On the morning of December 31, an opening ceremony of “Resist Dye on the Silk Road”exhibition series is held at CNSM, with CHEN Yao and YANG Xinping, leaders from Zhejiang provincial government, WANG Dan, WANG Xu’s daughter, participants from all over the world attended. Children from Qiuzhou Primary School make a dancing performance to display the sericulture and silk crafts.

   9ISS exhibitions open from Oct. 13 – Dec. 7, 2014, to the public,including “Resist Dyeing on the Silk Road: Ancient China”, “Resist Dyeing onthe Silk Road: World Shibori & Ikat”, “Resist Dyeing on the Silk Road:Contemporary Art”,“Resist Dyeing on the Silk Road: WANG Xu’s Research Archive”,and “New Beat: International Students Concourse”, etc. in CNSM, and “AncientCostume Replicas of Han and Jin Dynasties” in Xiangxian Gallery.

    From ancient times, long before the Silk Road became active under the Han dynasty (BCE 202to CE 220), China was home to an advanced civilization and became a major center for artistic and technological progress. Cultural transmission and exchange between East and West have been important throughout China’s history of commerce and trade. Although the international textile term“shibori”originally referred to Japanese shaped-resist dyeing, similar techniques have been found in many other parts of the world. Archaeological textiles found along the Silk Road in China made their way to the north, thesouth and to Japan, the farthest country to the east, where many fragile textiles from 6th and 8th centuries survived in a temple building. This is the first ISS to be held in mainland China, and to convene in theland where many forms of resist-dyeing originated.

   9ISS symposium,focused on archaeology, ethnology, fashion & costume, art, conservation,etc. nine panels to discuss, will be held from Oct. 31 – Nov.4,2014 inHangzhou. During the session, craft market, workshops, demonstrations,and otherrelated activities will take place as well.