NEWSLETTER

Vol. III, Issue No. 1 Spring, 2015

TTS Study Trip to the Weavers of Uttaradit

As the Thai Society Newsletter begins its third year of publication, we offer our readers a special edition which includes five articles focusing on the royal and noble of Thailand, Java, Korea and Japan. We hope that you will delight in the elegance and share the TTS Newsletter with all

ABOUT US The Thai Textile Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and appreciation of textiles, with particular emphasis on the textiles of Thailand and Southeast Asia. Based in Bangkok, the Thai Textile TTS members and Uttaradit weaver hosts pay respects at the local temple in Ban Fak Tha Society was founded in 2004 when Kathleen Forance tin Uttaradit and Sukhothai are famed for their colorful patterns of supplementary weft, in Thai Johnson, wife of U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Darryl chok, placed at the bottom of the phasin the Thai tube skirt, sometimes using gold and silver threads. These textiles were much prized for wear in the Lanna court, which until 1774 was an Johnson, invited scholars, collectors, and other textile independent kingdom. Uttaradit is a vast area on the bank of the Nan River in a mountainous enthusiasts to establish a society dedicated to the study, region rich in minerals and forests, and according to evidence it was settled before 457 CE. appreciation, and preservation of the textile arts in the Uttaradit as well as Sukhothai were the northern outposts of Ayutthaya, and therefore were often subjected to the warfare between Ayutthaya and the Lanna Kingdom. Khun Chomporn kingdom and the region. An avid weaver and textile Dhanesnittya led our multi-national group of eight TTS adventurers on a weekend study of the collector, Mrs. Johnson envisioned the Society as a forum patterns and techniques in Uttaradit and Sukhothai in the North of Thailand on for textile lovers to exchange ideas and share information February 6-8, 2015. and resources. Since its inaugural meeting in May, 2004, After a 06:30 flight from the old Don Meuang airport, we arrived in Phitsanulok and headed for a the Society has organized regular lectures, trips, and other good, hearty breakfast in the unique Hip Coffee shop, decorated with “Hip” 50s memorabilia. At programs such as its popular Collector’s Corner series. Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat (the name indicates that this temple holds a relic of the Buddha), The TTS enjoys and appreciates support from the Siam we studied the textile patterns on the statues of King Naresuan and Queen Suriyothai and Society and the James H.W. Thompson Foundation. It has appreciated a beautiful presiding Buddha statue which served as a model for the image at Wat Benchamabhophit (the Marble Temple in Bangkok). also worked closely with the latter on programs such as the August 2005 Jim Thompson textile symposium. We proceeded to a weaving village in Tron district where we observed weaving with as many as Membership in the Thai Textile Society has grown steadily, 200 heddles and a very large batten and elaborately carved heddle pulleys called mu-lae in Thai, used to raise the heddles. In the Tai Yuan weaving village of Lap Lae which produces Uttaradit and our e-mailing list now reaches more than 400 people worldwide. Under the leadership of Acting President Dr. Sathirakorn Pongpanich, the Society continues to host regular educational programs designed to promote appreciation of Asia’s rich textile heritage. DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is distributed free to TTS members and subscribers, and it is accessible free to all website visitors in the hopes of encouraging interest and scholarship in textiles and is the sole property of TTS. Personal opinions expressed in this newsletter are strictly those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the Thai Textile Society. Our Website can be accessed at As many as 200 heddles used in Tron District. http://thaitextilesociety.org TTS members absorbed in the techniques Note special pulleys known as "mullae"

HEADER: A typical Uttaradit repeated motif of hongsa mythical birds confronted at a vase of the elixir of life. Naga motif at top. Old Uttaradit textile

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Fak Tah Village woman weaves new bolt in same pattern she is wearing

L Khun Jo's natural dyes, R Lac used for Top and Bottom Large batten used to lift threads for tapestry weave dessert textiles, we visited the young designer Khun Jo who bases his bold new Tai Yuan women wear phaa sin tube skirts called sin for short. One or concepts on the ancient traditions of Uttaradit textiles. He runs a two pieces make up the waistband of the phaa sin woven of white special compound where visitors can make advance arrangements to and is referred to as the hua sin or the top of the tube skirt. It is view the processes of spinning, weaving and dyeing, as well as enjoy a sometimes supplemented by a lower section of red or rust cotton. The restaurant and a small museum with a shop. He served us a Thai sweet midsection is in Thai tua sin, meaning the body of the skirt is either named khanom chan, using lac to gain its red color, the same natural plain or decorated with horizontal stripes and would be termed a sin substance that is used for dyeing textiles red. It is the excrement of taa. Sometimes the stripes are made by twisting two different colored certain insects that abound in some trees in the Phitsanulok area. threads together into plied , called pan kai in the Tai Yuan language. For ceremonial occasions supplementary warp (muk) and continuous supplementary weft () form designs in the midsection. The border (tin sin) can be incorporated into the same cloth in the midsection, but it can also be made of another piece of fabric. Often, borders of skirts worn for ceremonies are decorated with discontinuous supplementary weft patterning (tin chok). Their warp threads are red with a narrow strip of yellow at the lower edge. The weaver uses a porcupine quill to adjust threads when creating Although these are commonly woven of cotton and not silk, they are the designs. The obverse or “wrong” side of the fabric faces her treasured for their complexity and beauty. Skirts with borders of silk In the museum above Khun Jo’s restaurant, we studied samples of old and metal-wrapped yarns were reserved for nobility. Uttaradit textiles and some more recent prize-winning pieces. We also visited a very eclectic museum belonging to Archarn Somchai in which Diamond-shaped lanterns with two confronted birds (facing each old local textiles, weaving equipment and old ceramic household items other) often decorate the main band of the tin chok. These are were laid out in a uniquely eccentric style. Archarn Somchai then took interpreted as hong, the sacred goose vehicle of Brahma. Look closely us on to Wat Don Sak where we observed old and deep wood carvings and you will see that they are drinking from a vessel between them installed in the walls and doors of the refurbished temple. containing amrita, the elixir of life (see page header for this issue). This

Ancient motif of hongsa confronted at vase of elixir of life, within Acharn Somchai's unique "mullae" collection lantern frame composed of nagas

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The various stages of preparing the at Ban Fak Tah Natural materials for making dyes motif can be traced back to Fustat in ancient Egypt, also found in from the back and delicately insert porcupine quills to raise and adjust Sassanian Persian designs in roundels of the ancient Sogdians and supplementary threads by hand. The deftness of the senior weavers Persians. This motif most likely travelled the northern Silk Road where and their tender care in passing the skills on to the children was it can be found in Yunnan in China from whence the Tai ethnic groups heartwarming, especially when we watched a nine-year-old boy weave originated. Occasionally another pair of hong birds is seated atop the so well by himself and we admired his beautiful handiwork. The first pair. Other common motifs are flowering vines and naak serpent women hosted lunch prepared by them, and we all ate as one deities. The soi saa (fringe) or hang sapao motifs (referring to the community. bottom of a kind of float in northern Thailand) always drift down the lowest band. Supplementary designs cover all or most of Uttaradit In the afternoon we saw more weaving and the softening of the border surfaces. The midsections from Lap Lae, Nam Ang, and Thaa textiles by soaking them in mud. These were flowing and soft to the Plaa of Uttaradit are generally black and green. Those of other areas touch, subduing the brightest colors a little. The women worked with might traditionally be red, but there is much mixing of styles and great speed and confidence as they dyed threads to brilliant shades, motifs nowadays. gauging the duration of mud soaking correctly as not to spoil the colors. For this process, mud from a nearby pond or marsh is filtered On the second day we travelled to Ban Fak Tha, where gracious village through a white cloth to remove any scraps or dust. Then the women elegantly attired in Uttaradit textiles met and escorted us into threads of silk, which have already been dyed and hung a brief while in the nearby temple where we presented flowers they had fashioned the sun, are placed for only a few moments in the refined mud, stirred from sandalwood and had a short interview with the monk. We then until the desired effect is achieved, then washed and hung in the sun went to the village where the women guided us through the to dry before weaving. We also learned that at the nearby village of compound where their colleagues cultivate and spin cotton and silk Ban Na Ton Chan, un-dyed woven cotton textile is placed in a jar of threads, dye them and weave at more than 30 looms on two floors refined mud overnight. The textile is then washed and soaked in water producing Uttaradit textiles. Throughout the day we observed every before being boiled with natural dyes. step of the process and were greatly impressed. The Uttaradit weavers arrange their threads in reverse on the loom so that they can weave At the end of the day we had just enough time to visit the Sri Satchanalai Historical Park to see a Sangkhalok kiln and potteries of that time whose motifs are reflected in textiles.

9-year-old weaver-boy in Fak Tah L Traditional dyeing and R mud dyeing at Ban Fak Tah

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Illustrations of textile and decorative motifs on Hindu sculptures in Sukhothai National Museum The trip to the weavers of Uttaradit and Sukhothai was but one of the Textile motifs on Si Satchanalai many that Khun Chomporn has so professionally arranged for ceramics and Sukhothai Hindu members of the TTS over the years, painstakingly integrating the stone sculpture in Sukhothai studies of the various arts that affect weaving in the local cultural National Museum milieu. We were able to combine in-the-field direct experiences with the weavers and other experts in our studies in a pleasant On our last day we continued our study in Sukhothai’s Ramkamhaeng atmosphere, comfortable accommodations and fine local cuisine. We National Museum, where the famed walking Buddha is displayed, and all fulfilled with the total experience and look forward to our the textile motifs on the dhotis of the ancient Hindu statues and again readers’ joining us in the future. on the ceramics of Sukhothai and Sri Satchanalai. Later we visited the ancient ruins in the Sri Satchanalai Historical Park to see another Sangkhalok kiln and a small Sawankhalok ceramics museum to study motifs that appear on textiles. We then examined the stucco motifs on the walls of the remains of Wat Nang Phaya to find their influences from India, China, Lanna, and Dvaravati and to relate them to the textile patterns. Before checking in at the Sukhothai airport, we visited the private museum inside the Sathorn Gold Textiles compound to see old chok and other textiles with gold and silver threads and the Sukhothai Historical Park to see the great Buddha at Wat Sri Chum.

Phasin woven by one of the younger weavers at Fak Tah

Stucco patterns at Wat Nang Phaya that reflect motifs of textiles More images for some articles in the TTS Newsletter and TTS events can be found in the Photo Gallery of our Website: http://thaitextilesociety.org/gallery.php Kindly ask permission before you use any and acknowledge the creators and send us a copy or notice of your work.

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CHERRY BLOSSOMS: HARBINGERS OF SPRING

Uchikake with dyed and embroidered landscape of shore on yellow- green chirimen crepe de chine ground, , 18th C All over the world there is no surer sign that spring has fully sprung than flowering trees, and cherry blossoms have become emblematic of the season. The TTS invites you to enjoy here a spray of cherry blossoms in textiles from the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, Japan, one of the countries that know them best.

Kosode with cascading cherry and waves on indigo figured with Chinese cloud motif, Edo, 18th C were almost the same length of the modern , reaching to the ankles. We have to remember that the modern women’s kimono is made extra long and is folded at the waist to help create the straight line reaching to the heels.

L Kakeshita obi sash worn under the uchikake with cherry or plum blossoms, bamboo, swallows, hollyhocks, peonies, and chrysanthemums on red satin ground, Edo, 19th C; R Detail of kosode with double cherry blossoms, horsetail, dandelion, and swallow design on red figured satin ground, Edo, 19th C Most of these examples are of two varieties, uchikake and kosode. Uchikake are highly formal outer kimonos worn over the kimono and obi. They are usually heavily brocaded and embroidered and longer than usual and trail along they floor. They are never secured with a sash, but worn open. The hem is padded both to provide warmth to the feet and legs and to keep the inside lining of L Detail of uchikake with cherry vine and cypress fan design embroidered the train from wearing out as it drags across the floor. In older times, th on red figured satin, Edo period, 18-19 C; R Detail of kosode with only aristocratic women wore them, but today only brides wear cherries and orchids on yellow-green chirimen embroidered with gold uchikake on their wedding day, usually red or white ones; and actors and silver threads, Edo period, 19thC and dancers don colorful ones for certain stage performances. Kosode means “small sleeves”, as opposed to the large open sleeves of more Both uchikake and kosode were usually decorated with motifs of the ancient times. They predate the modern kimono and were a bit flowers, trees and plants of all four seasons, distributed among the shorter and had shorter and slightly rounded sleeves with small wrist four quadrants of the kimono. The back was the main focus which openings and wider lapels than today’s kimono. When worn, they afforded a surface for an uninterrupted picture. Alternative systems of

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Detail of kosode with waves in resist dye and embroidered flower roundels on light blue ground, Edo period, 19th C auspicious motifs. The peaches and fans embroidered in this red crêpe Uchikake with fret motifs (Chinese cloud or key), bouquets of plum, de chine sample refer to a play in which the Taoist immortal Xi cherry, peony and chrysanthemum on white figured (Chinese cloud) Wangmu presents a peach (an exotic rarity) to an emperor of the Chou satin ground, Edo period, 18thC dynasty. distributing the motifs would be to the shoulders and below the obi Of all the cherry trees, the cascading or weeping cherries are perhaps known as kata suso, in alternating diagonal bands called dangawari the most beautiful. The one shown here is embroidered with a feeling and by dividing the body of the kimono vertically into right and left of fullness on an indigo satin ground which itself is figured with the halves referred to as katamigari. In addition to and Chinese Cloud motif. embroidery, the other techniques that adorned these kimonos were nuihaku application of silver and gold foil, tsugihana and nuishime The final example is quite unusual. A kosode with a blue figured twill stitch resist dyeing methods, karaori (lit., T’ang weaving) heavy twill ground was resist dyed in white with a wave pattern and embroidered brocade of repeating motifs, and watashi nui long floating embroidery with fine colorful roundels of the four seasons. The detail chosen is, of stitches of untwisted silk floss. During the Edo period (1615-1868) the course, cherry blossoms. Some of the wave froth is in golden thread. shibori technique of kanoko fawn spots came into popularity and This is a valuable piece which is said to have been in the wardrobe of remains in our imaginations today as emblematic of shibori. the wife of the feudal lord of Sendai, Date Narikuni (1817-41).

At the bottom back of our first sample, on a smooth yellow-green With this arrangement of cherry and other blooms in textile, the TTS ground of chirimen, crêpe de chine silk the artist has dyed in white Newsletter staff wishes you all the joys of spring! waves and snow on the foot bridges and embroidered various colorful motifs. Heedless of the seashore scene with oceanside reeds, a fishing boat, and fishing gear, the embroiderer has completely covered the surface of the scene by strewing it over with scattered cherry blossoms of unrealistic colors, including gold and blue, and has interspersed among the white waves, pines with multicolored needles including white. Some of the waves are laced with froth of golden threads. This is a most splendid garment for a lady of high lineage.

When visiting in kimono, Japanese often carried visiting gifts, wrapped in fukusa gift covers which they then removed upon presenting the L Fukusa with cherry blossoms and peacock on light green satin, Edo gift. (This custom is still retained in the use of a simpler unlined cloth period, 19thC; R Fukusa cherry, plum and peach blossoms, peaches called a furoshiki, nowadays made of .) Fukusa were lined and Chinese fans associated with the Goddess Xiwangmu on red and made of satin or crêpe de chine and were richly embroidered with chirimen, Edo period,19th C

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THE TAI YUAN OF KHU BUA Angkor Empire in Cambodia and the empire of Pagan in Burma - while nearby Vietnam was well fortified and protected against invaders. The Text and photos by Ruth Gerson Tai therefore moved gradually southward and in time reached Laos and Thailand, taking over small towns and establishing new Tai states Thailand is the home to diverse groups of people who have settled in where they came to be recognized as rulers. They also settled in the various regions of the country wherever historical events had swept far provinces of the Khmer and Burmese empires. By the 13th century them to. Among these are the Tai Yuan who originated in Chaeng Saen the Tai occupied a vast region, spanning the hills of Assam in northeast in northern Thailand, a sleepy town on the banks of the Mekong River. India - all the way to southern Thailand, continuing to maintain their About 200 years ago, following continuous attacks by the Burmese own ethnic identity through language, customs and social that eventually left Chaeng Saen in embers, the Tai Yuan moved away organization. to the northern towns of Chiang Mai, Lampang and Nan, and as far away as Luang Prabang in Laos, and Ratchaburi and Saraburi in As the migrating Tai entered the area that is today Thailand from the western Thailand. north, it is only natural that their earliest towns were located in that region. One of these was Chaeng Saen in Yonok, the first kingdom of the Tai Yuan, which has the distinction of being the first Tai kingdom within the borders of Thailand. It is a significant place and of great historical importance as King Mengrai, the founder of the Lanna kingdom of Chiang Mai, was born there. The Tai Yuan were basically agrarian people who also possessed great weaving skills, occupations that were transmitted to their new villages and adapted to the local needs.

In fact, studying their hand- woven textiles helps us understand the Tai Yuan identity. Weaving still is the Tai Yuan craft that women engage in while for the men it is basketry. Women learn to weave at a young age and their handiwork reflects their skill and patience. It is therefore Khu Bua's village medium who believed that an A Tai Yuan woman dressed in performed the ceremony to call pha sin for the occasion accomplished weaver will be the ancestral and village spirits a good wife. The Tai Yuan are identified by the designs One group of Tai Yuan settled near the ancient Buddhist site of Khu and colors of the Bua in Ratchaburi province featuring remnants of an ancient stupa, worn by the women, in built by the Mon Dvaravati people around the7th and 8th centuries. particularly the pha sin. This The Tai Yuan adjusted easily, added religious structures to the existing ones and called the place home. Over the years they have blended in A typical Tai Yuan skirt with red waist tube skirt is made of one with the local Mon population and with those of other Tai groups. band and a white square woven in for woven piece, uncut and protection against spirits stitched on only one side Most Tai groups do not vary greatly in their way of life, and like the unlike those of some of the other Tai groups, whose woven pieces are others, the Tai Yuan speak in monosyllabic dialects, cultivate rice, have narrow and two separate pieces are joined together and sewn down similar style houses and are followers of Buddhism in addition to their both sides. The Thai Yuan weave only in cotton and very seldom use ancient animistic beliefs. However, what set them apart are their silk. The skirt is made of three parts: the waistband, the body of the handicrafts, which are chiefly basketry and textile weaving. Colors, skirt and the hem. As the people migrated much over the years, some patterns and the arrangement of these on a woven cloth indicate the of their ancient designs have been lost and in some cases they sub-group of the Tai and even the village that a person belongs to. absorbed new patterns from the people they had come in contact Thus the weaving becomes in its way a written record. The Tai Yuan with. The surviving typical Tai Yuan pha sin design has horizontal and other ethnic groups have blended into the culture of the stripes that are evenly spaced, the lower part of it ending in a solid dominant central Tai group of the Siamese, the largest group in color. Pha sins that are created for special occasions have chok (also Thailand for the last 700 years. spelled jok) added to the upper part of the hem, leaving the lower part plain, unlike other groups that cover the entire hem with chok. (Chok So who are these people who have taken roots and created small is the discontinued supplementary weft that is cut and picked by hand pockets of habitation in Thailand? What is their history and where did during the weaving process, reminiscent of embroidery. The Tai they come from? The Tai Yuan belong to the larger Tai ethnic group, decorative hem is called tin chok.) The Tai Yuan motifs include believed to have originated in the southwestern Chinese province of geometric designs, lozenges, stylized animals and birds. An interesting Yunnan near the ancient Nanchao kingdom close to present-day Dali. detail in the hem design is that these figures are often woven upside In the 12th century, as their numbers grew, the Tai looked to move down. The waistband is generally red and has occasionally the unusual southward into the fertile plains of Southeast Asia. It was not an easy feature of a white square woven into it for protection against evil undertaking as two powerful empires were ruling this region - the spirits. The band is usually hidden under the woman's blouse.

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The Tai Yuan men are dressed like other Tai men, preferring far end stands an enormous anonymity. They wear the indigo-dyed blue shirts worn by many men wooden loom, the widest of its in the countryside. In the past they decorated their bodies with tattoos kind in the world. There is a and carried a weapon or a tool as decoration, but today they are similar loom in Belgium, known indistinguishable from any Thai person. for being the tallest in the world. Three rooms are situated Ratchaburi province is still well known for its traditional weaving. along the back wall of the However, in recent years there has been a decline in these skills with hallway. The first displays an the danger of their disappearance altogether, if nothing were to be array of weaving implements. done to preserve and ensure the continuation of these old traditions. Here, lifelike weavers made of Nonetheless, a small group of Tai Yuan led by the ageing but energetic resin sit behind looms, modeled Udom Somporn remembered their northern heritage and strived to in the act of weaving, while a preserve it by building a museum to commemorate and document the variety of spindles line the walls life of the Tai Yuan people of Ratchaburi province. and floor. The main part of the The floor of the museum's upper textile collection, that of the Tai hallway is arranged to resemble a Yuan weaving, is presented in , arranged in the second room. It is a well- colorful tiles planned facility that aims to protect the old textiles from getting ruined. While selected pieces hang behind glass or are draped in an open display, the majority of the textiles is kept in several chests of slim drawers, specially designed for this purpose. The third room displays textiles other than those of the Tai Yuan. There are several pieces from East Timor, documenting Udom's work there, as are figures dressed in hill-tribe attire.

The Ban Khu Bua Museum is an important addition to the small cultural repositories that are appearing all over Thailand as they document the legacies of the various groups of people that make up the Thai nation. Modest, attractive and, above all, the museum is a realistic representation of the lives of Tai Yuan and their neighbors in the Khu Bua area of Ratchaburi province. A resin model of a known village weaver

The decision to build an ethnic museum was reached in 1999 in an attempt to conserve the Tai Yuan culture. As there were no artifacts and no money, an enormous task lay ahead of Udom and his committee of village leaders and it took several years to collect the exhibits that comprise the broad display of items, ranging from household utensils and agricultural implements to looms, spinning wheels and a treasure of hand-woven textiles. All these items came from private Tai Yuan households as donations and illustrate the lives of the people of the Ratchaburi area. The museum was built in Wat Khlong Suwansiri in Khu Bua, and was given the very unpretentious name of Jipata Pan Sataan Ban Khu Bua,or Ban Khu Bua Miscellaneous Museum. It opened officially in 2006 with a sign that reads Ban Khu Bua Museum.

Udom possesses other valuable qualities. He is an authority on Southeast Asian textiles and an adept weaver himself as well as the author of Pha Chok Tai Yuan Ratchaburi, a book in the Thai language on that subject published in 1977. For this reason, the entire upper floor of the museum is dedicated to hand-woven textiles. He has been A safe way to store textiles in drawers active in revitalizing the tradition of weaving not only in the Ratchaburi area but also in other regions of Thailand. In fact, Udom visited East Timor a few years ago, helping the new island nation to recapture its heritage through the art of weaving. A piece of textile woven by his East Timorese students, with Udom's name worked into the cloth, is displayed at the museum and a testimony to his engagement.

While the lower floor highlights ethnicity, agriculture and archaeological artifacts, the upper floor is Udom's pride and joy, dedicated in its entirety to the art of weaving. The entrance hall floor is arranged in multi-colored tiles to resemble a textile pattern. At the

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Tie-Dyeing – What’s in a Name? of techniques, most of which are outside the scope of this article. Pictured here is a woman creating shibori by stitching the cloth. Seen Text and photos by Jenny L. Spancake here is Yoshiko Wada, well-known shibori expert, holding one of her creations.

Shoulder cloth from Palembang, Sumatra When we hear the term tie-dyeing we tend to think of the large colorful designs created in the 60s as a statement of anti- establishment views of that time. Still to be found at stalls in such places as Camden Market in London, the technique of tie-dyeing is a complex one, used in many countries. In Asia this technique of using a resist tied onto un-dyed cloth is known by many different terms which can cause confusion. This article will provide the names applied in some Asian countries to the dye technique, and explore the L Woman working on tie dye in Arimatsu; R Yoshiko Wada holding complexity of this apparently simple terminology. Different cultures tied piece give either broad or very specific definitions to the term used for tie- In the book Shibori, the following explanation of terminology is dyeing. helpful. “Most languages have no term that encompasses all the various shibori techniques, nor is there English terminology for When I began to look into the terms used for tie dying, I discovered individual methods, which often have been incorrectly lumped that Textiles: A Classification of Techniques by Annemarie Seiler- together as ‘tie-and-dye’. Three terms for separate shibori methods Baldinger defines tie-dying as follows: “The fabric or skein yarn is have come into international usage: plangi, a Malay-Indonesian word rolled or folded and tied in different places with strings, threads or for the process of gathering and binding cloth; banda, an Indian term ribbons. Fabrics woven from yarns dyed in this fashion are known as for the same process; and tritik, a Malay-Indonesian word for stitch ikat.” This is the broadest definition I found as this book deals with resist.” wide-spectrum textile terminology. Generally, tie-dyeing does not refer to ikat but rather to the more basic level of the technique.

L Cambodian head cloth; R Cambodian head or shoulder cloth, detail

Just as the term ikat has become well-known and commonly used to describe the technique of resist dyeing by using ties before the cloth is woven, the Japanese term shibori is often used to cover the technique Shoulder cloth from Palembang, Sumatra, detail of resist tying before the cloth is dyed. In the book Shibori: The Many people use the term shibori for the technique by which the cloth Inventive Art of Japanese Shaped Resist Dyeing, shibori is defined as is tied with string after pulling up a piece of fabric, and which describes “cloth that is given three-dimensional shape and then dyed. After the only part of this term. Today Arimatsu, a town near Nagoya on the cloth is returned to its two-dimensional form, the design that emerges historic old Tokaido Highway, is the place to observe classic shibori. A is the result of the three-dimensional shape of the cloth, the type of practice common to both Japan and India is leaving the tie-dyed cloth resist, and the amount of pressure exerted by the thread or clamp that un-ironed so that the three-dimensionality resulting from the dyeing has secured the shape during the cloth’s exposure to the dye.” As process can be seen. This confirms that the cloth was hand tied and shibori is considered a broad term in Japanese, it seems to have not printed, although printed versions are popular in both Japan and caused communication problems when discussing the techniques of India and are significantly less expensive. tie-dyeing textiles. On the other hand, the Japanese do not include ikat in this terminology, but have a wider definition specifying what materials can be used to form the resist. They have perfected the art of shibori and continue to create complex designs using a wide variety

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Kanoko "fawn-spot" shibori A different Cambodian head or shoulder cloth, detail of plangi Shibori was used throughout Japanese history to decorate a variety of In Southeast Asia, a wide variety of terms are used for tie-dye. textiles. A kimono with shibori designs can be extremely expensive. Perhaps most well-known are the terms used in Malay. Robyn Maxwell One particular technique known as kanoko shibori and translating as in her book Textiles of Southeast Asia: Tradition, Trade and “fawn spot” was introduced, and was popularly used on rinzu, a Transformation states that the tie-dyeing of finely woven cloth, both monochrome, silk. This technique is noted for the many small cotton and silk, is found largely in the coastal cultures of Southeast dots tied into the fabric. Intensive hand work was needed to tie the Asia – Kelantan, Pontianak, Palembang, Java, Bali and Sumbawa design as well as to remove the thread after dyeing. It is said that it regions, most of them associated with Islam. Throughout the Malay took a worker an entire day to cut one square foot of knots to release world, when the resist is wrapped around small portions of the cloth, the dyed area. Imagine how long it took to tie in the design! The it is known as pelangi or plangi; when the resist is stitched into the distinctive eye in the center of the dot represented the “seed of life” cloth and tightly gathered it is known as tritik. Seiler-Baldinger calls so kanoko was thought to have spiritual as well as fashionable plangi a special form of tie dyeing, “Parts of the fabric are pulled into a qualities. knob-like or conical form and wholly or partially tied with threads.” She classifies tritik as stitch-resist dyeing when running stitches are made in the fabric in various ways before dyeing and does not classify it with tie-dyeing. Robyn Maxwell, for example classes both techniques as tie-dyeing. Jack Lenor Larsen, a well-known and respected American textile expert, entitled his book on dyeing, The Dyer’s Art: Ikat, , Plangi. He concentrated on resist dyeing and in his book he called all tie-dyeing techniques plangi. For him tritik is a form of plangi. I hope those who read this article begin to understand that there is a great deal of complexity and confusion when the term tie-dyeing is used. Attempts have been made to standardize the use of terms but, unfortunately, we all continue to use them in different ways.

Maxwell discusses the fact that although Indian textiles have had a Indian scarf great influence on Southeast Asian textiles and that Indians have the To appreciate the difficulty in identifying and naming this technique tradition of tie-dyeing known as bandhani described above, tie-dyeing correctly in the various cultures in which it appears an example of the is such a simple technique, it may well have developed independently tie-dye terminology in India can be cited. While in the country it is in the region over time. It is used by various groups of peoples within known as bandhani, the book on shibori calls this technique banda, Indonesia including the Karo Batak who use the technique to create indicating the differences that are found in the literature on textiles. head and shoulder cloths with narrow white tie-dyed end-borders on Saris and dupattas, the long multi-purpose scarves of India, are often indigo ground. The Toraja use it to make large bold spots and circles tie-dyed especially in Rajasthan and Gujarat. This technique forms on banners known as roto. These cloths with their bright multi-colored designs from the small dots created by the tie-dyeing process. decorations clearly show why the term pelangi became used for this technique, as it means rainbow in Malay.

In the Palembang region of South Sumatra, light Chinese silk shoulder cloths are part of a ceremonial costume. These are decorated in tie- dyed designs including the well-known Persian or Kashmiri cone motif, known generally as a boteh. The terms used for this motif could inspire an article in itself. Here is an example of textile design that was influenced by foreign trade from India. Similar designs were used in skirt cloths by Malay people living on the east coast of what is today Indian scarf, L detail; R some threads not removed Malaysia.

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Japanese scarf, shows three dimensionality of tie-dyeing, detail Another interesting term is related to tie-dyeing in Cambodia. Kiet is sometimes referred to as tcharabok, probably derived from a Khmer Shoulder cloth from Palembang, Sumatra, detail term meaning “scales of the nak”, a sacred serpent. Gillian Green Cambodia too, has a tradition of tie-dyeing, known as kiet. Square points out that when one sees the textile at the final stage of the head cloths and long rectangular cloths are in silk, patterned by the patterning process, when the resist ties have been removed after technique that is often compared to those from Palembang. The dyeing, the fabric retains many little peaks resulting in what looks like patterns created in both tied and stitch resist (plangi and tritik) are scaly reptilian skin. The Japanese scarf illustrated here shows this very very similar to Cambodian pieces, with the major difference to be clearly. found in the end panel motifs; those from Sumatra use the boteh motif while Cambodian ones use what Gillian Green has named the Although I have discussed Asian uses of tie-dyeing, this technique tree of life motif. Furthermore, some Cambodian cloths do not have a exists almost everywhere, including the Middle East, Central Asia, design layout with end-panels and borders. Cambodians use the term Africa, America and Europe. It is not surprising that with so many kiet to include both plangi and tritik techniques. cultures using this technique the names for it are so varied. I have attempted to illustrate that there are many terms to describe what is A number of Cambodian kiet cloths are patterned in such a way as to meant by tie-dyeing. Different cultures use different terms and within create pictorial scenes. Good illustrations of this are found in Gillian those terms the actual description of the technique can vary from one Green’s book, Pictorial Cambodian Textiles. These unique cloths are in language to another. Some are very specific and some are very the collection of the National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. general. But all are beautiful ways of using dyes to create an infinite They are believed to have been added to the NMC collection in 1928, number of designs on cloth. so they must be at least eighty years old, probably created by the Cham people of Cambodia. In fact, all of the kiet patterned cloths are said to be done by the Cham. The Cham are Muslim, and the influences of Islamic Southeast Asia can clearly be seen in their production of cloth. Today, these cloths appear to be no longer produced and often Cambodians are unaware of this part of their textile heritage.

Japanese scarf shows three dimensionality of tie-dyeing, whole piece Another detail, shoulder cloth from Palembang, Sumatra,

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By far, most of the royal textiles were Indian in origin. This custom is SIAMESE ROYAL TEXTILES attested by oral traditions as well as by remaining material evidence. th Text and photos by John Toomey Since the 16 century, Muslim merchants transported Indian and to lower Myanmar and thence to Ayutthaya, where the king took his share to use as gifts for courtiers and for trade with the Japanese who valued these items for both clothing and for religious and tea ceremonial use, in exchange for Japanese swords and lacquerware.

Gold painted pha khian thong cloth reserved for Siamese royal use Many of Thailand’s National and private museums, especially those on college campuses, hold fine collections of Thai textiles, but not many hold Thai royal textiles. In 2009, after many years of refurbishment, the Thai Textile Gallery of the National Museum Bangkok re-opened its collection of royal textiles in the midst of the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Bangkok National Museum Volunteers. Now once L Rama V in golden robes at his first coronation; R a young again the public could learn about the textiles of the Thai court. prince in tonsure regalia of gold

Well into the current era, the Thai court ordered mordant-painted Indian , called pha lai yang, with standard motifs, such as Narai song Krut Vishnu riding Garuda, emblematic of the king, who is considered a reincarnation of Vishnu (called Narai in Thai), and thus takes the name Rama, one of the ten incarnations of Vishnu. Thepanom celestials with palms joined in adoration having only upper bodies also are common themes. The Garuda, the thepanom and all gold material were reserved for the royal families only. The king must wear a very fine gold painted cloth known as pha khian thong as he receives the royal regalia when he accedes to the throne at his coronation. Three other common motifs for royalty include one that looks like the thepanom but has legs and is called a theparam, a dancing celestial; the four-faced Brahma (Prom Si Na in Thai), sometimes represented by four-point star shapes; and the phum kao bin rice ball shaped into a lotus bud.

Thepanom celestials with Khmer Singhas and Nagas, kalamkari

L Kalamkari pha nung with four-faced Brahma motif Prom Si Na represented by four-point stars, two layered together to form a ratchawat staggered stepped square; R gold brocade pha nung with phum kao bin rice balls Kalamkari pha nung: L Thepanom; R Dancing Theparam, in pose of Narai song Krut, Vishnu on Garuda shaped into lotus buds, within kan yang trellis of crossed rice stalks

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L Fragment of printed and painted fabric for curtains or carpets of the Wang Na Palace of the Deputy King, thepanom with kranok flame floral scrolls in medallions; R Gold with phum khao bin formed into lotus buds The ladies of the court prepared themotif cloths for wearing by dipping them into coconut juice and then wiping with a soft cloth until the juice changed color. After rinsing the cloths, the ladies boiled them in perfumed water and then steamed, air-dried and ironed them. They then placed them with flowers or essential oils of flowers to scent them. Painted skirt fabrics could be polished with cowry shells until they shone and pleated with a hand machine.

Kalamkari pha nung: Top prajam-yam four-petaled flower in ogival The royal ladies donned exquisite material according to royal lobed frames and in floral scrolls at the borders; L phum kao bin regulations, which indicated their rank. Since ancient times, for royal within kan yang trellis of crossed rice stalks in upper register, kranok ceremonies they wore phasin wrap-around tube skirts woven with flames in lower register; R multiple prajam-yam in center and kan gold threads or brocade and shoulder cloths with thick, dense gold yang trellis of crossed rice stalks in upper register brocade called pha tat thong or woven with beetle’s wings. On lesser Persian motifs that travelled the Silk Road and became part and parcel occasions, they wore non-gold with a sabai. During the of traditional lai Thai Thai design motifs also appear on these textiles, Ayutthaya period (1351-1767), the way of wearing the tube skirt such as the prajam-yam four-petaled flower (sometimes squared off changed character in that the fold in the front was arranged into to a diamond shape); the ratchawat or staggered stepped square; the elaborate pleats, a style called na-nang. But from the Third Reign kan yang trellis of crossed rice stalks or other plant stalks; and the (Rama III, r. 1824-1851), the sabai replaced the shoulder cloth kranok flames design, which can be combined in various forms to altogether at formal occasions and the jong kraben and medium make mythical beings. The borders of these garments indicated the sleeved blouse with sabai (or later a Chinese chest sash) was worn for rank of the wearer. These Indian cotton pa lai (decorated or painted lesser occasions. During King Rama V Chulalongkorn ’s reign (r. 1873- cloths) were part of the sompak poom, court uniform. They or the jong 1910), the “ham-sleeved” lacy blouse with long, puffy sleeves became kraben (pantaloons-like lower garment), made of pa poom Cambodian the fashion, in emulation of Victorian style. It sported a stand-up color weft-ikat silk, could serve as the leg garment. Brahmins at the court and bows and was tailored to fit the wearer. Depending on the also wore special robes with a white ground. Many of these chintzes occasion, the Victorian-style blouse could be worn with a striped skirt were kalamkari, drawn with a fine kalam pen and painted. Others had or a jong kraben. The skirt waist was pleated and tailored to the body been block printed and dyed. Some were decorated with a and worn with a belt. The addition of a Chinese silk sash over the combination of techniques. In addition to use as clothing, many also chest, in the style of a European royal decoration, was quite popular, hung as within the palaces and served to decorate some and it was often overlapped with pearl necklaces and other jewels. temples. Some of these designs are quite similar to those seen on bencharong five-colored ceramics.

L Khmer ikat jong kraben with large ratchawat staggered stepped squares; R Brahmin’s white-ground kalamkari robe with prajam-yam in outer border and phum kao bin composed of kranok flames in the black inner border L Court lady with early sabai, R Bangkok changes

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Tud in Indian, Taad in Thai upper and lower garments together as a set

Pha pak embroidery

Luuk keow figured silk

Zardozi Indian and Persian word, meaning gold embroidery. This term sometimes includes sequins, metals or beads.

Krui formal long outer court robe often worn by the king and crown prince

Phakhien thong the process of applying gold leaf with gum to a textile, tedious and painstaking.

L Queen Saovobha in Victorian style ham sleeves; R Pha Krong Thong Suchanee floor cloth for king or monk to sit on plaited gold cloth decorated with beetle wings used with sabai Some more interesting terms relevant to our appreciation of Thai royal Nam khanun literally “jackfruit skin”, a motif resulting from a textiles that often appear in texts are listed here: method of stitch-resist tie-dyeing, known as “fawn spotted” in English, from translation of Japanese kanoko. It appeared on the crêpe silk Zenbaf Indian word for Thai Yia ra bup very high quality and sashes used at court and by monks during the reigns of King Rama IV- luxurious brocade for king, higher rank members of royal family and VII (about 1851-1932) and is similar to some textiles of Rajasthan. But courtiers. They were given by the king to both men and women to use this technique is actually made by descendents of Cham Muslims who as shoulder cloths, shirts or blouses, jackets, and jong kraben, to be emigrated from the ancient Champa Kingdom after its fall to the Dai worn at court and royal ceremonies. Some were used for interior Viet in the 17th to 19th centuries. decoration.

Pha lai thong cloth woven with a design of gold threads. Gold threads were imported from Gujarat and were called variously jeri, jari, zeri, or zari

Pha yok thong Gold brocade, used at coronation, tonsure and other special ceremonies.

Kinkob, kinkhab another used for a shirt, the Indian word means any kind of cloth of gold, but in Thai this word itself indicates the rank

Attalat silk with brocade highly decorated with gold woven in at intervals, used for shirts, jackets, chemises and sabai. Used for lower court ranks. Some used for covering food containers or for furnishings.

Jong kraben pantaloons-like lower garment, consisting of a long Detail of King's golden Krui robe piece of material wrapped around the waist once, leaving a long Indian textiles gradually lost some favor at court as European fashions remainder in the front which is brought back down between the legs were adapted little by little, beginning with the reign of King Rama IV and tucked in at the back of the waist (r. 1851-68). In 1872 King Rama V travelled to India and upon his return decided to have his court officials wear the Indian style jacket Pha nung the cloth for the jong kraben with a plain jong kraben. Even so, when it came to ritual, the courtiers still donned the old sompak lai (decorated cloth of the uniform). Sabai a stole-like upper garment adapted by women from the However, as the use of fine Indian textiles decreased at court, a lesser shoulder cloth for modesty, but worn long and draped across the quality and cheaper Indian mud-resist, block print textile, drawn with chest, crossed at one shoulder and hanging down in front and back an inferior kalam pen, known as saudagiri gained popularity in the mass market. Saudagiri motifs were mostly floral and were contained Pha Krong Thong plaited gold cloth decorated with beetle wings used in repetitive geometric blocks shaped as squares, rectangles, with the sabai to enhance its beauty lonzenges, circles or triangles. The entrepreneur in Bangkok was a Mr. Maskati, who would take the Thai orders, send a sample book of the Beetle wings from the insect, iridescent blue-green-golden wings desired designs to Amedabad, and sell the product in Thailand under used in Persian and Thai textiles the Maskati stamp. By the time of the revolution to democracy in 1932, cotton was printed locally and after WWII the Japanese flooded Khemkhaab a motif of vertical stripes worked with gold brocade for the Thai market with their printed cotton copies of sarasa (the jackets in uniforms of court officials, also for shoulder cloths, sashes Japanese term for the Indian chintzes), and such Indian textiles and sabai. Also used in furnishings. gradually declined.

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Imported attalats with classic Indian and Chinese motifs

L Noble's shirt in cloth of gold; R Persian-style robe of khemkhaab

L Jacket from attalats for minor courtier; Center brocade shirt or jacket for a royal made from zenbaf (Yia ra bup in Thai); R jacket of zenbaf for a prince

Two mudmee (ikat) details with ratchawat staggered stepped squares and Prom Si Na four-faced Brahma motif, provenance unknown

Photos of the collection in the Textile Gallery of the Bangkok National Museum by the kind permission of the Thai Fine Arts Department

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REVIVED IMPERIAL TEXTILE TREASURES OF THE HORYUJI TEMPLE IN NARA

Fragment of block print on plain-weave brown silk, design of flowering plants and birds, 8th century Korean missionaries “officially” introduced Mahayana Buddhism to the Japanese court in 552 and with it Buddhist material culture began to Fragment of confronted phoenixes in pearl roundel on brown flourish. In time great temples were built for the nobles of six Nishiki brocade silk, Asuka-Nara period, 7th-8th century different Mahayana sects and two esoteric sects, and the best artisans were employed to decorate them. These temples and most of their The motifs painted or embroidered on these banners and canopies accoutrements, including parts of the grand Horyuji Temple in Nara, reflect the standard motifs that travelled the Silk Road: palmettes, were continuously rebuilt and restored particularly after wars and lotuses, airy clouds, and sacred animals such as tigers, snakes, conflagrations. Surprisingly, numerous fragments of Buddhist ritual , tortoises, and phoenixes, sometimes adorsed (back-to-back) banners known as ban and temple canopies have survived. From 2010 or confronted (face-to-face) at a tree of life or another subject and to 2013 the Tokyo National Museum conducted restoration, bringing encircled in roundels of pearls, in the style of the Persian Sassanian many of these remnants back to life. Last year, from August 19th to Empire. October 15th, 2014, the Tokyo National Museum exhibited these restored fragments for the first time in the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures.

Fragment of canopy pendant, painted design of White Tiger and Fragments: L to R From embroidered pearl roundel; from Snake on brown silk, , 7th century embroidered lotus roundel with gold threads, Asuka period, 7th century; from ban Buddhist banner, design of shichiyo roundels in The textile named Canopy Pendant with White Tiger and Snake is kokechi tie-dye on plain-weave red silk, Nara period, 8th century easily compared with Korean Goguryeo Period (37 BCE- 668CE) tumulus tomb murals of the White Tiger of the western direction and Scholars presume that these fragments were part of the treasures that similar White Tigers in murals of the Japanese Takamatsu-zuka and the Horyuji Temple donated to the Imperial Household in 1882 and Kitora tumulus tombs. The tiger here, with a bluish-green serpent that have since been kept between glass plates in the TNM until the coiled around its body, is descending through clouds and a shower of time of their recent restoration. The pieces date from the Asuka (593- palmettes also seen on the Tenjukoku Shucho embroidery below. 710) and Nara (710-794) Periods. Looking closely, the subtle motif of joined six-sided tortoise shells (longevity symbols) appears on the light brown ground. This is believed to be the oldest painting on silk to be found in Japan. Perhaps such a pendant could have been used in funerary rites, blending north Asian Shamanism with Buddhism.

Another fragment called “Kanton” banner, a common type referring to Guangdong Province in China, is a reddish ikat. It has been noted that the same motif of smoky, upright umbrella-shaped clouds is also painted on the skirts of the Four Heavenly Kings statues of the Horyuji Temple. Lotus embroidered on silk, Asuka period, 7th century

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Fragment of L to R Kanton, Asuka-Nara period, 7th-8th century; Embroidery of Long Life in Heaven, 622 CE; Buddhist celestial embroidered on silk, Asuka period, 7th century

One of the most famed fragments, the Embroidery of Long Life in Heaven (Tenjukoku Shucho) was made in memory of Prince Regent Shotoku Taishi (572- 622 AD), who ruled on behalf of his aunt Empress Suiko. This tapestry, ordered by the Princess Tachibana, holds mysteries in the form of symbols such as the barely visible tortoise the symbol of longevity, in the upper left corner, the lotus of Buddhism, and wispy floating clouds representing the purity of heaven and the unstained soul. The backing was originally reddish-purple, layered with purple ; but soon thereafter the embroidered bits were transferred to a white ground. Other fragments in the same room, not certainly identified as being from the Horyuji Temple, are decorative areas of kesa which are priest’s vestments, wrapping cloths and embroideries from Buddhist banners.

Fragments: L to R two embroideries of lotus on silk, Asuka period, 7th century; rug with flowers on white ground, Nara period, 8th century To quote the exhibition curators Sawada Matsuyo and Mita Kakuyuki: “During the restoration process…their threads were realigned, and they were backed with Japanese paper. Some fragments are now supported by cushions made of…Japanese paper and polyester cotton. No longer obscured by stains and the bluish tints of the glass panes, the colors of these ancient Asuka …and Nara…fragments have been vividly revived, and their beauty may now be appreciated to the fullest.”

Fragments: L Joku priest's mat, design of flowers, birds, butterflies on nishiki brocade silk, Nara period, 8th century; R flowers of green onion and arrowhead pattern on white tapestry weave silk, Asuka period, 7th century

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Korean Royal Textiles and Pojagi Wrapping Cloths

Jacket for a court lady or a princess The first exhibition of Princess Masako’s collection of royal textiles outside the Chojun Museum was at the Korean Cultural Center in Washington, D.C., April 26- November 6, 1985. This was in anticipation of the 1988 Olympics that were to be held in South Korea as well as in commemoration of Princess BangJa. At that time Mrs. Kim prepared Five-clawed Insignia of the King of Korea the catalogue entitled The Collection of Nak Song Chae in both Korean and English. The exhibition is due to open for a second time at the The Chojun Textile Museum, one of few small private museums Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo on June 10th - 30th, 2015. devoted to textile arts in Korea, houses the collection of the last Crown Princess BangJa (1901-1989), a Japanese Princess who married the Korean Crown Prince who was exiled to Japan. She therefore also The Last Princess’s Royal Collection held the Japanese title of Princess Nashimoto Masako. This was due to the fact that Korea was a protectorate state of Japan at the time. Another collection and equally famous is of the superb traditional presentation wrappings, known as pojagi, both the royal kind kung po which are finely embroidered with auspicious motifs on a single piece of silk, and the commoner’s type min po which are often made of complicated patchwork (chogak po) silk, , or cotton. These are often embellished with embroidery, painting, printing, stitching or other decorative techniques. The ever-smiling and enthusiastic Master Craftswoman Mrs. Kim, SoonHee directs the museum and always offers a warm welcome. A princess's bridal gown Following the establishment of the Republic of Korea, President The items on display are rotated. These can Park Chung-Hee invited BangJa’s be identified by their color which usually family to return to Korea and live indicates the wearer’s rank. They are as in the Changdeok Palace’s “Secret follows: Garden”, known as the Biwon. From then on BangJa/ Masako The king wore a black ceremonial over-robe dedicated her life to charity work embroidered with nine symbols that with the handicapped, earning the indicated his power as ruler and an sobriquet "Mother of the intermediary between Heaven and the handicapped in Korea", and was a world below. The symbols include dragons, highly respected Japanese mountain peaks, flames, pheasants, wine member of Korean society. She cups for ancestral rites, millet, rice, axes and died on 30 April, 1989 and was key frets (aka Chinese key or cloud motif), all given a semi-state funeral, stylized. For his morning audiences, the king attended by Prince and Princess donned a red robe of glossed silk or Mikasa, the brother and sister-in- stiffened gauze silk with front and rear law of Emperor Hirohito. aprons and a simpler crown.

Her Royal Highness BangJa, King's full regalia ceremonial robes Crown Princess Euimin

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Full regalia for the empress (including for her wedding) demanded 12 layers of robes in varying colors, probably in imitation of the Japanese 12- layered court kimono juni-hitoe. The topmost robe was brocade with 154 pairs of gold peacocks arranged on indigo ground placed in twelve tiers with gold pear blossoms in between each pair. The indigo ground was trimmed around the hems with red silk stamped in gold leaf dragons and the Chinese character for “good fortune”.

L to R King's robe for morning audiences, Red Dragon Robe with gold medallions for official duties, Emperor's Yellow Dragon Robe When performing official duties, both the king and the crown prince put on the Red Dragon robe of stiffened silk gauze in summer and L to R Dress for court lady or princess, crown princess's wedding satin in winter. This robe was embroidered with the Joseon Dynasty gown, court dress actually worn by HRH BangJa (1392–1910) dragon roundels in gold on the chest, back and both shoulders. The dragon had four claws on each foot, denoting the king’s The crown princess wore a red ceremonial robe similar to the Red submission to the Chinese emperor whose dragons had five claws. This Dragon Robe, but the dragon in the roundels had four claws, to robe was overlapped from the left over to the right and tied at the indicate the crown prince’s rank. Both this robe and its red underskirt right side of the chest with a long ribbon. At the end of the Joseon were stamped with phoenixes in gold leaf, the symbol of her rule, the emperors (Imperial period, 1887-1910) wore the Yellow husband’s status, the sleeves striped in yellow, indigo and white. The Dragon Robe featuring medallions with five-clawed dragons. It was cut court dress that Princess Yi BangJa wore is shown in the photo here. and embroidered in the same way and used the same method of tying The colors changed according to the season with white for summer, as the Red Dragon Robe. A retired emperor wore pale gold. for example. A short jacket with front and back aprons cut like violin backs was embroidered with the four-clawed dragon roundels and stamped with the Chinese characters for good fortune. This was worn over a skirt stamped with two bands of phoenixes and clouds in gold leaf. There are too many other ranks of robes for both military and civilians for us to go into here. Their most interesting feature is their insignias, such as those shown in the photos on the following page.

It is interesting to note that even the wedding garb of commoners was prescribed. The bride wore green and the groom was allowed to wear the red gown of a prince for this one day of his life, but with a civil insignia rather than the dragon. The couple also had a change of dress for the formal greetings when they bowed to their parents.

L Empress's court robe, R Empress's full regalia and wedding robes A current queen wore red over blue and a widowed queen wore black. The queen mother wore yellow and a princess donned green with blue as did other women of the court, but a princess’s sleeves were longer and wider than those of other women’s.

The empress wore a yellow robe for major ceremonies. Its wide sleeve bands were striped in red, indigo and white, and the robe was embroidered with the same five-clawed royal dragon as the emperor’s L Commoner's princely wedding robe on the chest, shoulders and back. This robe was worn over two skirts, with court civil insignia, R groom's one red the other indigo, both stamped with dragon designs in gold stiffened princely gauze crown leaf.

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During the wedding ceremony the groom presents the bride with a pair of male and female wooden ducks representing fidelity and long life, wrapped in a red cloth. At weddings, the purpose of the red patches as well as the bride’s rouge is to ward off poisons, particularly jealousy which in Buddhism is considered one of the four poisons. This is because the L Insignia of a prince, R court Insignia of one of the civil ranks words red and poison are homophones, and so red is Pojagi – presentation wrapping worn in hopes of warding off poisons. The symbols used for wedding gift wrappers, or for any congratulatory occasion, are the Shipjangsaeng, or Ten Symbols of Longevity which include mated cranes, mated tortoises, special longevity mushrooms, sun, moon, mated deer, mountain peaks, Pouch embroidered with pines, bamboos and running Shipjangsaeng symbols of longevity Pojagai with embroidered auspicious animals: L red-bordered for water. Many pojagi, regardless of the occasion, are stitched from bride, R blue-green-bordered for groom strips to form a background pattern of four lozenges set within each The royal collection at the Chojun Textile Museum includes elegant other, symbolizing the four seasons. Background patterns of kung po pojagi royal presentation wrappers used at various formalities interlocking circles (commonly referred to by their Japanese name requiring courtesy and protocol for giving gifts, such as at royal shippo) represent eternity. weddings and other ceremonial occasions. Pojagi with blue-green borders are used for presentations to the groom and red borders for the bride. Based on the ancient theory of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements of earth, water, fire, wood, and metal, the five colors blue, red, yellow, white, and black were mainly used, each color representing a different element. In particular the red wrapper was believed to generate magical vigor that dispelled evil spirits and the blue wrapper represented a prayer for a good harvest. Some pojagi were red on one side and blue on the other. L Lozenges represent four seasons, R quilt with shippo inter-locked circles The min po pojagi used by commoners were not limited to gift giving, but could also be made to cover tables, altars, and foods; to store sutras and other sacred texts; to wrap gifts; to use as window screens, money belts or laundry bags; and to carry possessions on journeys. Quilted pojagi filled with cotton batting were used to keep food warm or protect fragile objects. Some were made for use in betrothal or religious ceremonies. The oldest known piece is a 1415 cover for Buddhist scriptures.

3 X 3 Symbolic stitchery In pojagi one can clearly see the symbolic stitching technique of quilting together three layers of cloth, using a pattern of triple closely spaced stitches alternating with large gaps to remind us to 1) think carefully to the third degree, 2) be threefold patient, and 3) be thrice diligent. The meaning is that, in total, nine years of concentration, patience and diligence are needed to master the craft of sewing and embroidery. Thus the cloths are imbued with a spiritual meaning for both giver and receiver of the gift. The pojagi themselves were not usually given, but after unwrapping and presenting the gift, the cloths were taken back by the gift giver. Still, the character of such a specially made cloth communicated respect for the object and good will toward Pojagi stitched from figured silk patches, embroidered with plum the recipient. blossoms, thistles, other flowers, squirrels, grapes, and butterflies

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Figured silk pojagi embroidered with spring and autumn flowers, Child's suit of 100 patches for longevity poems, good luck characters, cat, mouse, insects, butterflies, and birds These “people’s wrapping cloths” were made by ordinary women in a Today, there are women who still make pojagi for practical uses and time when their freedom of expression was limited and their selection for the sake of art. They and their works serve as an inspiration for of patches shows the frugality, patience and creative genius of Joseon contemporary artists in many media. Pojagi stirs people’s women. Stitching them gave women a momentary escape into an reminiscence of the past, reminding them to pay respect to their imaginary world of harmony in which they could direct their deep, ancestors and affection to their children through the cloth they offer individual emotions and creative energies in stitchery and embroidery, them. In fact, it has become a textile art conveying the deep as the men did in poetry and painting. They made some wrapping characteristics of Korean aesthetics and sentiments of the people as cloths in symmetrical geometric designs and others in irregular surely as the royal textiles did for the nobles of the court. improvisational and imaginative schemes. They made pojagi sometimes to swaddle their newborn and to clothe their loved ones. For their children’s first birthday they stitched garments from 100 patches in hopes that they will live to be 100 years old. Mothers made small textile pouches for their children, containing the “five necessary grains” of rice, ordinary beans, red beans, millet, and sorghum. Thus the five sacred colors of Buddhism, five elements, five cardinal directions, and the five grains used in the congratulatory food called O-gok-bap, or five-colored rice, representing long and healthy life were used in amulets. The bags were tucked into the red belts of girls and the blue belts of boys, in hopes that they would never go hungry. They were also placed in the belts of corpses.

Modern art pojagi

Note: In 2008 the Chojun Textile Museum held an exhibition of Korean patchwork and pojagi at the Nebraska International Quilt Study Center and Museum.

Belts with pouches, separately colored for the five grains necessary Many thanks to Master Craftswoman Mrs. Kim, SoonHee for the to sustain life interviews that made this article possible and for permissions to publish photos taken in the Chojun Textile Museum and to reproduce photos from her catalogue The Collection of Nak Song Chae from the Washington, DC exhibition of 1985

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COSTUMES OF THE BALLETS RUSSES

L Costume for the maid in Sleeping Beauty, R, Matisse’s costume for a mourner of the emperor in Le Chant du Rossignol, 1920 Diaghilev’s demandingly high creative standards further elevated the precision training and impeccable execution the corps de ballet had already learned at the Marinsky and other schools. The daring and fresh choreography of Michel Fokine and George Balanchine, and the craftsmanship of their star dancers Anna Pavlova and Vaslav Nijinsky Costumes of the Ballets Russes at Tokyo's New National Art Center contributed to the excellence of the ballet, as did the heady The Ballets Russes dance company thrilled the world with its chromatics of Stravinsky and Debussy, and the brilliant colorful stage wondrous visual and musical delights in the early 20th century. Based sets created by Matisse and Picasso. Essential were the costumes in Paris under the impresario Sergei Diaghilev (1872-1929), the troupe conceived by such great artists as Matisse, Miró and Dalí and the travelled Europe as well as North and South America from 1909 to renowned couturier Coco Chanel, with attention given to the most 1929, dazzling and enlivening audiences of areas torn by wars. The minute details even though seen only from afar. Interestingly, the ballet group created great sensation with its avant-garde productions Paris premiere of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring caused a scandal and drawn from exotic Russian Orientalist folklore, imitating aspects of outrage due partly to the erotic costumes. The police was called to Middle and far Eastern cultures. The ground-breaking collaboration of break up the riots and fist fights. Europe’s foremost dance, music and visual young artists reinvigorated the 20th century’s art of dance. In 1929 following Diaghilev’s death, the Ballets Russes found itself in debt and was consequently dissolved and its property confiscated. Tokyo’s New National Art Center, beautifully structured to resemble a Members of the troupe joined the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo, huge undulating glass wave, hosted the exhibition of the Ballet Russes formed by Diaghilev’s successor, Colonel Wassily de Basil, who had memorabilia from June 18 to September 1, 2014. These items were on kept many of the costumes. With the outbreak of World War II, the loan from The National Gallery of Australia’s impressive collection of Ballets Russes fled to North and South America and some of its 400 pieces whose bulk was secured from Sotheby’s in 1973 with members founded schools there. Russian born George Balanchine additional pieces purchased at later dates. 144 of the costumes founded the School of American Ballet and the New York City Ballet, created for the dance group and used over the decades were and many members of the Monte Carlo troupe joined him there. In displayed along with posters, photos, programs, sketches, books and 1951 de Basil’s Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo ceased to exist and in the other related materials. The mannequins, placed on walk-around following decades (1960s and 1970s) the Paris costumes were platforms without cases, could easily be viewed from all angles purchased by various museums, including the National Gallery of without any obstructions. Australia.

L Diaghilev, R Nijinsky with some of his costumes It was the genius of Diaghilev to integrate traditional dance narratives with modern designs, new approaches to choreography, contemporary music, staging, costume designs, and publicity giving each of these aspects equal attention. He thus propelled the formerly sleepy and placid world of traditional ballet into a dynamic Modernist framework. His concept of ballet was an opulent and exotic world of expressive Post-Impressionism and the visionary, rational and L Bakst's sketch for the Blue God; R actual costume primitive Cubism.

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Bakst’s costumes for Tamar: L to R Friend of Queen, Queen L Baskt’s costume for Shah Zeman in Scheherazade, R Tamar, a Lezghin, detail of costume for a Lezghin, c. 1912 Goncharova’s costume for a squid in Sadko, 1916

The Ballets Russes’ first great costume designer in Russian Orientalist style from 1909 was Léon Bakst (1866-1924), who designed one of the most precious costumes, that of the Blue God, worn by Nijinsky in the ballet Le Dieu Bleu. He also created sets and costumes for Schéhérazade, The Firebird, Le Spectre de la Rose, L’Après-midi d’une faune, and Daphnis et Chloé. Bakst, however, could not agree with Diaghilev on the style of the costumes and in 1921 he was dropped in favor of Natalia Goncharova (1881-1962) whose designs were rich in folk patterns and colors. She is well renowned for her Surrealist yet natural costumes, such as the fish, squid and sea horse in the ballet Sadko, based on a Russian fairytale.

After long arduous use on stage and little care over the last century, many of the costumes needed restoration, as their condition had deteriorated greatly. The original designers used materials and construction methods with particular characteristics that the National Gallery of Australia’s conservators have taken pains to familiarize themselves with over the decades. These materials and methods included the following details noted on the exhibition placards: rough couching, stitching and embroidery; painted gold rather than gold leaf; gelatin rather than brass buttons; glass rather than real jewels; large cut-out appliqué for bold contrasts; pearls or paste pearls, silk, , cotton, , lamé, acetate, cellulose, leather, Bakelite™ and metal studs. The task of recreating such complex costumes is daunting. The NGA conservators’ brief is “to maintain the working and visual condition of costumes that have been used, while repairing and replacing elements of their fabric that have been lost or damaged by insects or extended exposure to light.”

The Ballets Russes and it successors never performed in Russia or other areas of the Soviet Union, but their influence on world dance art still continues today.

PHILIPPINE AMBASSADOR PRESENTS Mrs. Batoon-Garcia discussed in depth each province’s style, from the TEXTILE COLLECTION predominantly animistic Cordillera Mountain Province in the North, down through the principally Christian central Philippines, and on into The Philippines is a country of Muslim Mindanao in the South. She also illustrated the ways local cultural contrasts, in part due to people adapted traditional textiles and designs to contemporary history, in part due to the tastes. But before delving into the older traditional ethnic textiles of geographical divisions caused by the provinces, she began with the history of present-day national mountains and seas in its 7000 dress. islands. Such conditions make a fertile milieu for a proliferation of Not much is known of the history of Philippine textiles prior to 1800. textile styles from the north to However, around that time the gossamer-like baro’t saya, a kind of south of the country. HE Jocelyn plain camisa blouse with long, wide sleeves worn with a long skirt Batoon-Garcia, Ambassador of the became the women’s unofficial national wear. In about 1860 the Philippines to Thailand, shared her barong Tagalog became the men’s formal shirt to be worn with private collection of these treasures trousers. Both the baro’t saya and the barong Tagalog are usually from each province of her country in made from pineapple leaf , called piña. Depending on the a comprehensive lecture given at wearer’s wealth, they could also be made from silk, banana or cotton the Siam Society on October 14, fiber. As the climate is hot, the people did not customarily wear 2014. She had laid out selected underwear, so the women wore an inner sheath or many layers of the items from her collection on tables baro’t saya. By 1900 the priests ministering to the Spanish or Chinese running lengthwise down the center meztisos told their parishioners to wear more clothes for the sake of of the hall. modesty. The clergy required at least a scarf to cover the front of the HE Jocelyn Batoon-Garcia, wearing sheer, see-through baro’t saya. baro’t saya and Kalinga shell wrist cuff

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Geometric designs and bright colors of Yakan group, Basilan Island

By 1910 the serpentina, a type of ternó or dress with a long twisted train in imitation of American colonists, and later favored by Imelda Marcos, came in fashion. All ternó were stiff and were tailored with butterfly sleeves. The serpentina style had a hook for carrying the train when outdoors and still retained the wide, but more elaborate, gossamer sleeves of the baro’t saya, with cut-outs for coolness. By this time the women were wearing underwear chemises. By the 1930s the line became slimmer, using less cloth, still keeping the same sleeve style, but more structured. Also the trains trailed more away from the body and could be detached from the dress. From the 1930s to the 1950s the serpentina became more body-fitting until the ‘50s when under Imelda’s influence the A-line dress became popular. In the ‘70s Women's attire in the Ga'dang Mountain Province huge appliqué and embroidery decorated dresses became the fashion. These were similar to the calado, a type of thread work that allowed The various ethnic textiles of the Philippines create colorful rainbows. piercings, in which the fabric’s thread was removed and then rejoined Starting in the northern Cordillera region, the ethnic groups in Abra to form “eyelets”. In the ‘80s dress lines became more structured, province are fond of using beads and psychedelic geometric patterns, using that was cheaper than piña, while was substituted whereas the hill tribe groups of the Ifugao peoples (near the famed for silk, the sleeves becoming smaller. Banaue rice terraces) use darker colors. These are evident in the “funerary cloths”, that are blankets a man uses during his lifetime and The balintawak style of ternó, a less formal and colorful style of baro’t which in death become his shroud. These blankets are richly woven saya, came into use by farmers. It has colorful designs in the lower with animal and human motifs conveying deep spiritual meanings (see area with a narrow scarf worn over the ternó for wiping sweat while Jack Di Benedetto’s article in TTS Newsletter Vol. II, no. 2 regarding working in the field. In addition to the baro’t saya the kimona, a this). blouse with large wide sleeves and decorated with similar to Dutch lace, or with crochet or joined appliqué, was eventually used by But not all is dark among the Ifugao. In Apayao province Kalinga women as part of their national costume. women wear bright red wrap-around skirts and men wear colorful loincloths, wide in both front and back. These are for everyday use and not just for dancing or rituals. The Kalinga were the fiercest of warriors, covered in colorful tattoos that were regarded as clothing. They have the largest variety of motifs among the northern peoples. The Bontoc preferred to wear red textiles, and some in green (now chemical dyes). Their loincloths are narrow and their weaving designs are similar to those of the lowland Ilocanos (see below). They tie their woven belts in the back, whereas most Filipino ethnic groups tie their belts in the front.

A rare group of Ga’dang also live in the Ifugao region and adorn their very colorful dress with numerous types of beads and semi-precious stones, each town having its own designs. In the Paracelis area near Ifugao in the Mountain Province north of Baguio City, the people use a belt to cover the breech between top clothing and the skirt. The women wear long or three-quarter length sleeves while the men wear no sleeves and, like the Bontoc they wear narrow loincloths. Kalinga Apayao women's attire with shell accessories

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Strong abel cloth from Ilocos

In the lowlands of Luzon dwell the mainly Christian Ilocos, who weave the traditional multi-purpose abel cloths from cotton yarns that they From Tausug in Sulu Islands in the South source from northern Luzon. They dye the yarn with the sap of the In the South’s Mindanao Island, the Muslim Maranao use a back-strap sagut, a kind of plum that comes from northern Luzon. The process of loom to weave a multi-colored cotton malong tube skirt which shows hand spinning and dyeing the yarn in various colors and then arranging Indonesian influence as well as the status of the wearer. In older it on the wooden multi-heddle hand loom is quite labor intensive. Abel times, the malong was woven of very ornate purple and gold silk. The cloths from Binakul have gradated shades and geometric shapes of malong is multifunctional and can be used as a skirt for both sexes a squares, lozenges or rectangles, enclosing one another in contrasting dress, turban, blanket, sheet, hammock, or even a prayer mat. The positive/negative hues. Another motif is the crosses or interlocking Maguindanao create the manyo continuous scarf without seam. Both rings. Textiles from Mindoro are striped or plaid. Abel cloths were so men and women of the Yakan in Basilan wear tight fitting purple strong and beautiful that they became a major export in the Spanish velvet badju lapi jackets with gold brass buttons and long sleeves galleon trade, and a possible threat to the Spanish textile industry. designed in bold and colorful geometric patterns, predominantly diamonds, in addition to pineapple and abaca fabrics. They tie up a square of cloth called seputangan as a head cover, which in the old days was of tapestry weave. The Tausug in Sulu, as strict observers of Islam do not portray human or animal forms, but they are creative in employing numerous variations of geometric forms. Their textiles have been compared with Mondrian’s abstract paintings, so much so, that they were even exhibited side by side with them. Their shirts and blouses often have keyhole necklines with elaborate embroidery.

The non-Muslim Bagobo tribe uses flamboyant beads, abaca and cotton to make women's tapis skirts and men’s trousers and short jackets for both sexes. The Madaya group in Davao hand weave dagmay, an abaca cloth, in motifs of people and crocodiles. Its mud- L Itneg crochet, Tinggian Abra Province, Cordillera region; R upper dyeing is thought to be the only use of this technique in the pina silk, lower and R man-made jusi Philippines. They use much cross-stitching. Finally, the T’boli from The neighboring Tinggian (an Igorot group also called Ignet) are known South Cotabato province must first dream of their design before they for their crochet work and work in transparent jusi, a fine weave of a weave it. Tinalak is their sacred cloth. They also use cross-stitching and banana and silk blend. Their work in ramie is similar to Irish , but red-line appliqué. more grainy; they also make bags from sinamay , which is similar to abaca (also known as “Manila hemp”, which is extracted from the These words can say only so much, but a view of Mrs. Batoon-Garcia’s leaf-stems of a species of banana tree), but softer, and when mixed collection in the photos here will tell the story better. with silk becomes even softer and shiny.

Mandaya animistic group in east Mindinao Tiboli animistic group in Mindinao

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Over the last millennium, Japan and China have had a sporadic history MEIBUTSU-GIRE, ANCIENT CHINESE of trade, often closing their borders to each other. When the Ryukyuan and Japanese ships could safely ply the seas, they carried AND INDIAN TEXTILES Chinese brocade silk and Indian printed cotton chintz to the Shogun and Imperial courts of Japan where they were used to tailor formal Text and photos by John J. Toomey wear, frame the borders of hanging scrolls, fashion personal items such as tobacco pouches and handbags, and even trim the borders of tatami mats. Many became the finely sewn shifuku that sheathed the tea containers, tea bowls and tea scoops, or the fukusa and other cloths used for wiping and receiving the hot cup during the tea ceremony. Many such textiles were from the Ming dynasty or earlier and were figured with gold. Indian cloths were such simple printed chintz, considered exotic to the Japanese of that time.

Gold brocade titled Shokkin, stripes, small flowers and geometric patterns on gold ground, Ming dynasty, 16th-17th century, formerly preserved by Maeda Clan, TNM*

Modern Asian textiles flood the markets and those of the last few centuries can be enjoyed in many museums, but where can we appreciate the best quality ancient textiles? Fortunately some have been preserved in small private, and fewer in public museums around the world. Among ancient textiles, those of China and India are some of the most often collected. Even so, now we know that there are gaps in our knowledge as a whole world of collecting, hitherto little known to most of the textile community, has recently come more into the light. For centuries, extremely rare samples of Chinese and Indian textiles have been preserved, textiles that appear to have been lost within those countries, though they were considered meibutsu-gire “famed” or “celebrated textiles”. These still exist in the private Hana Ichigo “Strawberry Flower” motif brocade sheathes collections of the feudal warlord clans of medieval Japan and in tea- tenmoku bowl on mother-of-pearl black-lacquer stand masters’ families up to this day. Until recently, some of these textiles for use in the most formal teas only. Private collection were restricted to the wardrobes of those clans while others were Before the American philosopher Ernest Fenollosa (1853-1908) known only as utensils in the intimate spaces of dimly lit tearooms. In introduced the Western methods of categorizing the arts to Japan, the these last few decades, many have been on display in private and shogunal court had its own complicated system of ranking art objects, public museums in Japan, the USA and Europe, some as full articles of based on the division into the two categories of wa-mono, anything clothing or specially crafted small shifuku pouches for tea utensils, and produced in Japan, and kara-mono, anything produced outside Japan. others as swatches in catalogues handed down through the warlords’ “Kara” literally meant T’ang period China, so anything not Japanese or tea-masters’ lineages. was considered Chinese, even if items were produced in Korea, India, or Persia. Art works were further divided into formal, semi-formal and informal. Formal were those produced in China and Korea. Articles from Japan were ranked as semi- or informal. The textiles were ranked by the ceramics or other utensils they sheathed or were associated with. In later ages, powerful daimyo (feudal lord) clans would determine their own rankings.

During the tea ceremony, these textiles are passed to the guests along with other utensils for them to handle and their histories are discussed in a formal dialogue in terms of weaving technique, motif, ground pattern, and often the clan or individual who favored or preserved the particular piece or style of textile and the overall tradition of that motif and its aesthetics. This inspection or appreciation, in Japanese haiken, is an important way of learning, appreciating and transmitting L A formal ceramic tea caddy in silk shifuku based on a Ming textile the traditions of history and the arts in the intimate social setting of a known as Satusuma Kando “Stripes of the Satsuma Clan”; R an tea gathering, with experts present to exchange opinions. Of course, informal ceramic container is removed from a silk shifuku named the real ancient pieces are scarce and so most tea practitioners use Manyoo Kamon after the ancient Manyoo-shu Anthology of Poetry. authentic reproductions of the famed textiles today. These are created Both pieces in private collection by weaving companies such as Tatsumura and Kitamura Tokusai that are authorized by the hereditary heads of the main tea families in Kyoto.

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Gold brocade Suminokura Hana Usagi, flower and rabbit design on dark blue ground, material cut for sewing to shape as a shifuku, Ming dynasty, 16th – 17th century, Maeda Clan, TNM Gold brocade with phoenixes confronted in flight, roundel in gold The second group donsu is richly thick, lustrous satin damask with a thread on red-purple ground, titled Futari Shizuka Kinran, Ming quiet, somber beauty. Any motif woven into it does not stand above dynasty, 14th – 15th century, Maeda Clan, TNM the ground as with the other groups, but lies flat. Since it is woven of finely twisted threads, it is strong, yet soft to the touch. Many donsu There are about 400 fabrics in the world that are ranked as meibutsu- are woven so that one side is warp-faced and the other side gire special cloths, dating from the Chinese Song (960-1279), Yuan weft-faced, thus enhancing the interest of the design. One of the most (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. The important tea utensils is the ceramic that holds the thick powdered SEA and Indian ones date from the 16th to the 17th centuries. tea, and many tea practitioners favor the soft yet strong feel of donsu for sheathing their tea container.

Pale gold thread damask titled Araiso donsu, of carp fighting the waves, on dark blue ground, replica of Ming textile. Private collection Araiso donsu portrays vigorous carp along the shore valiantly battling the raging torrent along the swift upper Yellow River in Longmen, China. They are the only fish strong enough to swim upstream by Gold brocade titled Wakutade Kinran or Hasu-ike sui kin-mon, jumping the waves and thus achieve enlightenment and transform “Lotus Pond with Waterfowl and Fish in Gold”, on dark blue into a dragon, as foreshadowed by the carp’s beard. This motif thus ground, Ming dynasty, 16th – 17th century, Maeda Clan, TNM became an auspicious metaphor for success in human life and was The Chinese fabrics are organized into three categories according to beloved of tea-men since ancient times. their overall aesthetic characteristics. The first group kinran, meaning gold brocade, with the syllable ran referring to the hem of the priest’s ritual garment, is the most dazzling. Supplementary weft gold threads or gold paper strips are woven into the twill ground weave. Originating in Song China, it made its way to Japan in the kesa stoles of Zen monks returning to Japan from their studies in China. A popular motif on these textiles is of double phoenixes in gold, circling each other in roundels on a reddish-purple twill ground, named Futari-shizuka or “Two Quietly”, referring to the intimacy of the mating birds, a symbol of true and eternal love. The piece dates sometime between late Song and early Ming. It is believed that the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436-90) wore a costume of this fabric when he performed the Noh play Futari Shizuka. The other kinran sample is Hasu-ike sui kin-mon, “Lotus Pond with Waterfowl and Fish in Gold”. Hana Usagi Kinran is an especially popular motif, showing a rabbit seated among flowers looking back at the blooms. The motif shown here is larger than other Gold thread damask titled Sasazuru Donsu, with pine, pine- varieties and is named Suminokura Ryoi, after the merchant who cone, bamboo and plum flowers on yellow-green ground, Ming favored it. dynasty, 16th century, TNM

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Equally favored by the ancients is the sasazuru bamboo grass vine motif of “Three Stalwart Noble Gentlemen” in gold on a green ground. The three trees pine, bamboo and plum best symbolize a multitude of virtues, which are strength, courage, resilience, long-suffering, patience, stamina, grace under duress and longevity. These three so- called gentlemen and their virtues are represented here by a vine motif with pinecones, seven bamboo leaves, and six-petal plum blossoms. The pine is sturdy, immovable and reliable. The bamboo is L Hikone Sarasa, scattered fans on black strong, yet pliant enough to bend with the winds of change, so it will th not break with the vicissitudes of fickle Fortune. Plum blossoms are ground, India 18 century, TNM. R among the first of the year to brave the cold to bloom in winter and Hikone Sarasa, flower and vine design with cut gold on white ground, Japan, charm us with their grace and scent. The old poem says, “The th fragrance of one plum blossom fills 30,000 worlds.” All three flourish Edo period, 19 century. Formerly through long, prosperous lives. It is no wonder a textile with such a preserved by the Ii Clan, TNM motif was highly favored by the noble Maeda, the feudal daimyo, who Sarasa is a special category of Indian printed cotton chintz dyed with was a great connoisseur who had great effect on the tastes in tea indigo and red extracted from madder root that became very utensils during his times. popular, again because of its unusual fresh aesthetic appeal. Often it was imported via Ayutthaya in Siam and eventually the Japanese printed their own (see samples here). There is a further category called nishiki, Japanese weft-faced brocade based on T’ang dynasty techniques. The Okura-nishiki or “Great Treasury Brocade” shown here belongs to the collection of the Maeda clan. Both sarasa and nishiki are topics for separate articles in themselves that cannot detain us further here.

L Replica of Hana Usagi Iyosudare Donsu “Damask with Rabbit and Flowers Medallions Scattered over Stripes"; R plum blossoms in the style favored by Sen-no Rikyu, the founder of tea, are scattered over this replica of Satsuma Kando shifuku, named after the lords of Satsuma in Kyushu. Both pieces in private collection Striped donsu are known as iyosudare, referring to the way the gradations of sudare reed blinds look as they hang. Often symbolic motifs representing family crests, plum blossoms the eight Vajrayana Buddhist Treasures, like those in the sample from the Maeda clan’s Okura Nishiki, multi-colored diamond and Vajraya Treasures motif, collection below, are scattered over iyosudare. Ming dynasty, 16th-17th century. Maeda Clan, TNM

The iyosudare motif leads us to the third category that is stripes, All meibutsu-gire and other textiles mentioned here are an important known as kanto or kando, which also includes plaids and checks. part of the rich world of fabrics that until recently has been so little Theymay seem rather mundane to Westerners, but the Japanese had known. More “hidden knowledge” of this well preserved world of never seen them until they were introduced in the 16th century. They textiles that had been confined to inner circles of elite nobility and quickly became all the rage and have continued in fashion up to today. humble tea specialists is coming into the light and being published in They presented fresh and creative ways for tea-men to experiment recent decades in the East. Gradually this gap in the knowledge and and their strong vertical stripes emphasized the masculine lines of understanding of textiles is now narrowing as Chinese and Japanese thetraditional tall wa-mono katatsuki (high-shouldered) tea containers are read more and more in both the East and the West, as well as they might conceal. The plaids and checks kando suited the more being translated into English and other Western languages. It is hoped feminine lines of other utensils and all kando were highly prized as that with a little more time and effort the luster of these textiles will wiping cloths. Kando often were named after their owners, especially exude its warmth upon the world. daimyo clan names, and their designations were further elaborated with the descriptions of the motifs, such as the Vajrayana Treasures, plum blossoms, the Noble Gentlemen, or other designs scattered over them.

*TNM stands for Tokyo National Museum. Textiles listed as Maeda or Ii Clan were formerly treasured and preserved by the Maeda or Ii daimyo feudal lords but presently are in the collection of the TNM

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and a half hour guided tour helps the visitor distinguish between the World’s Greatest Cache of Batik of Solo (Surakarta) with their gold color background to those of Textiles Yogyakarta, where the color white is dominant in the design. Both these centers favor indigenous geometric designs and earth colors and by Ruth Gerson are known as Inland Batiks. The Coastal Batiks include northern Java and Madura with lively colors and designs that display influence absorbed from cultures with which the coastal people came in touch. These include floral designs from Europe, peacocks from Persia and the Chinese phoenix. The Sundanese Batiks come from western Java where many colors are used, but with a definite preference for the application of indigo. Banten Batik, also from western Java, demonstrates the revival of the old Sultanate of Banten, displaying bright pastel colors in their designs. Cirebon Batik, also from west Java, but on its northern coast, is famous for its gradation of colors and favors the wavy cloud design, most likely from Chinese influence.

Museum Gallery Indonesia and Central Java in particular, is known for its great batiks. The Danar Hadi Museum in Solo (Surakarta) confirms this assumption with its excellent display of 1,000 pieces, part of the annual rotation of the total of 10,000 batiks that make up the collection, most of it in storage. These artistic textiles, both cottons and silks, are of the highest quality and range from antique to those with contemporary designs, many created before the Dutch rule of the islands (1830- 1942) through wartime Japanese occupation to present day. As many Military processions of the institutes in Central Java have been royally sponsored, the batik The museum is packed with batiks, some from foreign countries, some museum likewise, owns numerous royal batiks known as Batik Kraton display scenery while others show animal life and military processions. (Palace Batiks). It is fortunate that the owners of the Danar Hadi Museum have taken great care to establish and maintain this facility, a true treasure for textile lovers, and ensuring the continuity of the Javanese culture.

Typical Javanese batik designs Batik making has been part of the Javanese culture for centuries, with small workshop and many individual household that attend to this craft. In fact, there is still a section in Solo where women create these textiles in their small homes that line the narrow old streets. In 1967 Santosha Doellah and his wife Danarsih Santosa began their own batik making business. As their enterprise began to flourish, the couple decided to open a batik museum in their city as a sign of its cultural identity. They named it after the wife Danarsih and her father Hadipriyono, hence the title Danar Hadi. This wonderful assemblage is Museum gallery displayed in an elegant climate controlled colonial building that helps to preserve these batiks, while providing information to the public and *Photos courtesy of the Danar Hadi Museum* serving as an educational facility. There is an exclusive shop attached to the show rooms, where quality items are for sale. This very large building comprises eight halls three of which serve as galleries, two showrooms, and the rest for demonstration of hand drawn wax designs, wax stamping and dyeing of the textiles. A one

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Vol. III, Issue No. 1 Spring, 2015

when folded, the kasuri (double ikat) pattern could be seen two layers “DREAM” FABRIC OF THE RYUKYUS: below the surface. Mrs. Yohenna told me that such kimonos were A REPRISE more effective in keeping the wearer cool and far stronger and longerlasting than even those made of bashofu. They were extremely Story and photos by John J. Toomey rare and are no longer produced.

She then took out photos of Grandma wearing this kimono and Japanese news articles about the kimono’s history, in which her name was given as Yohenna Kame-san. One of the articles gave an account written by a university professor of his examination and research work in which he found out that Grandma’s kimono was not bashofu but donbyan cloth, which people had named the “dream” fiber. Donbyan was woven, not from banana tree fiber, but from the native Ryukyuan cactus called ryuzetsu ran (lit. “dragon’s tongue orchid”), similar to the agave plant, but producing thinner . He further determined that the technique had come from China, and that before World War II the people of the Ryukyus “dreamed” of owning one of these special kimonos. This “dream” however was out of most people’s reach as this plant grew in small numbers and only in the environs of the Shuri Castle on Okinawa and on Kumejima island.

He explained that the reason people “dreamed” to own it was due, not only to its comfort when worn, but also to the way the dyed patterns of the kasuri hatch motif seemed to float on the threads of the white background. In addition, the more one washed the cloth the more the sheen of the color stood out and the stronger it seemed to get. The strength of the threads was reinforced when they were spun with an application of egg-white on the spinner’s thumb, in the same way that spittle is used in making silk.

This kimono is over one hundred years old, yet is as fresh-looking as the day it was made - even fresher, the professor would claim. Though textiles are made from agave and aloe vera cactus in Morocco and from cactus in various countries, this is the first time I became aware of such a “dream” fiber in the Far East.

Grandma Kame-san Wearing the “Dream-Fabric” kimono. From old Japanese Newspaper In the autumn of 2014, on a research trip to Okinawa, I dropped into Mr. Yohenna’s textile shop to deliver the Thai Textiles Society’s Newsletter, Vol. II, No.1, as like many people who are involved in the traditional arts, he has no email. Mr. Yohenna’s had previously provided me with information on Ryukyu textiles that was very helpful to my article on that topic in the same issue, including access to samples and old family photos. At this second visit, he was not in, but his wife graciously thanked the TTS for the copy and sat me down to tea and chat about a special so-called “dream” fabric of the past.

As I sipped tea, she withdrew for a moment to an inner room to return with a kimono folded in its protective paper, an album of news articles and photos in plastic sleeves. She then unfolded a very delicate and sheer kimono before me. At first I presumed that it was a kimono Donbyan, so sheer that one can see two layers below made of bashofu (a kind of banana fiber) like the one worn by her husband’s grandmother in a picture displayed in the TTS’s last issue.

Bashofu kimonos were highly valued by members of the court and commoners for both everyday and formal wear due to their coolness The Thai Textile Society welcomes articles in the hot, humid sub-tropical climate of the Ryukyu Islands. People of from you, our members and readership. You the main island of Okinawa consider bashofu as an idyllic fabric, can request Guidelines for Submission of emblematic of their racial identity. This kimono had also belonged to articles at: [email protected] Oba-chan (“Grandma”) and was exceptionally sheer, woven of incredibly thin, yet strong fibers, stiff like hemp. So sheer was it that,

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