Comparison Between China’s And French Silk Culture In18Century

In eighteenth Century, Qing Government acted Centralized rule. Affected bysmall peasant economy thought, silk industry developed within the self-sufficientagricultural mode. Besides, textile technology went forward slowly. Meanwhile, TheEnlightenment and French Revolution happened in France, which made France intothe Capitalism. Its silk industry transited from traditional handicraft mode intolarge-scale manufacture mode. By the technique innovations, silk industry hasbecome a pillar industry in France. By comparing collections of Lyon and SuzhouSilk Museums, this thesis tries to find out the differences between China’s and Frenchsilk history of eighteenth Century and to explore the reasons, which can help peopleget a deeper and clearer understanding about their own silk cultures of these twocountries.The conclusions as follow: in eighteenth Century, most silk patterns of Chinacontained propitious meaning, silk costumes followed the sense of hierarchy, and silkindustry developed within the self-sufficient agricultural mode. Contrarily, affected bythe Enlightenment and French Revolution, the silk industry of France developed intolarge-scale manufacture mode, silk patterns and costume styles in different phasesalso demonstrated different characteristics, which are in accordance with the artisticstyles of eighteenth century’s France, such as Rococo and Neo-Classism.