gāo Fàng (ep.12) 48. Ranger B / Yóuxiá yǐ (ep.12) |
37. Sarcastic shopkeeper who mocked JYY at the Lei Zu festival (ep.5) 41. shopkeeper Sūn zhǎngguì competing for a prize (ep.4-5 ) 36. shopkeeper Wáng zhǎngguì who framed JYT and competed in the silk exhibition (ep.4) 72. Sāng Ān the Sāng family butler (ep.21) 25. Sāng Shèn / Chief interim chief of the Brocade Bureau (ep.2... ) 16. Sāng shísì (Sāng 14) 5MS Chief Sāng's son and honorary president of the Silk Society (ep. 1--) 58. Shěn Rúfēng former master of YJL and murdered chief of the Brocade Bureau (flashbacks from eps.15, 25) 117. Shéng Fēngyòu King of Nánzhào (ep.35) 50. SFZ Shéng Fēngzé [4ML] posing as Merchant "Bái Shéng" from Nánzhào (ep.12---21--40.) 80. Young Shéng Fēngzé's wet-nurse (flashback in ep.22) 120. Shǒuwèi zhǎng- Nánzhào chief of guards (ep.37) 96. Master Sūn shīfù, manager of the neglected stored of YJL (ep. 27) |
T 69. Tà Xuě Snow Stroll, YJL's beloved horse (eps.1, 9, 18, 20-24.) 90-91 Tàizǐ, crown prince (in flashbacks with YJL and Shěn Rúfēng ep.25) 104. Tǔfěi jiǎ - bandit (ep.30.) 105. Tǔfěi yǐ - bandit (ep.31) 106. Tǔfěi - bandit (ep.31) 107. Dīngshāo tǔfěi - Lookout bandit (ep.31) 108. Dīngshāo tǔfěi - Lookout bandit (ep.31) |
61. Villager A /Cūnmín jiǎ of Gubei village (ep.16) 62. Villager 2B /Cūnmín 2yǐ of Gubei village (ep.16 ) 59. Village chief Liú lǎobó (ep.16) 60. Villager Liú èr - who needed money (ep.16) |
W 36. Wáng zhǎngguì /Shopkeeper Wáng framed JYT + competed in the silk exhibition (ep.4) 83. Warden Wang took a bribe (ep.23, 25) |
| X 90. xiǎo tàizǐ - young crown prince (in flashback with YJL and Shěn Rúfēng ep.25) 64. Xuē Yù subordinate of Mù Huī who helped YJL find Dù Yǔ (ep.16) |
Y 92. Yáng èr yé Second Uncle Yáng was prejudiced against JYY (ep.25--) 88. Yáng guǎnjiā the Yáng family butler (ep.24) 17. YJL - Yáng Jìnglán [ML] Brocade officer in Yìzhōu (ep.2 and following) 5. Shǎo Yáng Jìnglán Child YJL (ep.1+flashbacks) 35. Yáng Jìnglín younger half-brother of YJL and YJS (ep.4-24-38 ) 34. Yáng Jìngshān elder half-brother of YJL and ex-husband of YLL (ep.4, 23--) 32. Yáng Jùxián father of YJL and of his two half-brothers (ep.4-24--) 95. Yáng sān yé - Third uncle Yáng (ep.25, 29, 31) 99. Niánmài zōngqīn -old Yáng family clan member (ep.27, 28, 31) 93. Zōngqīn jiǎ (Clan member A) : 11th uncle Yáng (ep.25, 29) 94. Zōngqīn yǐ (Clan member A) : 5th uncle Yáng (ep.25, 29) 24. YLL - Yù Línglóng [4FS] martial artist, innkeeper, ex wife of YJL's brother (ep.2--40.) 101. Yú Huái’ēn young member of the Yú family (ep.27, 40 ) 75. Yú Sān boatsman (ep.22, 25) 29. Yú Shū financially troubled brocade house master (ep.4-16--39.) 30. Yú Xī granddaughter of Yú Shū (ep.4-16--40 ) 39. Yù Yuán Maid of NWN (ep.5--22.) |
Z 46. Governor Zhāng Cìshǐ (ep.11) 81. Zhào guǎnjiā Butler of the Zhào family (ep.22, 24) 31. Zhào lǎotàiyé/ Patriarch of the Zhào family (ep.4---) 40. Zhào Píng Zhào family attendant, close to ZXY (ep.5--) 26. Zhào Shēn shì /Mrs Zhào concubine of the patriarch and mother of ZXY (ep.2---) 53. Zhào Xiūdé ZXY's master weaver brother who resented ZXY power play (ep.14) 22. ZXY - Zhào Xiūyuán [2ML] Master brocade master (ep.2 and following) 9. Shǎo Zhào Xiūyuán child betrothed to JYY (ep.1 and flashbacks, ep.19 etc) 103. Zhèng fūrén Lady in Cháng ān (ep.29) 21. Zhū Gé Hóng long time friend and subordinate of YJL (ep.2--39.) 55. Zhū fù / Father Zhū , dad of Miss Zhū aka Pín (ep.15 )
|
Brocade bureau (ep.7)
Merchant prince's gold leaf (ep.15)
Cosmopolitan crowd in Fan city of Yìzhōu (ep.15)
Sword tassel (ep.26)
Military commissioner examining the piece of stolen brocade (ep.16)
Shǔ
Rangers on Mount Qīngchéng (ep.12)
Flushed rose flying silk flower (ep.7)
God of Grain sacred brocade (ep.16)
Yù Línglóng
Link back to Table of Contents
5. Characters and cast by order of Appearance(part1 - episodes 1-5) |
Pictures : actor/actresses Weibo, MDL and other, links to their sources if not screenshots from the drama -- To differentiate actual name of characters from titles, lower case and italics are used like in :
|
|
The Jì family and young Zhào Xiūyuán ; picture from Sohu article.
| 1. Jì Guī Nán 季归南 The craftsman had created the Shǔ hóng 蜀紅 red silk dye and won a competition with it. |
| ||
   | 2. Shǎo Jì Yīngyīng 少季英英 Daughter of the Master dyer Jì. She was traumatized by the brutal death of her father, and had trouble remembering later what secret her father had told her, and who saved her, having further developed a phobia of blood and red color. |
Obs: she is not Amanda Liu, namesake b.August 22, 1998 who did not play nor sing in Thirteen Years of Dust. | ||
 | 3. Liú Jǐnguān 刘锦官 He had checked the silk tribute together with Jì Guī Nán, but still accused him of having substituted fake silk |
| ||
 | 4. Dūyùn guān 督运官 ("supervisor") He slit the throat of Jì Guī Nán to silence him. Reappearing in ep.18-19, as Dù Yǔ 杜宇, he was forced to confess, but was silenced too. |
| ||
 | 5. Shǎo Yáng Jìnglán 少杨静澜 Young Yáng Jìnglán often rode horses and gave a lift to young Jì Yīngyīng to check what was happening at her home. He warned her to be silent "like a rabbit". |
| ||
 | 6. Shǎo Jì Yàotíng 少季耀庭 He was Jì Yīngyīng's elder brother, who trained as weaver and stayed close to their mother. |
| ||
 | 7. Jì Xú shì 季徐氏 Madame Jì Xú, mother of Yàotíng and Yīngyīng only wanted to stay out of trouble. She threatened to take her life in public when creditors went too hard on her family after they were pardoned but left destitute. She managed to stave them away while her children grew up. Later, she was afraid of her daughter wanting to dye Shǔ hong silk and only wanted to send her far away to marry someone who would not drag her into danger. |
| ||
 | 8. Jì Guì 季贵 The family butler could not help with much. |
| ||
 | 9. Shǎo Zhào Xiūyuán 少赵修缘 His father stopped him from running to Yīngyīng when her family was taken away in shame, but he managed to convince his dad to help the Jì settle back into an empty house, once they were pardoned. |
|
ep.1
Ten years later, washing silk threads at 浣花溪 Huàn huā xī (Huàn huā creek)
A versatile actress with a flexible face, she can play adolescents as well as businesswomen or a commercial flight pilot! She also sings quite well. She owns a border collie called Liao Liao.
Nicknames : Xiǎo Tán 小谭 , Xiǎo Sōngshǔ 小 松鼠 ("little squirrel"), Jingjing, Liang Xiaojie ; Fandom Name: Sōngguǒ 松果 (Pine Cone) ; Fandom Color: Sky Blue ; Fanchant: sōng yùn chī hǎo shuì hǎo, sōng guǒ péi nǐ dào lǎo(松韵吃好睡好，松果陪你到老) 25.156 million fans on Weibo, as of December 2024.
  | 10. Jì Yīngyīng 季英英 The fearless and stubborn girl wanted to make things right. She will be developing two colors: her own pink red and her father's Shǔ red, proud to have them registered in Chang'an, and displayed on the wall of colors of Yizhou Brocade Bureau. |
She mostly played in modern times dramas, such as the girl in 2020 Go Ahead, but also in a memorable ancient costume role alongside an "embroidered officer" played by Rèn Jiālún in 2019 Under the Power, and as an embroiderer in 2021 The Sword and the Brocade, set in Ming dynasty. | ||
 | 11. Chén sānláng 陈三郎 Third Mr. Chén, from the minor 映溪染坊 Yìngxī Rǎnfáng (Shining brook Dyehouse) was an optimist who loved to sing, and one of the faithful friends of Yīngyīng. among the first to join the "Silk Society" |
| ||
 | 12. Shèng dàláng 盛大郎 Mr. Shèng, from minor 彩鸾染坊 Cǎiluán Rǎnfáng (Splendid fabulous bird Dyehouse), liked to sing, and always carried a medicine box because his mother thought he was frail! |
He appeared in 8+ dramas and a movie in support roles since 2020 | ||
 | 13. Zhū xiǎoniáng 朱小娘 Miss Zhū, nickname “Pín” 玭 (Pearl) was the daughter of the owners of 落霞染坊 Luòxiá Rǎnfáng “sunset clouds dyehouse”). She was Yīngyīng's best friend and also did not want to marry just to please her parents. |
| ||
 | 14. Jiǎng liùláng 蒋六郎 Sixth Mr. Jiǎng, from 流月染坊 Liúyuè Rǎnfáng (Flowing moon dyehouse), was on the lookout for his friends and also a faithful friend of Yīngyīng , joining the Silk Society from start. |
Since 2014, he appeared in 16+ dramas and 7 movies. He has also worked as screenwriter for 2019 short (30 mins) comedy movie Knight of Time | ||
 | 15. Huā Xiǎngróng 花想容 The Huā family’s son-in-law (Huā Róng’s henpecked husband), he helped her hinder the lesser dyers at the creek, to cause them to enter debts. |
He appeared in 35+ dramas and 4 movies since 2018. | ||
 | 16. Sāng shísì (Sāng 14) 桑十四 Chief Sāng’s son who liked gambling, accepted to be honorary president of the Silk Society, and fell in unrequited love with Pín (Miss Zhū). |
|
Following a dispute with his former agency he did not renew with them after contract expired in 2021, and operates now under his own agency, Zheng Ye Cheng Studio.
Nickname: Dà Chéng 大成 ; Fandom Name: Xiǎo yèzǐ 小叶子 ("Little Leaf") ; Fandom Color: Green ; Fanchant: dà chéng, dà chéng, méi nǐ bú chéng (大成，大成，没你不成）10.8 million fans on Weibo , as of December 2024.
 | 17. Yáng Jìnglán 杨静澜 He was the new “brocade officer” arrived unannounced and stayed relatively low key for a few days, while starting his inquiries. His mission was: reproduce the Shǔ 蜀 red silk, investigate the murders of his predecessors, and reform the brocade industry in Yìzhōu 益州. |
He is currently filming The Boundless Bright Moon (into Q1 2025). The drama The Assassin (filmed in March to June2022) has passed review on Dec,13, 2024 shortly after Kill My Sins so these two dramas are likely to air next after Brocade Odyssey, probably in Q1 2025. | ||
 | 18. Jì Yàotíng 季耀庭 Yīngyīng’s weaver brother, fascinated by "innkeeper" and martial artist Yù Línglóng |
| ||
 | 19. Guo Kui The dog of Jì family scared people like Huā Róng but was friendly from start with Yáng Jìnglán. | |||
 | 20. Huā Róng 花容 Owner of Huā ’s Dyehouse, wife of Huā Xiǎngróng (who was at her beck and call), she was ruthlessly pushing smaller businesses to bankruptcy to buy them out as a front for a more powerful player, who was specially targeting Yīngyīng and the Jì family. Thus, she seized Yàotíng's loom to lure him into a trap. |
| ||
 | 21. Zhū Gé Hóng 诸葛鸿 He had come as a subordinate of Yáng Jìnglán but was more a friend and trusted help in the investigations |
| ||
| 22. Zhào Xiūyuán 赵修缘 He was Yīngyīng’s betrothed from childhood, although his father did not agree after the downfall of the Jì family. Yīngyīng believed he was the one who understood her the most. They often signaled via a kite and met on a bridge. But faced with a tough choice, he believed the best way to save her was to appear like he yielded to her enemies. This was going to wound Yīngyīng more than he imagined and he could never force her back to him later, when he "grew in power". |
The actor, who already appeared in 3 movies and 5 dramas since 2021, was a welcome face replacement for Zhang Hao Wei, who had to take a pause in his career mid 2024 because of a lawsuit to fight against possibly malicious accusations. The AI "facelift" helped production not having to put the drama on the shelf for indefinite time because of one actor's problems. | ||
 | 23. Dishonest patron of the inn The anonymous man tried to take advantage of the 月不还 Yuèbùhuàn innkeeper or slander the establishment but was kicked out while Yīngyīng watched. | |||
 | 24. Yù Línglóng 玉玲珑 Ms Yù, martial artist and innkeeper of Yuèbùhuàn 月不还 (‘gives no credit’) ; she still helped Yīngyīng with a loan to help her win a gamble which might profit her inn. She was Yáng Jìnglán’s former sister-in-law (ex wife of Yáng Jìngshān) and recognized him immediately, but did not tell others. |
| ||
 | 25. Sāng Shèn 桑慎 aka Chief Sāng (桑长史 Sāng zhǎng shǐ) The (interim) “brocade officer” Chief of the Brocade Bureau was astounded that his son Sāng shísì (Sāng 14) was in the game to promote business and the sale of silk embroidered 荷包 hébāo (propitious pouches) and a member of the new Silk Society. |
| ||
| 26. Zhào Shēn shì 赵申氏 Madame Zhào, "Shēn niáng", was Zhào Xiūyuán's mother. She was opposed to the marriage of her son to Yīngyīng and acted coldly around the Jì family. |
| ||
| 27. Brocade Bureau servant Yang Jìnglán’s new subordinate of the Brocade Bureau first brought a message from de Yáng residence, and later shadowed suspects for the investigation. | |||
 | 28. Niú wǔniáng 牛五娘 The mysterious face scarred "5th lady" Niú was the real mastermind behind the Huā clan. She was the daughter of general Niú (vice commander, see ep.8), a ruthless scheming person who used anyone for her profit and power games. |
| ||
 | 29. Yú Shū 于殊 The silk house owner, who had bought the former Jì workshop, being saddled with debts, could not help Yīngyīng enter the brocade competition. |
| ||
 | 30. Yú Xī 于溪 Yú Shū’s granddaughter played with a silk ball (see section about the Xiùqiú ) |
| ||
 | 31. Zhào lǎotàiyé 赵老太爷 (Grandpa Zhào) Master of Zhào silk house, patriarch of the family, he set conditions to help Yīngyīng join the Splendor Showcase with the Silk Society. |
| ||
 | 32. Yáng Jùxián 杨聚贤 Yáng Jìnglán loathed his father, after the death of his mother whom his dad had been all but abandoned for Shēn niang. |
| ||
 | 33. Yáng Shí shì 杨石氏 Madame Yáng was the Yáng family matriarch. |
| ||
 | 34. Yáng Jìngshān 杨静山 Eldest son of Yáng the family and Master weaver, he was also the former fiance of Yù Línglóng who had broken with her. |
| ||
 | 35. Yáng Jìnglín 杨静林 Second son of Yáng the family |
| ||
 | 36. Wáng zhǎngguì 王掌柜 "Shopkeeper Wáng" praised Yàotíng who had come to work for him after Mrs Huā seized his loom, but it was only to have him beaten by jealous colleagues. Yàotíng signed a contract to redeem the broken loom of his father which Wáng had purchased, but the dishonest shopkeeper in collude with Mrs Huā accused him of stealing it and refused to show the contract. |
| ||
| 37. Sarcastic shopkeeper He added fuel to fire to discredit Yīngyīng who had been forced to act out of character by Mrs Huā (who threatened her with breaking her brother’s legs and wrists for theft !) at the Léi Zǔ festival | |||
 | 38. Overseer The overseer of the secret workshop on Qīngchén mountain worked for Niú wǔniáng. | |||
 | 39. Yù Yuán 玉缘 Faithful maid of Niú wǔniáng (who was willing to take punishments for her boss) ; she informed her that Yáng Jìnglán had bought his title as silk commissioner to spite his family. |
| ||
 | 40. Zhào Píng 赵平 The Zhào family attendant, despite being close to Zhào , could not deliver a letter to the Jì family, as the Zhào patriarch had forbidden contact with them after the scandal at the festival. |
|
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Link back to Table of Contents
6. Characters and cast by order of appearance(part 2 - episodes 6-24) |
| 41. Sūn zhǎngguì 孙掌柜 Wáng Dyehouse won 3rd prize ; Sūn got 2nd prize ; Mrs Huā Róng was first : all had their bribes returned as "prize"! |
| ||
 | 42. Brocade bureau officer Subordinate of Yáng Jìnglán who investigated Ms Huā and the mountain (ep 7 and 10) . | Unidentified in cast | ||
| 43. Niú fūrén 牛夫人 Madame Niú, mother of girls including , was living mentally diminished in the Niú mansion after a difficult delivery many years before. Niú wǔniáng tried to convince Yīngyīng to join her side by telling her the sob stories of her life, but Yīngyīng refused. |
| ||
 | 44. servant Servant of Niú wǔniáng who was instructed to force Yīngyīng to make Shǔ red dye and held her prisoner in a hidden cellar while Yang searched the grounds. | unidentified in cast |
Ep.7
Ep.8
 Zhào Xiūyuán's wedding at Zhào mansion |  The rangers working for Yáng Jìnglán |
| 45. Niú Jǐn 牛瑾 The general was vice commander of Jiàn nán 劍南 region, under the military commissioner Mù Huī. Father of Niú wǔniáng. |
| ||
 | 46. Zhāng Cìshǐ 张 刺史 Governor Zhāng welcomed general Niú riding back into the city ; he was the military commissioner’s eye in Yìzhōu. |
| ||
| 47. Gāo Fàng 高放 leader of the Rangers of Mount Qīngchéng, independent warrior friends of Yáng Jìnglán. |
| ||
 | 48. Yóuxiá yǐ 游侠乙 Ranger B, one of the 7 rangers on Mount Qīngchéng. |
| ||
 | 49. Yóuxiá jiǎ 游侠甲 Woman Ranger A, one of the 7 Rangers on Mount Qīngchéng. |
| ||
  | 50. Bái Shéng 白晟 / Bái zhǎngguì 白掌柜 Shéng Fēngzé 晟丰泽"Merchant Bái" from Nánzhào 南詔 wanted to enter the silk brocade community, and was interested in an ancient sacred design. His interest in Yīngyīng grew and he helped her finally create the silk brocade tribute. His secret identity was revealed later, although suspected early on. |
A graduate from Beijing Film Academy, he studied painting for 11 years and Latin dance for 4 years and said "If not an actor he wanted to be a doctor"! He married actress Lǐ Jiālín 李佳璘 /Lǐ Lín 李琳 in 2014; they have two daughters (one from her ex-husband). Since 2011, Jīng Chāo appeared in 2 movies and about 30 dramas, including 2019 Princess Silver and 2022 City of Streamer. Fandom name : 小超人 Xiǎo chāorén (Superboy) | ||
 | 51. Chì Hǔ 赤虎 Bái Shéng had come from Nánzhào with his subordinate. |
| ||
 | 52. Judge Judge at the Brocade Weaving competition. | unidentified in cast | ||
| 53. Zhào Xiūdé 赵修德 Zhào Xiūyuán’s brother suspected that Zhào Xiūyuán and Niú wǔniáng would bring trouble to the family. Little did he expect to what extent : Zhào Xiūyuán demanded that the patriarch (see 31) step down and hand the position. |
| ||
 | 54. Níng Dài 宁黛 Bái Shéng’s junior had covertly gathered information about the brocade families in Yizhou, naming three to be worth of attention : Yáng, Zhào, and Yú. She mentioned Jì Yīngyīng knew how to dye the Shǔ red silk but ‘did not know how to weave’. In fact she was not a simple spy, but the daughter of a Nánzhào minister, who managed Prince Bái's house and brocade collection in their country. |
| ||
| 55. Zhū fù 朱父 He was angry about the disobedience streaks of his daughter. |
| ||
 | 56. Zhū mǔ 朱母 Pín's mother also wanted to set up blind dates for her daughter. |
| ||
 | 57. Niángzǐ jiǎ 娘子甲 'Lady A' was scamming passersby with high prices for her dance and cakes but a tour flying made her reflect. |
| ||
 | 58. Shěn Rúfēng 沈如风 Yáng Jìnglán had flashbacks of memory about him |
| ||
| 59. Liú lǎobó 刘老伯 Old uncle Liú was the Gubei village chief, guardian of the God of grain brocade. |
| ||
 | 60. Cūnmín jiǎ 村民甲 Villager A in Gubei village who was accusing Bái of having stolen the God of Grain sacred brocade. |
| ||
 | 61. Cūnmín 2yǐ 村民2乙 Villager 2B in Gubei village who had stopped Yīngyīng , Línglóng and Pín at the gates of the village before the ceremony. |
| ||
 | 63. Liú èr 刘二 He needed money to take care of his sick mother. |
| ||
 | 63. Mù Huī 穆辉 He was the Military commissioner of Yìzhōu. |
| ||
 | 64. Xuē Yù 薛煜 He assisted Yáng Jinlan in his investigations about the silk escort, chosen from the military camp, and helped him spot Dù Yǔ (see Ep.1, #) |
| ||
| 65. Zhīgōng jiǎ 织工甲 "Weaver A" squabbling with colleagues in Yú Shū's workshop about how to achieve rippling effect and whether satin weave or plain weave was better for stalks, and balancing on a seesaw plank for a game of brocade question riddles. |
| ||
 | 66. Lǐ shīfù 李师傅 Master Lǐ went on the seesaw next with Chén sānláng for the game about brocade details. |
| ||
 | 67. Dù Yǔ 杜宇 The logistics officer was tasked by Niú to frame those who transported silk tribute for substituting fake brocade; he would then send the real one on its way to other buyer. (see #4 from ep.1) |
| ||
| 68. Dù Yǔ qīzǐ 杜宇妻子 Dù Yǔ’s wife had been abducted by Niú wǔniáng, together with her daughter, and held in a store room of the Zhào mansion. |
| ||
 | 68bis. Dù Yǔ nǚ'ér 杜宇女儿 Dù Yǔ’s daughter, whose bead bracelet was taken by Zhào Xiūyuán to be shown to her father in jail. |
| ||
 | 69. Tà Xuě 踏雪 ("Snow stroll") Yáng Jìnglán's beloved horse, already seen when he took Yīngyīng to the Jì brocade weaving and dye house ten years earlier, when he arrived in Yìzhōu to take the position of Brocade officer, and when he took Yīngyīng to Zhào's mansion before teaching her to ride. |
Ep. 11
Ep. 12
Ep.14
Ep.15
Ep.16
Ep.18
ep.19
Link back to Table of Contents
7. Characters and cast by order of appearance(part 4 - episodes 21-40 ) |
| 70. Qián zhǎngguì 钱掌柜 Mr Qián came as a "trader from Tubo" with a large order, but tight time limit, so Yīngyīng turned the deal down. |
| ||
 | 71. Lǐ Xú shì 李徐氏 Madame Lǐ was Yīngyīng's aunt. Because of debt collectors suddenly turning up to demand 1000 guan, Yīngyīng felt forced to take the deal with Mr Qián to help her. |
| ||
 | 72. Sāng Ān 桑安 The Sāng family butler served his master’s birthday dinner for him and his friends from the Silk society |
| ||
 | 73. Debt collectors They claimed they had a gambling debt note of 1000 guan from Li Feng and gave only three days to his wife to settle it! | |||
| 74. Lǐ Fēng 李丰 The husband of aunt was only interested in money to gamble with, ready to raid his wife's assets and his daughter's dowry, and worse. |
| ||
 | 75. Yú Sān 于三 The boatsman confirmed the claims of Lǐ Fēng although being a dubious witness, so Mrs Jì got framed. |
| ||
 | 76. Kànyànguān 勘验官 The inspector arrested "Mrs Jì of Sān dào yàn 三道堰 ", on the testimony of the boatsman, of Lǐ Fēng and of the "weapon of the crime" against "Mrs Lǐ of Bā 巴 county". |
| ||
 | 77. Méng xiànlìng 蒙县令 County magistrate Méng 蒙 was corrupted by Zhào, but relented to public outcry in the trial. |
| ||
 | 78. Qián Nánzhào wáng 前南诏王 While Yīngyīng realized that her business associate was not use her mother's trouble to try enslave her, and shook herself free to storm out, he remembered what his father, the former Nánzhào king had told him, when he was a child, and he crushed his jade goblet in his hand, bleeding drops to the ground. |
| ||
 | 79. Shàonián Shéng Fēngzé 少年晟丰泽 Young Shéng Fēngzé was made to watch his father kill his wet-nurse, while he was told he could never achieve anything if he was troubled by feelings. |
| ||
 | 80. Xiǎo Chéng Fēngzé rǔmǔ 小晟丰泽乳母 The wet-nurse had been exposed to be a spy, and despite her pleadings, the king stroke her down with his sword. |
| ||
 | 81. Zhào guǎnjiā 赵管家 Butler of the Zhào family, he was seent to spy on Yīngyīng and reported that she had gone to see Bái, and later, about the return of YJL. |
| ||
 | 82. Hùwèi zhǎng 护卫长 The governor's office Chief of guards used excessive force to punish JYT who had come to protest about his mother's treatment in jail. He was blamed by the governor when the crowd started to get loud. - [6th Dept refers to government offices, in that time] |
| ||
| 83. Warden Wang Warden Wang took bribes to let the Jì see their mother. | |||
 | 84. Jǐn Xiù 锦绣 Madame Yáng's maid handed over the brocade sample when Yīngyīng came begging for help. She was later assigned as maid to Yīngyīng too. |
| ||
 | 85. Hùwèi yǐ 护卫乙 Guard B The Nánzhào general could not stop YJL from escaping. |
| ||
 | 86. Niú bīng 牛兵 (Niú's soldier) Despite the numerous army lying in ambush, YJL fought his way back to Yìzhōu, and had one defeated opponent tell him about the next hurdles |
| ||
| 87. Lángzhōng 郎中 The physician diagnosed Mrs Jì as suffering from stress! |
| ||
 | 88. Yáng guǎnjiā 杨管家 The Yáng family butler announced the news of the marriage to all. |
| ||
 | 89. Niú Jǐn fùjiāng 牛瑾副将 The Deputy general of Niú Jin 's army barged in to arrest YJL but when YJL produced the Crown Prince's tally and the Qiānniú wèi 千牛衛 guard suddenly appeared, he had to retreat. [see section 13 about the 千牛衛 ] |
| ||
 | 90. xiǎo tàizǐ 小太子 The crown prince and YJL had become acquainted on a mountaintop in their childhood, and their tutor had only them as disciples, making them sworn brothers. From then on, YJL would call him 'elder brother' |
| ||
 | 91. Crown prince, adult He lamented that the military commissioner had all jurisdiction over Yizhou, so his hands were tied and he could not avenge their teacher. | Not credited in available cast list | ||
 | 92. Yáng èr yé 杨二爷 The insufferable Second Uncle Yáng was blatantly looking to rob JYY of her "Bloom society" but was disappointed to find out it was not her property any longer. He tried by all means to stifle her business attempts, and colluded with "Bái Shéng". |
| ||
 | 93. Zōngqīn jiǎ 宗亲甲 (Clan member A) Eleventh uncle Yáng viewed JYY with suspicion when she was introduced at the family dinner. But he was swayed by YJL's case for amending the 'family rules' soemtime later. |
| ||
 | 94. Zōngqīn yǐ 宗亲乙 (Clan member B) Fifth uncle Yáng |
| ||
 | 95. Yáng sān yé 杨三爷 Third uncle Yáng (?) |
| ||
| 96. Sūn shīfù 孙师傅 Master Sūn did not do a good job selling the outdated Yáng family brocade, but JYY had an idea. Madame Yáng and YJL father liked the idea and helped, but 2nd Uncle ruined it. |
| ||
 | 97. Liú zhǎngguì 刘掌柜 Old Weaver Liú needed some brocade for his daughter's wedding but Sūn refused until YJL stepped in. |
| ||
 | 98. Buyer of brocade JYY's first customer for silk brocade boxes on the market before Yáng Juli came to disrupt her trade, and haul the goods away, but had to pay. | not credited in available cast list | ||
 | 99. Niánmài zōngqīn 年迈宗亲 The Elderly clan member was swayed by the fuss raised by Yáng Juli, but later agreed to reform Yáng family rules. |
| ||
 | 100. Buyer of brocade A customer on the foreign market who was first annoyed to find a piece of brocade similar to his outfit, on a box sold by Bloom society, until he agreed this did not hurt him. | not credited in available cast list | ||
 | 101. Yú Huái’ēn 于怀恩 The young Yú piped in with his views about rules and fairness at work. |
| ||
| 102. Jǐn Xīn 锦心 Another maid of Madame Yáng who was asked to bring wine to celebrate her understanding with JYY. |
| ||
 | 103. Zhèng fūrén 郑夫人 Madame Zhèng was a leader of fashion and brocade buying in Cháng ān ; Niú wǔniáng persuaded her to buy Zhào brocade instead of Yáng craftwork. |
| ||
| 104. Tǔfěi jiǎ 土匪甲 Bandit A leading a pack of bandits, had attacked the caravan in the dangerous forested frontier valley. |
| ||
| 105. Tǔfěi yǐ 土匪乙 Bandit B was the chieftain of the bandit pack. |
| ||
 | 106. Tǔfěi He was the first bandit's brother and wanted to take revenge on Yù Línglóng or to extract ransom for Jì Yàotíng. | not credited in available cast lists | ||
 | 107. Dīngshāo tǔfěi 盯梢土匪 The first watcher bandit informed about the caravan. |
| ||
 | 108. Dīngshāo tǔfěi 盯梢土匪 The second watcher bandit confirmed the information before the bandit chief decided to attack and plunder the caravan. | |||
 | 109. Liùbù hùwèi 六部护卫 6 Departments guard Zhang Tingyan from the ministry of personnel, who had come with the rangers. (See section 14 about the administrative divisions in Nánzhào, copied on Táng ones) |
| ||
 | 110. Liùbù hùwèi 六部护卫 6 Departments guard Zhào Xun from the ministry of war, who had witnessed with his peers Shéng Fēngzé's confession. |
| ||
 | 111. Liùbù hùwèi 六部护卫 6 Departments guard He Dapeng from the ministry of Justice. | not credited in available cast lists | ||
 | 112. Liùbù hùwèi 六部护卫 6 Departments guard Wang Zhaofang from the ministry of Revenue. | not credited in available cast lists | ||
 | 113. Liùbù hùwèi 六部护卫 6 Departments guard Wu Xinfei from the ministry of Works. | not credited in available cast lists | ||
 | 114. Qiān Niú wèi jiǎ 千牛卫甲 6 Departments Zhao Meng from the imperial Qiān Niú guard. (see section 13 about Qiānniú Guard 千牛卫 ) |
| ||
| 115. Chén fùjiāng 陈副将 Lieutenant Chén thought the best answer to Niú was to affirm his loyalty to the military commissioner. |
| ||
 | 116. Lǐ fùjiāng 李副将 Lieutenant Lǐ was promised a post as Deputy General if Niú became Commissioner. |
| ||
| 117. Shéng Fēngyòu 晟丰佑 King of Nánzhào . Elder brother of Shéng Fēngzé. |
| ||
 | 118. Dù Yàn 杜彦 Qīngpíng guān 清平官, Highest Minister of Nánzhào. (See section 14 about the administrative divisions in Nánzhào) |
| ||
| 119. Mù Lán 幕兰 She worked with wild silkworms but had not mastered the techniaue to make them grow strong threads. |
| ||
| 120. Shǒuwèi zhǎng 守卫长 Nánzhào Chief of Guards Dù Yàn's head guard, harassing the brocade workers in the camp. |
|
Ep.21
Ep.22
Ep.23
Ep.24
Ep.25
Ep.27
Ep.29
Ep.30
Ep.31
Ep.32
Ep.35
Ep.36
Ep.37Link back to Table of Contents
8. Places of interest in the drama |
Info from Wikipedia and museum pages, Sohu, Baidu Baike, and other : pictures, maps, and text selections link to their sources.
- Shǔ and Yìzhōu countries or provinces
- Yì zhōu city, Huàn huā xī and Sān dào yàn
- Jiànnán
- Qīngchéng mountain
- Nánzhào
- Tǔbō
1. Shǔ and Yìzhōu countries or provinces
Shǔ in seal script |   | Shǔ in regular script |
Ancient Shǔ (古蜀 Gǔ Shǔ) was an ancient kingdom (10th century BCE – 316 BCE) in what is now Sìchuān Province. Long before the Qin conquest in 316 BCE, there already was a unique civilization there, and the gold leaf Sun Bird relic has become the symbol of 成都 Chéngdū city, the present day provincial capital.
In subsequent periods of Chinese history the Sìchuān area continued to be referred to as Shǔ after this ancient state, and later states founded in the same region were also called Shǔ.
 The Golden Sun Bird, believed to be a totem of the ancient Shǔ people |  It is on view in Jinsha Museum, Chéngdū. In 2011, the city of Chengdu selected the Golden Sun Bird as the design for its logo. It also features in brocade designs. |  The large bronze head with protruding eyes is believed to be a depiction of Cancong, the semi-legendary first king of Shǔ |
As centuries passed, Shǔ Han 蜀漢 (also known as Ji Hàn 季漢 "Junior Hàn"), often shortened to Shǔ 蜀 emerged as a dynastic state of China and one of the three major states that competed for supremacy over China in the Three Kingdoms period. The state was based in the area around present-day 汉中 Hànzhōng in Sìchuān , 重庆 Chóngqìng , 云南 Yúnnán, 贵州 Guìzhōu, and north 广西 Guǎngxī ; its core territory also coincided with 刘邦 Liú Bāng's Kingdom of Hàn, the precursor of the Hàn dynasty. 刘邦 Liú Bāng took over Yi Province (covering present-day Sìchuān and Chóngqìng) from the warlord 劉璋 Liú Zhāng between 212 and 214, and wrestled control of Hànzhōng from his rival, 曹操 Cáo Cāo, in 219. Shǔ and Yì zhōu's destinies were closely linked, as kingdoms emerged, fought, merged, declined (see Gif map above).
Yì zhōu 益州, Yì Province or Yì Prefecture, was a zhōu (province) of ancient China. Its capital city was Chéngdū.
During the Hàn dynasty, it included the commanderies Hànzhōng, Bā 巴, Guǎnghàn 广汉, Shǔ 蜀, Wénshān 文山, Jiànweī 建威, Zāngkē 牂牁, Yuèxī 越西, Yìzhōu and Yōngchéng 雍城. It was bordered in the north by Liáng Province 涼州 and Yōng Province 雍州. At its greatest extent, Yì covered present-day central and eastern Sìchuān 四川, Chóngqìng重庆, southern Shaanxi/Shǎnxī 陕西 and parts of Yúnnán云南 and Guìzhōu 贵州.
2. Yìzhōu 益州
 | The Yìzhōu in the drama and book refers in fact to the name of Chéngdū 成都 during Táng dynasty , not the Yízhōu 宜州 in north Guǎngxī 广西 Zhuàng autonomous region with its karst mountains along the river Lóng Jiāng 龙江 (Dragon river : famous for its natural scenery and scenes from the 2006 film, The Painted Veil, were filmed along its course. ) But since the filming took place in Guìzhōu where 73% of the land is karst, there are glimpses in the drama of a karstic appearance artist's imagination of a "Sān dào yàn" (screenshot below) : |
 |
浣花溪 Huàn huā xī (Huàn huā creek) still exists in Chéngdū, and Sān dào yàn 三道堰 too, but the landscape is rather flat, since the city is on a plain.
The real Sāndàoyàn 三道堰 is a town 22 km away from Chéngdū city center; it's name comes from the three closely spaced weirs that were used for peasants using bamboo baskets, to guide water into the fields. It was also called 天府水乡 [Tiānfǔ shuǐxiāng] "Tiānfǔ water town", as the two major tributaries of 都江堰 Dūjiāngyàn famous irrigation system : 柏条河 Bǎitiáo River and 徐堰河 Xúyàn hé River run through it (these two rivers are the main drinking water sources of the city, with closely monitored water plants, now). Sāndàoyàn is now an AAAA listed tourist spot for its picturesque embankment and bridge with covered structure, its looping river, and it can be reached from city center using the metro line 18, as on map of public transport below, showing a part of the full map on page 27 of the full city guide pdf (lots of free and interesting information there, if you plan to visit) :
Huàn huā xī in the drama (screenshot) The Huànhuā creek was a place where people produced embroidery. Nowadays it is a green park in Cǎotáng district, close to tourist spot "Dù Fǔ's thatched cottage" and to the TCM and SWUFE universities. Further south, the brook merges with the 南河 Nán river which changes its name to the 150-km 锦江 Jǐn Jiāng river after it merges with 府河 Fǔ river. In the Táng dynasty, 南河 was called 内江 Nèijiāng (inside river) and 府河 was called Wàijiāng (outside river). (The picture links to a suggested tour description) | Sohu has a nice article introducing the charms of Sāndàoyàn (click on picture to view and read in Chinese) :  The page above (click on to watch pictures and read a short introduction in Chinese) has some more views of real and modern Sāndàoyàn. |
3. Jiànnán 劍南
 Statue of Liú Bèi |  Jiànmén guān and the plank road |  Tourists on the narrow plank road in 2020 |
 |  |  |
In the first reign year of Táng dynasty 唐王朝 emperor Tàizōng 太宗 (627 AD), previous administrative divisions were abolished and Yìzhōu 益州 was renamed Jiànnán dào 剑南道, under the Chéngdū fǔ 成都府 (prefecture), because of its location south of the Jiànmén guān 剑门关 pass ("Sword Gate"). The dangerous pass is mentioned in a poem by Dù Fǔ 杜甫 (712-770), at the time of the Táng dynasty collapse. It was a major military place where many battles were fought.
Jiànmén pass today still features the ancient plank road, and there are statues celebrating for instance Liú Bèi 刘备 crossing the pass, Kǒngmíng 孔明 aka Zhūgě Liàng 诸葛亮 digging out the pass.
4. Qīngchéng mountain
 View of Qīngchéng peaks from the 老君阁 Lǎojūn gé (Lǎojūn pavilion) |  Chāoyáng cave entrance |
Close to Chéngdū in Dūjiāngyàn 都江堰, the Qīngchéng mountain (青城山 Qīngchéng Shān ) is home to Dūjiāngyàn Giant Panda Center and since 2000 has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are 36 peaks and 11 Daoist temples on mount Qīngchéng. The 36 summits are in a yin yang type laid out in a circle, with steep cliffs. They are « green in the four directions » and look like a city wall, hence its 青 Qīng (=green) 城 chéng (=city) name.
Located at the foot of Mount Zhàngrén 丈人山 (old name of the Qīngchéng mountain), the first Daoist temple was Jiànfú Palace (建福宫 Jiànfú gōng) built in the Táng dynasty. Leading figures of the Daoist school are worshiped in the splendid Main Hall."
Located at the foot of the main peak of Mount Lǎoxiāo 老霄, the ChāoyángCave (朝阳洞 Chāoyáng dòng) is deep, with drops of water falling down occasionally. Chāoyáng Cave is also a Daoist temple built under steep cliffs which are part of the terrain. The Cave faces the east with the rising sun im the morning and "the front arch at the entrance hangs in the air, making the temple a secluded and refined place."
Qīngchéng Shān 青城山 was affected by the Wènchuān 汶川 Earthquake in 2008.
See part 2 in section 13 for
5. Nánzhào 南詔
6. Tǔbō 吐蕃
Link back to Table of Contents
9. Hébāo silk pouches |
The (interim) “brocade officer” Chief Sāng (桑长史 Sāng zhǎng shǐ) of the Brocade Bureau was astounded that his son was in the game to promote business and the sale of silk embroidered 荷包 hébāo (propitious pouches) in the new 8-11 member Silk Society. Yīngyīng had crafted these from a 缂丝 kèsī (sometimes written “gesi”) tapestry weave, normally using silk on a small scale, often with animal, bird and flower decoration, etc. She had embroidered them with auspicious characters.
|
|
|
|
万贯 [Trad. 萬貫] wàn guàn (= ten thousand strings of cash ; very wealthy, millionaire)
索子 suǒ zi (= a thick rope) different from 梭子 suō zi (=shuttle for textile)
文钱 wén qián (culture, thought, + money) , close pronunciation to 揾钱 wèn qián (dialect: to make money)
十万 [Trad. 十萬] shí wàn (= hundred thousand)"Kesi"means "cut silk", as the technique uses short lengths of weft thread that are tucked into the textile. Only the weft threads are visible in the finished fabric. Unlike continuous weft brocade, in kèsī each colour area was woven from a separate bobbin, making the style both technically demanding and time-consuming. This technique first appeared during the Tang dynasty (618–907), and became popular in the Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279), reaching its height during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). The style continued to be popular until the early 20th century, and the end of the Qing dynasty in 1911–12.
 |  This is a pictophonetic character, with the upper half being the "grass" radical and the lower half representing the pronunciation "hé". |
 The red lotus flower is a symbol of love, compassion, and passion. It is often associated with the heart’s qualities and emotions.  The white lotus flower is a symbol of purity, enlightenment, and spiritual awakening. This color is often associated with the highest realms of thought in many Eastern religions. It is thought to represent the pure heart, untainted by the world’s temptations and tribulations. |   The pink lotus is considered the supreme lotus, often associated with the highest deity. In Buddhism, it symbolizes the Buddha himself and his teachings. |
The name of the hébāo comes from the lotus flower " 莲花 Liánhuā" or " 荷 Hé" the lotus leaf, which also refers to lotus flowers.
This also has a meaning of carrying things since Chinese people have long been used to wrap things in lotus (or other) leaves. With the development of needlecraft, their use expanded from "accessory bag" to "purse" and "fragrant bag" in which herbs or perfumes were put to ward off biting insects.
“The hébāo was developed from the nangbao, a type of small bag which would keep one's money, handkerchief and other small items as ancient Chinese clothing did not have any pockets. The most common material for the making of nangbao was leather. The earliest nangbao had to be carried by hand or by back, but with time, the nangbao was improved by people by fastening it to their belts as the earliest nangbao were too inconvenient to carry.
The custom of wearing of pouches dates back to the pre-Qin dynasties period or earlier; the earliest unearthed artefacts of Chinese pouches is one dating from the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period.
In the Southern and Northern dynasties, hébāo became one of the most popular form of clothing adornment. They were worn at the waist and were used to carry items (such as seals, keys, handkerchiefs, cigarettes). Incense, pearls, jade, and other valuable items were placed inside the hébāo to dispel evil spirits and foul smells.
In fact, from Eastern Zhou dynasty (770 BC-256 BC) to the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), hébāo were a necessary part of imperial apparel ; they were also widely used by the majority of people. Their make and form showed the status of a person ; they were used as gifts on festive occasions or for marriages, and as a pledge of love.
The hébāo come in different forms : round with a drawstring to close them, shoulder bags with two parts to "ride" over a belt, square or rectangular with a flap that can be fastened with a string to a button, "belly bag" to be tied in front to the belt, or other fancy designs (elliptical, guava, gourd, peach, flower basket, flowers, fish...). They could be made of brocade, and decorated with various designs, also in embossed brocade. Here are some examples :
 From the Palace Museum store |  Round hébāo, embroidered silk with drawstring and tassels (Palace museum store) |  Modern printed fabric "Valentine" hébāo with a tassel |
 Shoulder bag hébāo |  Square hébāo |  Belly bag hébāo |
To view more hébāo and more cloth art, you can set up an account at the Internet Archive, and borrow for an hour the 2007 book by Mo Geng : Chinese Cloth Art, in English translation, from which the three last pictures and the lotus hébāo are copied.
Link back to Table of Contents
10. Money in Tang dynasty |
In the drama, the gamble for money episode 2 mentions “suǒ zi” 索子 and “guàn” 贯
“suǒ zi” 索子 is not a type of money ; it refers to a "thick rope" or to a series of tiles in certain Chinese games such as mahjong, where “suǒ zi” is a "line" in the series of 4 identical "lines" of 9 bamboo design tiles (條子 Tiáozǐ). But mahjong was not yet played in Táng dynasty; other gambling games used the word to refer to a "string" in the game, but a string of coins was a “guàn”.
 |  |
Money in Táng dynasty (618 AD - 907 AD) : ever since 五銖 “wǔ zhū coin” (a copper alloy round coin with a square cut out in center, weighing “five zhū” = 3.25 grams) was invented in 汉代 (Trad. 漢代) Hàn dài, Western Hàn dynasty, the weight of coins in China has been roughly around 4 grams. The name of money changed under Jīn to Suí dynasties : “Wén” became the smallest unit of money (increasingly replacing 錢 “qián” simplified now as 钱 ).
1000 wén文 = 1 Guàn 一贯钱 yīguàn qián (i.e. string);
文wén was the chief denomination for “cash” until the introduction of the 元 yuán in the late 19th century. During that dynasty, silver and gold coins appeared and reign titles started to appear on coins.
But monetary economy was not very developed in Táng dynasty: in the beginning, government officials were paid in grain or rices; they only started to be paid in money after 開元 Kāiyuán period (Emperor 玄宗 Xuánzōng's Kāiyuán era 713-741 is usually viewed as one of the golden ages of Chinese history); in late Táng dynasty, monetary payment to government officials disappeared again.
One possible reason is because Táng dynasty took money very seriously and money supply was significantly reduced: starting from Táng dynasty, money was no longer called as qián “cash”; instead it was called as bǎo 寶.
Three types of money were used most extensively in Táng dynasty:
kāiyuán tōng bǎo 開元通寶  | The alloy making the most widely used KYTB was standardized as well as its size (1 inch/2.5 cm diameter) : For the first time we find regulations giving the prescribed coinage alloy: 83% copper, 15% lead, and 2% tin, and private minting was forbidden. |
qián fēng quán bǎo 乾封泉寶 | (one QFQB equals 10 KYTB) ; these were cast under the reign of Emperor 高宗 Gāozōng (649–683) in 666 but one coin weight of 2.4 zhū was the same as a one KYTB coin, and it gave rise to extensive forgery, so the coin was withdrawn after a year. |
qián yuán zhòng bǎo 乾元重寶 | (one QYZB equals 10 or 50 KYTB); issued by Emperor 肅宗 Sùzōng (756–762) to pay the army, the coins of the first issue, in 758, were the equivalent of 10 ordinary cash coins. Each coin weighed 1.6 qián. The second issue, from 759, was of larger coins, one of which was to be the equivalent of 50 cash. |
But copper coins were difficult to carry when large transactions were calculated in terms of strings of coins, therefore, merchants in late Táng times (c. 900 CE) started trading receipts from deposit shops where they had left money or goods. — In addition, around the 6th century, the copper that was needed to make Chinese coins (bronze/copper cash coins) became increasingly scarce.
Therefore, “Fēi qián 飞 钱 /Trad 飛錢 (“flying money”), similar as commercial paper, was invented in Táng dynasty also because the supply of money was limited; money was often forbidden to move across regions; there was a large amount of tax... But it was not yet paper money which appeared in the following dynasty.
Link back to Table of Contents
11. Xiùqiú silk balls |
| In the drama, Yú Shū’s granddaughter played with a silk ball |  |
Xiùqiú 绣球, also known as silk ball or embroidery ball, is a traditional craftwork made by people of the Zhuàng ethnic group in 廣西 Guǎngxī Zhuàng Autonomous Region and passed widely through generations. The silk balls are sewn by young girls and might be shaped like a crescent, a fish, a duck or the usual round, square and octagon.
Xiù means "embroider" or "embroidery"   Qiú means "ball", "sphere", "globe"Classifier: 个 Example: 这两个丝球多少钱 Zhè liǎng gè sī qiú duōshǎo qián How much do these two silk balls cost ? | 绣 from left to right is formed tracing:
球 has :
|
The history of xiùqiú dates back 2000 years : they were modeled from an ancient weapon called "fēi tuó" 飞砣 (meaning "flying weight") which was made of two bronze balls connected by a rope and used to swing, flail like, and be thrown in battle or hunt, like in this demo by a man in Zhuàng traditional ethnic costume. |  |
The fabric balls, on the contrary, are not too hard, filled with grain, or, today, rose bark strips and sawdust, and not coming in pairs connected by a rope, but hung with tassels or fringes. They are used in a "pāo xiùqiú" 抛绣球 , a traditional game where two teams compete to throw and catch the ball, sometimes like this : "In competition, the male team and the female team stand on two sides and throw the balls into the small hole (with a diameter of 60 centimeters or less than that) on the top of the 10-meter high wood post " [rules of this "sports" in this LINK] ; there are different variations on this game. In the Táng dynasty, under the short reign of 武则天 Wǔ Zétiān 's son emperor Zhōngzōng 中宗 (705-710), the emperor wanted it to be used to liven up banquets, where xiùqiú were thrown to order drinks, and the silk ball throwing developed into a party game, and even a dance commemorated by poets.
Ordinary people outside the palace appropriated the game and found new variations for it. Over the centuries, Xiùqiú tossing has evolved into a traditional game in festivals marking the blooming season or harvest time. There are various ways of playing this game.
 | Xiùqiú is made of silk cloth, traditionally in three colors of red, yellow and green, and has twelve connected petals. Each petal represents a month, and has an image of flowers, plants, or birds on it. Each silk ball generally has a diameter of 6 cm (2.36 inches) with grains or sand inside. Each ball usually weighs about 0.22 - 0.33 pound or 2 - 3 liangs in Chinese unit. (click on Gif left to see a full 2 mins video on TikTok about the making of xiùqiú) |
 | On the outside, the balls usually are embroidered with flowery patterns, birds, auspicious characters, and have a colored cord on the top and fringes or a tassel on the bottom. (pictures from an interesting blog which you can access by clicking on my Gif, left) |
| Surrounded by karst mountains, the ancient city of Jiùzhōu 舊州, Jìngxī 靖西 is built on the confluence of two rivers and is known as the 'living museum of the Zhuang people' ▪️ It is the 'Hometown of Chinese Hydrangeas' and of the silk ball ▪️ Clear rivers flow quietly, waterfalls are spectacular, mountains, especially in the morning mist, make the scenery dreamlike. |  |
 | The city has skilled weavers and stitchers who perpetuate a stacked embroidery needlecraft called Duixiù (*) : first, the thread is woven to incorporate vivid colors used to embroider the patterns on the silk balls, achieving a striking relief-3D effect, like on the balls to the left. (Click on GIF to left to view a 6min31 video from August 2024 about the embroidery and the city of Jiùzhōu in Guǎngxī ) |
| To the right, another short video about xiuqiu stitching (click on my Gif excerpt from the full 1min video on YouTube to view it in full) |  |
In a legend, the silk ball was used to save the lover of a beautiful girl who had been falsely accused and tortured. The girl, crying her eyes blind, stitched a ball while pricking her fingers so the blood ran into the threads. She went to see her lover in jail and hung the ball around his neck: in a flash both disappeared and were transported magically to a more peaceful countryside, where they were in good health, married, and had lovely children.
The use of xiùqiú as a token of love thrown by the girl to the boy she fancies was also very traditional; either that or throwing it high over a group of young men who competed for the girl's attention, whoever caught it would be accepted as husband.
The name evokes the hydrangea flower (Xiùqiúhua 绣球花) which is viewed as an auspicious flower for Chinese New Year Celebrations in some regions. |
| A variation is the big red fabric flowers “Xiùqiú” that decorate people or things (even cars!) at weddings, events, hotels, offices and homes. |
 (*) The duixiù technique has been adapted to other fabric art, such as these brooches, made as decorations for 旗袍 qípáo dresses in Běijīng 北京 . (picture from a Beijing Women's Federation (BWF) September 2024 feature about talented families like a dressmaker and a teacher of the technique in Běijīng) |
| NB. The abstract ‘Dòucǎi ball-flower’ motif in vibrant colors on white porcelain which is popularly known as 'ball flower' pattern in the West, has nothing to do with the xiùqiú : it is inspired by a Japanese motif that emperor Yōngzhèng 雍正 (1723-1735) liked. |  The dòucǎi 斗彩 technique for polychrome designs on porcelain appeared in the reign of the Xuāndé 宣德 Emperor (1426–1435), from which a dish with red and green enamels was excavated at the Jǐngdézhèn 景德镇 kilns. |
Link back to Table of Contents
12. More about Brocade |
There is too much to say about silk... This is just a "quick" overview to learn about its history, legends, types and uses over some centuries, particularly Táng and modern day !
Some parts of the following infos are from the excellent thesis by Jing Zou for an M.A. in Fine and Applied Arts Research and Creation, at Mahasarakham University, Thailand, April 2023 (worth a read and admiring the many illustrations!), Road Heritage : Ancient and Modern Shu Brocade and Southern Silk road, paper on ResearchGate by Wang Yeting, October 2018 ; others are from the Silk Museum, Baidu, Wikipedia, travel and other sites.
Sericulture silk in Sìchuān has a history of more than 6000 years. The province is one of the birthplaces of silk industry in China. It flourished in the Qín, Hàn, Táng and Sòng dynasties.
As early as the Warring States period, Shǔ 蜀 brocade became an important commodity exchanged with various tribes in the southwest region. The character for the kingdom Shǔ (蜀) consisted of a symbol for worm (虫). (Even today, the Shǔ character, with that worm symbol in the middle, is commonly used in Chinese licensing systems to indicate businesses and websites registered in Sìchuān.) The Chéngdū area became a center of this activity and the city was nicknamed Jǐn Guǎn Chéng 锦馆城, the “city of silk”; its surrounding river, Jǐnjiāng 锦江, the “river of silk.” With the neighboring areas exchanging needed goods, it opened up and gradually formed an international trade road from Chéngdū to Central Asia via present-day Yúnnán, Myanmar, India and Pakistan. It was later called "Southern Silk Road") and predated by two centuries the "Northwest Silk Road" opened by Zhāng Qiān 张骞 in the Western Regions in the second century BC and the "Maritime Silk Road" in the southeast recorded in "Hàn Shu · Geography".
The Southern Silk Road was mainly composed of West Route (Maoniu Route) and East Route (Wǔchǐ Route). The West Route originated from Chéngdū, wandered through Sìchuān Province via (names of cities and countries next are present day) Yǎ ān City 雅安, Maoniu (Hànyuán 汉源), Qiongdu (Xīchāng), and took traders to Myanmar by way of Dàlǐ , Bǎoshān and Téngchōng 腾冲. Then its ancient trade route extended through to present-day India, Bangladesh and even the Middle East. In the beginning of Táng Dynasty, the famous 玄奘 Xuánzàng Monk （602-664AD） visited what had been known as successively as 身毒 Shēndū ; 贤督 Xiándū ; and 天竺 Tiānzhú. After 16 years, Xuánzàng came back China and wrote the book "Great Tang Records on the Western Regions". In this book, he translated the name of India to "印度 Yìndù" (still the name of India in Chinese). The East Route was very narrow and had only five-feet wide, so it was also called 'Wǔchǐ Route' 五尺. It began from Chéngdū, passed through Yíbīn 宜宾 , Zhāotōng 昭通 , Qǔjìng 曲靖 and reached Kūnmíng 昆明 , where one branched road went to Vietnam and the other one wound to Dàlǐ, joining the West Route. Legend has it that Zhūgě Liàng personally planted 800 mulberry plants in Ge Mo (now Shuāngliú County) to encourage officials and people to plant mulberry and raise silkworms. At that time, silk fabrics had four or five colors including the most precious gold and silveralthough red soon became the signature. With the expansion of the Shǔ Hàn Dynasty to Yunnan and Guìzhōu, Zhūgě Liàng once sent a subordinate to the Miáo and Dòng areas in Yúnnán, Guìzhōu to teach brocade weaving techniques, so the later Miáo and Dòng people called their brocade "Wǔhóu brocade" and "Zhūgě brocade".
In the early Táng Dynasty, the technique of Shǔ brocade had a major reform from texture, pattern to color. In the middle Táng Dynasty, brocade used the warp jacquard looms to the make weft brocade, major breakthrough in ancient Chinese silk weaving technology. At that time, Shǔ brocade was rigorous in composition and perfect in shape. It was mainly decorated with realistic flowers and birds, animals, etc. The elegant and luxurious patterns became the characteristics of Shǔ brocade in Táng Dynasty. The printing and dyeing technology also developed. The dyeing of Shǔ brocade reached more than 20 colors, mainly red : so-called "scarlet in Shǔ ". Silkworm markets: Chéngdū opened the Silk market [Cán shì 都市] in the vicinity of Qiányuánguān 乾元观 (a Daoist temple that finally was burned down), 龙兴禅院 Lóngxìng chányuàn (a now thousand year old Buddhist temple close to Sāndàoyàn area) every spring and March. They not only traded silkworm wares, farm tools, flowers and trees, herbs and other goods, but also became a place for material exchange in all walks of life, Daoist activities and festivals, commemorated in writings and poetry. But despite development of trade and techniques, the early imperial court regulations imposed strict rules : the general officials, the common people were not allowed to wear some of those high-end fabrics. Silk was very valuable : during the prosperous Tiānbǎo period (742-756) under Táng emperor Xuánzōng , 9 pieces of silk could buy a horse ; silk raw material cost about 700 yuans per kilogram, and brocade prices rose exponentially. From the Three Kingdoms period, the government levied taxes on each household who paid in silk, thread, or mulberry ; in Táng Dynasty taxes were levied on silk and cloth, mostly paid in bolts (pǐ 疋 of ' jiān 缣 ' thick waterproof tabby colored silk, for instance) of fabric : During the Táng dynasty, the taxation system known as zū-yòng -diào required each adult to submit two bolts of silk as tax. After the fall of the Táng dynasty, money gradually replaced silk as the instrument for tax payments. Silk production in official government workshops reached a peak during the Táng dynasty. This highly structured organization consisted of four departments and 25 specialized workshops under the aegis of the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau. In addition, workshops operated within the imperial palace, including the Studio of the Empress (guìfēiyuàn). The Brocade officer in Chéngdū was an official of what amounts to a then Ministry of Textile, who was overseeing quality of products and the tax (tribute) levied on the citizens. But from 780, the Táng government prohibited the use “of silver, copper, iron, male and female slaves” in trade with foreigners. Five years later, an edict forbade all travelers from taking “even one piece of cash” to western regions such as Tibet and Nánzhào. Trade still flourished but was made more difficult as the following Empires re-centered northward and eastward in the Jiangnan and closed off routes until the Míng reopened maritime routes (one background of the 2021 drama The Sword and the Brocade). Classification of silk textiles (Today they are mainly classified on weave structure, material, technique and texture) : Generally speaking, there are about 35 types of silk fibers. A majority of consumers are confused about numerous silk products. You can find an introduction to some basic and most commonly-seen silk types on this page, from which part of the following 'habotai' description comes from.
The most precious ancient brocade is this one which was unearthed from Hàn dynasty ; it was made as an arm protection for an archer. (Click on picture for full 5 minutes description and explanations) :
Inscription on textile : In ancient China, official workshops had such a tradition that products should be marked with worker’s name. Today, the book "A Complete Guide to Chinese Brocade" introduces almost all known kinds of Chinese brocades. It was published for the purpose of the protection, preservation, and promotion of Chinese brocades worldwide. The Chinese brocade names have been translated into English. The book introduces 160 product names and 31 category names. In addition, the reference divides many of the brocade categories into sub-categories. For example, the category yùn jǐn 云锦 ‘cloud brocade’ has several subcategories, such as kuduan 库缎 ‘palace brocade’, kùjīn 库金 ‘gold-woven palace brocade’, zhījǐn 织 金 ‘gold-woven brocade’, and Zhuānghuā 妆花 ‘Zhuānghuā brocade 妆花锦’. [A partial analysis of these names can be found here].
|
联珠纹 Liánzhū brocade reproduction
With its extremely meticulous weaving process, an inch of Kèsī is as precious as an inch of gold. 
SOME NATURAL DYES USED IN BROCADE ODYSSEYDyeing is very much present in the drama, with the dyers combining ingredients (from plants or minerals), preparing the fibers and simmering them (the temperature has to be quite right and the process can not be rushed) before dipping the fibers to soak in the color, let it hang for a while to stay and finally wash the yarn to make sure impurities go and the color stays fast. Among the ingredients we hear about are madder, safflower, and pomegranate.
A “mordant” like alum is needed for best results, but pomegranate skin can also be used as tannin mordant ! (pomegranate seeds are best consumed as dessert or juiced, the membranes can be used as compost).
3. SAFFLOWER - Safflower is one of man’s oldest crops, although now often overlooked and underutilized. The plant is drought resistant ; thorny, so few pests can attack it. It takes 100 days to flowering, 150 days to maturity 1-2m high. It is a versatile crop that can be used in cooking , and its flower petals were used as a dye in India, the Far East and Egypt. Indeed the name Carthamus comes from the Arabic, and means “dye”. It produces both red and yellow dyes that can be extracted from the flower petals. (ratio 1:1 weight for fabric) but two different processes are needed to achieve the results because of temperature, pH, and use or not of mordant : high temperature + mordant will yield yellow; low temperature and no mordant will yield pink.
Currently, seeds are the major plant part used in safflower, for high quality edible oil, industrial oil, and bird seeds, but Safflower in ancient time was used for numerous uses, such as coloring foods , medicines, oleic acid and linoleic acid which makes it nutritionally similar to Olive oil. Also the young leaves of safflower are eaten as vegetable and they're rich in Carotene, riboflavin, vitamins A and C , Iron , Phosphorus and Calcium. |
The drama social media posted many information about the release, and, true to its promise, some information about silk weaving brocade techniques such as the « knots », which are a key part for weaving of silk tapestries :
The drama Weibo page is also linked to the 成都蜀锦织绣博物馆 [Chéngdū shǔjǐn zhī xiù bówùguǎn] Chéngdū Shǔ Brocade Embroidery Museum's social media page, where more could be admired and learned, such as the way the emblem of Chéngdū city, the archeological gold leaf sun birds, were used for a pattern. (Click on the pictures of the Weibo pages to view more). The museum is private one, on the site of the former Chéngdū Shǔ brocade factory. It is now a national-level museum, located by Huànhuāxī Park (See section 8.2 for a description of Huànhuāxī and a map of cloe by metro stations).
The museum lies about 7 km from Chéngdū railway Station, and about 19 km from Chéngdū Shuāngliú International Airport (成都双流国际机场). Visitors interested in how embroiderers work on the spot can see a father and daughter team working together in a quiet corner of the museum, on one of the ancient wood looms; there are two floors of exhibits, a total of 93,973 artifacts, and recommended duration for visit is 2 hours. The revenue comes from selling common brocade handkerchiefs, scarfs and decorations: usually priced at 100-300 yuan/piece, they are good souvenirs and gifts for friends and family. The museum also works together with a university institute, and does research in ancient patterns and adapting them to modern fashion with a small team of designers. The museum has a 70-year history, it belonged to owner's mother, who opened it to the public in 2009 while sending her son to Canada to study and work in textile design until he eventually returned. In 2024, the museum underwent renovations with the aim of presenting the charm of the integration of ancient and modern SHU brocade and embroidery in a more contemporary and interactive manner. "Leveraging the vertical space of the atrium, flying eaves with roof tiles are set along the narrow sides, with shallow windowscapes and courtyard railings beneath them, aimed at evoking an impressionistic scene of the bustling streets of the ancient Jǐn Chéng 锦城. Given the theatrical approach, a degree of exaggeration enhances the narrative tension, thus the extensive use of opera curtains in bright yellow and red increases the spatial coherence and interplay of reality and illusion. Simultaneously, the ceiling features mirror-finish stainless steel, extending the layers of the market streets upward, visually imbuing the space with a sense of vastness." (Full description here).
|
More about the weaving on the old wood "Hualou" looms :
A master weaver demonstrates his skills :  Click on picture for full video with sound (1'06 min) |   |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
Link back to Table of Contents
13. Fish tallies and imperial guards |
Under construction
In episode 24, Yáng Jìnglán produced the Crown Prince's golden fish tally to affirm his authority, and Qiānniú guards suddenly dropped into the court, ready to fight and protect their leader who, as holder of the fish tally, was raised to status of representing the Crown Prince and commanding same authority.
| Fú 符 was a tally, which was used as a proof of authorization in ancient China ; it typically consisted of two parts : one half was kept by the central government, and the other half was issued to governors of prefectures and military leaders. Tallies were often carved with characters on the back side, which could be inlaid with gold : they had the name of the officials and their ranks engraved on it; it was the proof of the officials' identity which must be presented at the entrance of the imperial palace. Generals would use the Fú as an imperial authorization for troop movements and for other purposes while amongst the populace. It was also used as a proof of authorization for goods exchanges or for leases.
The fish tally 鱼符 was mostly used in the Táng dynasty. All officials above the fifth rank were bestowed a yú dài 鱼袋 , a fish-shaped tally bag which they would tie to their belts, to hold their fish tally inside. The colour of the pouch corresponded to the colour of the officials' clothing thus indicating its wearer's rank or the special favour of the Emperor : the fish bag provided an obvious indication of an official’s seniority. Fish bags were bestowed on officials by the emperor, and the color of the bags indicated their rank. Highly-ranked officials wore purple robes and carried gold fish bags—their outfit was called “purple uniform and gold fish bag (紫金鱼袋).” Lower-ranking officials used “silver fish bags and wore red robes (绯银鱼袋).” So those bags could be made of gold, silver, or jade. They were worn or hung on the belt of the court clothing and such pouches were used from the Táng to the Míng dynasty. Poet Hán Yù (韩愈), who was also an official in the Táng dynasty, described officials wearing fish bags in his poem “To My Son”: “Open the door to check who is there; just to find it’s some officials. Didn’t know whether they were of high or low station, only to see the gold fish bag hung on their jade belts.” |
And in ep.32 official "guards" from the "6 Departments" appeared, showing their fish tallies, to witness Shéng Fēngzé's confession and "invite" the prince to Cháng'ān .From a blog about Táng elite guards, imperial guards :  Late "Táng infantryman, in heavy lamellar armor" with wings. | "The Imperial Guards of the Táng Dynasty, also known as "Forbidden Troops" (traditional chinese: 禁軍, simplified Chinese: 禁军: jìn jūn), evolved initially from honour bodyguards of the emperor and garrison of the Imperial capitals during its formation in early 7th century, into the only military force that remained under the control of the central authorities after the Ān Shǐ Rebellion which lasted from AD 755 to 763." The name 禁军 comes from the interdiction of arms except for the specially authorized troops ; the Ān Shǐ Rebellion is a term that refers to the two chief rebel leaders : the frontier generals Ān Lùshān 安祿山 (703-757) and later, Shǐ Sīmíng 史思明 (703-761), another former career soldier of the Táng. |
| In dramas set in Táng dynasty, such as Detective Dee/Strange Tales of Táng dynasty dramas, we come across two figures : one is the fictitious Lǐ Yuánfāng fron the Qiānniúwèi 千牛卫 and the other is Lú Língfēng of the Jìnwǔwèi ; both belong to the "Sixteen Guards" (十六卫 Shíliù wèi) or 16 armies which not only guarded the Táng capital but also commanded the national armed forces, achieving centralization. | (actor Zhang Zi Jian 张子健 in 2004 Detective Dee ) |
Adapted from an article from examining the difference between Jìnwǔ Guard (禁武卫) and Qiānniú Guard (千牛卫 /trad.千牛衛 Qiānniúwèi ) :
Both Jìnwǔ Guard and Qiānniú Guard were part of the Táng emperor's personal army : they were part of the "16 guards" system of the Táng Dynasty, responsible for maintaining the security of the palace and the capital. [They] were concentrated in the south of the palace and were called "Nányá soldiers" (while the imperial guards' offices guarding the north gate of the palace were called "Běiyá soldiers"). But their specific responsibilities were different. The Jìnwǔ Guards were mainly responsible for day and night inspections and security of the palace and the capital, and were also responsible for guarding the emperor when he went out. Qiānniúwèi was formed by the emperor's personal bodyguards, similar to the personal bodyguards of the later Qīng emperors. So, the Qiānniú Guard directly protected the emperor's life and had a special status, while the Jìnwǔ Guard was relatively distanced from the emperor.
"These two palace garrisons had huge influence in politics, and palace coups in history often involved their participation. Therefore, members of these forces had to undergo rigorous vetting to ensure they were loyal and reliable. Usually, their leaders were royal aristocrats or their descendants. The members of the Qiānniú Guard were the emperor's cronies and their children. They were young, strong, and highly skilled in martial arts."
Adapted from an article published online for minnews.com about the rank and status of Qiānniú Guards in the Tang Dynasty :
1. The origin and official name of Qiānniúwèi
2. Levels and responsibilities of Qiānniú Guards
" The main duty of the Qiānniú Guards was to "hold the imperial sword and serve as the imperial guards", that is, to be the emperor's personal guards, responsible for the emperor's safety and security. They did not lead the palace soldiers in training, but focused on the emperor's personal protection, and could be said to be "the emperor's close ministers". This special duty made the Qiānniú Guards occupy a pivotal position in the political and military system of the Táng Dynasty.
3. The Status and Influence of Qiānniú Guards
As the emperor's personal guards, the Qiānniú Guards not only had a very high military status, but also enjoyed political honors. They often appeared beside the emperor, participated in various important political and military activities, and were one of the emperor's most trusted assistants. In the history of the Táng Dynasty, many famous generals and politicians had served as Qiānniú Guards, which further enhanced the status and influence of the Qiānniú Guards.
In addition, as an important part of the military system of the Táng Dynasty, Qiānniúwèi played an important role in maintaining national security and stability. Although they did not directly participate in wars and military operations, their existence and deterrence undoubtedly provided a strong guarantee for the rule of the Táng Dynasty.
Conclusion: In summary, the Qiānniúwèi of the Táng Dynasty, as a senior military officer who served as the emperor's personal guard, had a superior rank and status in the official system of the Táng Dynasty. They not only held prominent official positions and honors, but also shouldered the heavy responsibility of protecting the emperor's safety. In the history of the Táng Dynasty, the Qiānniúwèi won the trust of the emperor and the respect of the people with their loyalty and bravery. Although it gradually declined in the late Táng Dynasty, the glory and honor of the Qiānniúwèi in the heyday of the Táng Dynasty are still worth remembering and admiring.
The story of the Qiānniú Guards is an indispensable part of the history of the Táng Dynasty. It witnessed the prosperity and decline of the Táng Dynasty and also reflected the complexity and refinement of the Táng Dynasty's official system. Knowing about the rank and status of the Qiānniú Guards, we can have a more comprehensive understanding of the history and culture of the Táng Dynasty."
II. Status of Qiānniúwèi 1. As a member of the royal guard, Qiānniúwèi enjoyed a relatively high status. They were the emperor's trusted advisors and thus enjoyed privileges to some extent. 2. The selection of Qiānniúwèi was very strict, usually requiring multiple rounds of screening and assessment. The selected individuals were highly skilled in martial arts and loyal and reliable talents. 3. In Táng Dynasty society, Qiānniúwèi was regarded as the emperor's personal soldiers and was respected by the people. They also enjoyed relatively good treatment and a certain social status. III. Role of Qiānniúwèi in Táng Dynasty Society 1. Qiānniúwèi was one of the symbols of royal power in the Táng Dynasty. Their existence highlighted the emperor's majesty and authority, reflecting the political philosophy of the supremacy of the Táng Dynasty royal power. 2. Qiānniúwèi was an important force in maintaining social stability. While protecting the emperor's safety, they also contributed to maintaining social order. 3. The existence of Qiānniúwèi helped to improve the combat effectiveness of the army. As an elite unit, the training and combat experience of Qiānniúwèi served as a model for other troops, contributing to the improvement of the overall combat effectiveness of the Táng Dynasty army. Conclusion: Qiānniúwèi, as a member of the Táng Dynasty royal guard, bore important responsibilities for protecting the emperor's safety and maintaining social stability. They enjoyed a high status in Táng Dynasty society and were a symbol of the emperor's power. By understanding the duties and status of Qiānniúwèi, we can better understand the political structure and cultural characteristics of Táng Dynasty society." |
Link back to Table of Contents
14. Places of interest in the drama (part 2) |
Info from Wikipedia and museum pages, Sohu, Baidu Baike, and other : pictures, maps, and text selections link to their sources. Specifically some parts draw on [Chinaknowledge], the online encyclopaedia founded in 2000 which provides information on a wide range of topics in Chinese history, literature, religions, and philosophy.
5. Nánzhào 南詔
Click on the picture above to watch the video about Nánzhào posted to YouTube (9 mins 44)
Nánzhào, meaning 'Southern zhào', was a dynastic kingdom that flourished in what is now southwestern China, during the mid/late Táng dynasty. It was centered on present-day Yúnnán
in China, with its capital in modern-day Dali City, and the majority of the population were the Bái people (白族 Báizú), now one of the 56 ethnic groups in China).
Nánzhào society was separated into two distinct castes: the administrative White Mywa living in western Yúnnán, and the militaristic Black Mywa in eastern Yúnnán. The rulers of Nánzhào were from the Mengshe tribe of the Black Mywa. Nánzhào modelled its government on the Táng dynasty with ministries (nine instead of six) and imperial examinations. However the system of governance and rule in Nánzhào was essentially feudal. Sons of the Nánzhào aristocracy visited the Táng capital, Cháng ān, to receive a Chinese education. At home, the country relied heavily on slaves.
Administrative divisions in Nánzhào [Chinaknowledge, pinyin tones added] : "Like many neighbouring states of China, the kingdom of Nánzhào adopted some patterns of the Chinese administratorial system, like the six ministries (in Nánzhào called liùcáo 六曹), namely that of war (bīngcáo 兵曹), revenue (hùcáo 戶曹), rites (kècáo 客曹), justice (fǎcáo 法曹), personnel (shìcáo 士曹), and granaries (cāngcáo 倉曹). Later on these were divided into three agencies (sāntuō 三托) and nine courts (jiǔshuǎng 九爽). The three agencies were that of horses (qǐtuō 乞托), cattle (lùtuō 祿托) and that of grain (jùtuō 巨托). The nine courts were that of military (mùshuǎng 幕爽), household registers (cóngshuǎng 琮爽), rituals (císhuǎng 慈爽), punishment (fáshuǎng 罰爽), officials (quànshuǎng 勸爽), works (juéshuǎng 厥爽), finance (wànshuǎng 萬爽), guests (yǐnshuǎng 引爽), and trade (héshuǎng 禾爽). The highest minister was the counsellor (qīngpíng guān 清平官). The kingdom was administered territorially by military commissioners (jiédùshǐ 節度使) and commanders-in-chief (dūdū 都督) that controlled the prefectures (jiǎn 瞼)"
 | It was also a militaristic country. An elite vanguard unit called the Luójūzǐ 羅苴子 (which means tiger sons), served as full-time soldiers. For every hundred soldiers, the strongest one was chosen for service in the Luójūzǐ. They were outfitted with red helmets, leather armour, and bronze shields, but went barefoot. Only wounds to the front were allowed and if they suffered any wounds to their back, they were executed. Their commander was called Luó jū zuǒ 羅苴佐 . The king's personal guards, known as the Zhūnǔ qūjū 朱弩佉苴 , were recruited from the Luójūzǐ. |
 |  Xì Núluó 細奴邏 (reign 649 -674 ) |  Luó Shèng yan 邏盛 (r.674-712) |  Shèng Luópí 盛邏皮 (r.712-728 ) |
Origins of Nánzhào: In 649, the chieftain of the Méngshě 蒙舍 tribe, Xì Núluó 細奴邏 (reign 649-674 ) founded the Great Méng(大蒙) and took the title of Qíjiā wáng (奇嘉王; "Outstanding King"). He acknowledged Táng suzerainty. In 652, Xì Núluó absorbed peacefully the "White Mywa" (白蠻 Báimán) realm of Zhang Lejinqiu, who ruled Ěrhǎi Lake 洱海) and Cāng Mountain 苍山 ; the agreement was consecrated under an iron pillar in Dàlǐ 大理 . Thereafter the White and "Black Mywa" (烏蠻 Wūmán) acted as warriors and ministers respectively. In 655, Xìnúluó sent his eldest son to Cháng'ān 长安 to ask for the Táng dynasty's protection. The Táng emperor appointed Xì Núluó as prefect of Wēizhōu 威州 , sent him an embroidered official robe, and sent troops to defeat rebellious tribes in 672, thus enhancing Xìnúluó 's position. Xì Núluó was succeeded by his son, Luó Shènggyan 邏盛 (r.674-712 ), who travelled to Cháng'ān to make tribute to the Táng . In 704, the Tibetan Empire made the White Mywa tribes into tributaries, whilst subjugating the Black Mywa. In 713, Luó Shènggyan was succeeded by his son, Shèng Luópí 盛邏皮 (r.712-728 ), who was also on good terms with the Táng . He was succeeded by his son, Pí Luógé, in 733. [Note that in this name that follows Yí 彝 naming conventions, the patronymic name is Pí and the given name is Luógé. ] |
 Pí Luógé 皮邏閣 (r.about 733-748 ) | Pí Luógé 皮邏閣 (r.about 733-748 ) began expanding his realm in the early 730s. He first annexed the neighboring zhào of Méngsui (each tribe was known as a zhào), whose ruler, Zhàoyuan, was blind. Not long after 733, the Táng official Yan Zhenghui cooperated with Pí Luógé in a successful attack on the zhào of Shīlàng 施浪 , and rewarded the Méngshě rulers with titles. Táng-Nánzhào alliance : In the year 737 AD, during the Kāiyuán 開元 reign period (713–741), Pí Luógé united the Six zhàos in succession, establishing a new kingdom called Nánzhào (Southern zhào) ; this did not happen without ferocity: four zhào rulers were caught in a fire during a festival. Pí Luógé had taken a fancy to one of the widows, but she preferred to die of hunger with the people in her besieged city, cursing Pí Luógé, who repented, and went on to extoll her city as the “source of virtue”. In 738, the Táng granted Pí Luógé the Chinese-style name Méng Guīyì 蒙 歸義 ("return to righteousness") and the title of "Prince of Yúnnán". |
Píluógé set up a new capital at Tàihé 太和 in 739, (the site of modern-day Tàihé village, a few miles south of Dàlǐ 大理 ). Located in the heart of the Ěrhǎi valley, the site was ideal: it could be easily defended against attack and it was in the midst of rich farmland. Under the reign of Pí Luógé, the White Mywa were removed from eastern Yúnnán and resettled in the west. The Black and White Mywa were separated to create a more solidified caste system of ministers and warriors. |
Tibet-Nánzhào alliance : When the Chinese prefect of Yúnnán attempted to rob Nánzhào envoys in 750, Gé Luófèng 閣羅鳳 (r.748-779) attacked, killing the prefect and seizing nearby Táng territory. In retaliation, the Táng governor of Jiànnán (see above), Xianyu Zhongtong, attacked Nánzhào with an army of 80,000 soldiers in 75 but he was defeated by Duan Jianwei (段俭魏) with heavy losses (many due to disease) at Xiaguan. In 754, another Táng army of 100,000 soldiers, led by General Li Mi (李宓), approached the kingdom from the north, but never made it past Mu'ege. By the end of 754, Gé Luófèng had established an alliance with the Tibetans against the Táng that would last until 794. In the same year, Nánzhào gained control of the salt marshes of Yanyuan County. Gé Luófèng accepted a Tibetan title and acted as part of the Tibetan Empire. |  Gé Luófèng |
 Yì Móuxún 異牟尋 (r.779-808) | Gé Luófèng's son and successor Yì Móuxún 異牟尋 (r.779-808 )continued the pro-Tibetan policy. In 779, Yì Móuxún participated in a large Tibetan attack on the Táng dynasty. However the burden of having to support every single Tibetan military campaign against the Táng soon weighed on him. In 794, he severed ties with Tibet and switched sides to the Táng . Táng-Nánzhào alliance : In 795, Yì Móuxún attacked a Tibetan stronghold in Kūnmíng 昆明 . The Tibetans retaliated in 799 but were repelled by a joint Táng -Nánzhào force. In 801 Nánzhào and Táng in Battle of Dulu , Chinese and Nánzhào's forces defeated a contingent of Tibetan and Abbasid slave soldiers. More than 10,000 Tibetan/Arabs soldiers were killed and some 6,000 captured. Nánzhào captured seven Tibetan cities and five military garrisons while more than a hundred fortifications were destroyed. This defeat shifted the balance of power in favor of the Táng and Nánzhào. |
 Expansion of Nánzhào. | Expansion of Nánzhào. - During the following reigns, Nánzhào expanded its territory. It conquered the peaceful Pyu city-states (today Myanmar) in the 820s and destroyed the city of Halin in 832, returning in 835 and taking away prisoners into slavery. Nánzhào colonized that area (which became Burma, later, the official English form until 1989 before being renamed Myanmar). |
In 829, King Quàn Fēngyòu 勸豐祐 ( r.823-859) of Nánzhào attacked Yìzhōu 益州 (Chéngdū 成都), but withdrew the following year. The invasion was not to take Sìchuān 四川 but to push the territorial boundaries north and take the resources south of the city. In 830, Nánzhào renewed contact with the Táng empire. The next year, Nánzhào released more than four thousand prisoners of war, including Buddhist monks, Daoist priests, and artisans, who had been captured during the Yìzhōu incident. Frequent visits to Cháng'ān by Nánzhào delegations followed and continued until the end of Emperor Wǔzōng 武宗 ’s reign in 846. During these sixteen years, Nánzhào progressed rapidly in state building. Through its students dispatched to Yìzhōu , Nánzhào borrowed heavily from Táng administrative practice. Quàn Fēngyòu also commissioned Chinese architects from the Táng dynasty to build the Three Pagodas (which remain a famous landmark). Almost simultaneously, in the 830s, Nánzhào conquered the neighboring kingdoms of Kūnlún 昆仑 to the east and Nuwang to the south. |
King Shìlóng 世隆 (r.859-877) started a tug-of-war around the southern Táng circuit of Ānnán 安南; besieging and capturing its capital capital Sòngpíng 宋平 in mid-January 863. Next, Nánzhào laid siege to Junzhou (modern Haiphong). Ten thousand soldiers from Shāndōng and all other armies of the Táng empire were called and concentrated at Halong Bay for reconquering Ānnán. A supply fleet of 1,000 ships from Fújiàn was organized. Táng general Gāo Pián 高駢 , who had made his reputation fighting the Türks and the Tanguts in the north, campaigned from 864 to fall 866 and retook Ānnán. In 869, Shìlóng attacked Chéngdū fiercely for over a month. But Yáng Qìngfù 楊慶復 , military governor of Jiànnán East Circuit (Jiànnán dongchuan), coordinated a rescue operation, recruitinga group of soldiers known as the "Raiders" (突將 Tū jiāng) to aid in the defense of Chéngdū ; Nánzhào suffered a crushing defeat and Shìlóng decided to abort his campaign. Nánzhào invaded again in 874 and reached within 70 km of Chéngdū, seizing Qióngzhōu 邛州 , however they ultimately retreated, being unable to take the capital. In 875, Gāo Pián was appointed by the Táng to lead defenses against Nánzhào, chasing their remaining troops to the Dàdù River (大渡河 Dàdùhé) where he defeated them in a decisive battle. But his plan to continue with an invasion of Nánzhào was rejected. Nánzhào forces were driven from the Bōzhōu 播州 region, modern Guìzhōu 贵州 , in 877 by a local military force organized by the Yang family from Shānxī 山西 . This effectively ended Nánzhào's expansionist campaigns. Shìlóng died in 877. |
Shìlóng's successor, Lóngshùn 隆舜 (r.878-897 ), entered negotiations with the Táng for a marriage alliance in 880, but despite his sincerity, he failed to bring the Princess of Ānhuà (安化長公主 Ānhuà zhǎng gōngzhǔ) to Nánzhào, and was murdered in 897. Further murders made the dynasty come to a bloody end in 902. Finally Duàn Sīpíng 段思平 seized power in 937 and established the Dàlǐ Kingdom (大理国 Dàlǐ Guó Guó ). |
6. Tǔbō 吐蕃 (or 吐蕃 Tǔfān)
Screenshot from episode 32, the caravan getting their first view of Tǔbō .
Adapted from Wikipedia : Before the Táng dynasty's rule of China, Tibetans were called Zhangzhung people ( ཞང་ཞུང in Tibetan ; Chinese 象雄; pinyin Xiàng Xióng, approximately pronounced "Shang shung" ), and they practiced the Bön religion.
From the start of the Táng dynasty, the people and kingdom were called Tǔbō (or 吐蕃 Tǔ fān), a term that seems to be derived from "tu phod" or "stod pod" (upper Tibet). The archaic Tibetan dialects of Amdo have retained the articulation of the medieval Tibetan language; so the pronunciation is Töwöd, as in Mongolian tongue.
Tǔbō 吐蕃 (བོད་ཆེན་པོ, "bod chen po" in Tibetan), also called the Tibetan Empire, existed from the 7th to 9th or 11th centuries. It controlled the Tibetan Plateau as well as parts of Central Asia and South Asia. Songtsen Gampo (Chinese 松贊干布, pinyin Sōngzàn gànbù) , b.c. 604 – 650, reigning from 618 to 650, was the 33rd Tibetan king of the Yarlung dynasty and the founder of the Tibetan Empire. |
Despite an initially troubled relationship with the Táng empire, gifts of gold and silk sent to the emperor to marry a princess, finally resulted in Gampo being granted the hand of Princess Wénchéng. Gampo had six wives ; the last two (pictured on the photo to the right, at his sides) ; Princess Wénchéng and Nepali princess Bhrikuti, helped bring Buddhism to Tibet. Princess Wénchéng (文成公主 Wénchéng Gōngzhǔ ) was particularly beloved, and even till now, on the fifteenth day of the fourth month of each Tibetan year (the day when Princess Wencheng arrived in Tǔbō) and the fifteenth day of the tenth month of each Tibetan year (the birthday of Princess Wénchéng ) Tibetan people will turn out in their best costumes to sing and dance to commemorate her. Her statue and that of Songtsan Gambo are worshiped in the ཇོ་ཁང།/大昭寺 Jokhang Monastery. The chamber where they spent their first married life is still kept intact in the Potala Palace. |   The statues of Princess Wénchéng and Songtsan Gambo in the Jokhang Monastery |
To thank Songtsen Gampo for protecting Chinese, in 649, the Táng Emperor Gāozōng [reign name of third Táng emperor Li Zhì 李治 (628-683), reigned 649-683 ] , a fellow Buddhist, gave him the title 宾王 Bīnwáng , "Guest King" or Zongwáng, "Cloth-tribute King" and 3,000 rolls of colorful silk. Gāozōng also gave Gampo "silkworms' eggs, mortars and presses for making wine, and workmen to manufacture paper and ink." The Tibetan empire combined Buddhism with the native Bön religion, and created Tibetan Buddhism. Gampo also helped invent the Tibetan alphabet during this time. The second king of Tǔbō was Mangsong Mangzan (650–676), but it is not clear if he was Gampo's son or grandson. |
 | The dynasty went on until the reign of Tritsu Detsen, best known as Ralpacan (818-838), under whom the political power of Tibet was at its greatest extent, stretching as far as Mongolia and Bengal, and entering into treaties with China on a mutual basis. A Sino-Tibetan treaty was agreed on in 821/822 under Ralpacan, which established peace for more than two decades.A bilingual account of this treaty is inscribed on a stone pillar which stands outside the Jokhang temple in Lhasa. The period that followed, known traditionally as the Era of Fragmentation, was dominated by rebellions against the remnants of imperial Tibet and the rise of regional warlords. |
| Finally, Chinese general 張義朝 Zhāng Yìcháo (799−872 ) captured several cities and reverted the area's allegiance to the Táng dynasty. He subsequently conquered the Héxī Corridor and governed it as the military commissioner (jiédùshǐ ) of 歸義軍 Guīyì Circuit (headquartered in modern 敦煌 Dūnhuáng) under nominal authority of the Táng emperors. |  Mural commemorating victory of General Zhāng Yìcháo over the Tibetans in 848. Mògāo cave 156, Late Táng dynasty |
Link back to Table of Contents
Recent Discussions
-
GL Drama Lovers Club5 seconds ago - RealNevermore
-
Everyone Loves Me Full OST with ENG SUBS + LYRICS14 minutes ago - PaulomiPatel
-
What the Shell Lounge Bar (Xiang Liu's Underwater Luxury Lounge)31 minutes ago - Kokuto
-
on the controversy - and netflix mistranslations34 minutes ago - ariasmiling
-
Last Drama You Completed? #257 minutes ago - aad
-
Official Spam Thread- Report bot spam here60 minutes ago - Aoi
-
How do you think the kdrama will end?2 hours ago - Mila Kim
Hottest Discussions
-
MDL's 2025 Challenge FAQ and Discussion3 hours ago
-
Word Association #42 hours ago
-
♥️Count to 7000000♥️2 hours ago
-
***Count to 100,000***2 hours ago
-
10 dramas/movies with ____? #430 minutes ago
-
Official Spam Thread- Report bot spam here60 minutes ago
