A Study On The Silks Of The Ming Dynasty In Sino-Japanese Tributary Trade

The tributary trade between China and Japan in the Ming Dynasty was called the "Kanhe Trade".During this period,a large number of Chinese goods were exported to Japan,which is important to Sino-Japanese relations and culture.As the most distinctive and expensive item in China for thousands of years,silk occupies an important position in the tributary trade and is deeply loved by Japanese.In addition to being used in clothing,these silks were also used as silk pouch of tea set and decorations of the mount due to the prosperity of the Japanese Teaism.After the selection and reinterpretation of Japanese culture,the fragments of silks were finally preserved in the form of Meibutsu-gire.To deeply study exported silks of the Ming Dynasty and its characteristics in the Sino-Japanese tributary trade,and to explore the use of silks and its influence on Japanese culture,the thesis started from the silk exchange in the tributary trade between the Ming Dynasty and Japan,divided into the following four parts to study:Firstly,based on the historical data of Sino-Japanese tributary trade,the thesis sorts out the timeline of the development of trade.Prepare the historical and environmental background for the follow-up study.The thesis then sorts out and counted the relevant records of silks from the tributary trade in Chinese and Japanese literature.Taking the silk imported to Japan through the tributary trade as the research object,the properties of these silks were classified into three types of things.Among them,the first record of velvet appeared in the emperor’s gift,which is the earliest record known so far.Based on the above-mentioned information of Ming Dynasty silk,this paper analyzes the characteristics of the Chinese silk introduced to Japan through the tributary trade and demonstrates these silks based on relevant literature,the material of the Ming Dynasty silks in Meibutsu-gire,and images.Then conclude the characteristics of the variety,pattern,color,etc.Finally,the paper discusses the use of silk of the Ming dynasty in Japan and its influence on cultural exchanges.First of all,these silks were directly used in costume attire,painting and calligraphy mounting,and the teaism silk pouch.Many treasures have been preserved as Meibutsu-gire,which is another important empirical data for studying silk in the Ming Dynasty.Secondly,the introduction of silk of the Ming Dynasty directly stimulated the development of the local silk industry in Japan.By imitating it,it promoted the founding and development of Nishijin-ori.The pattern art style of typical Japanese fabrics was also adopted from it and integrated with its own national style.Finally,these silks of the Ming dynasty not only had impacts on Japanese silk culture,but also transitioned to Japanese teaism and Ukiyo-e art due to the widespread worship of Chinese goods.Therefore,the study on the silk imported from the Ming Dynasty to Japan in the tributary trade not only supplemented the Ming Dynasty silk and trade exchanges with new materials from the perspective of cross-cultural exchanges,but also provided a further understanding of the connection between the development of the Japanese silk industry and the Chinese silk culture.And from this,it is realized that the influence of Chinese silk is continuous,comprehensive and multi-level.