Table of Contents
The Chinese managed to keep silk a secret for over 1000 years. However, in 550 AD the secret of silk became known to other countries when two monks from the Byzantine Empire managed to smuggle some silkworm eggs out of the country. They hid the eggs inside of their bamboo walking sticks.
Did the Chinese guarded their secret of the making of silk?
The term sericulture is used to describe the process of creating silk garments and fabric from the raw fibres created by silk worms. For thousands of years, the Chinese had a monopoly on the production of silk and guarded their secrets of sericulture very closely.
Why did China keep the process of silk making secret and for what purposes did they use silk?
Silk became a prized export for the Chinese. Nobles and kings of foreign lands desired silk and would pay high prices for the cloth. The emperors of China wanted to keep the process for making silk a secret. Anyone caught telling the secret or taking silkworms out of China was put to death.
Why did the Chinese guard the secret of silk production so carefully the process was not perfected and not ready to share with others the knowledge would create too much bickering between silk manufacturers the Silk Road would most likely collapse without silk?
Why did the Chinese guard the secret of silk production so carefully? The knowledge would create too much bickering between silk manufacturers. The Silk Road would most likely collapse without silk production. The production generated great wealth for China as long as it was not shared.
Why did the Chinese keep paper a secret?
Paper and the Silk Road One of the many things that spread along the Silk Road was the custom of making paper from natural fibers. China tried to keep the art of paper making a secret to prevent other countries from setting up their own paper production, but it was only partly effective.
How was silk stolen from China?
Legend has it that two monks hid silkworm eggs inside a bamboo pole to smuggle them out of China, where they were guarded as closely as state secrets. The monks then presented the eggs to Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in Constantinople, where he created a thriving silk industry.
Why did silk only come from China?
Silk is a fabric first produced in Neolithic China from the filaments of the cocoon of the silk worm. It became a staple source of income for small farmers and, as weaving techniques improved, the reputation of Chinese silk spread so that it became highly desired across the empires of the ancient world.
What was the greatest impact of the Silk Road?
The greatest impact of the Silk Road was that while it allowed luxury goods like silk, porcelain, and silver to travel from one end of the Silk Road.
Who invented silk?
Origins in China. The origin of silk production and weaving is ancient and clouded in legend. The industry undoubtedly began in China, where, according to native record, it existed from sometime before the middle of the 3rd millennium bce.
Who benefited the most by the Silk Road?
Everyone (East and West) benefited from the Silk Road. It opened up trade, communication, different ideas, culture, and religion to the entire world.
Why did the Chinese guard the secret of silk so carefully?
The Chinese guarded the secret of silk production so carefully because: They wanted to be the only people who knew how to make the valuable fabric. This answer has been confirmed as correct and helpful.
Why did the Chinese guard the secret of silk production so carefully quizlet?
1c Why did Chinese keep making Silk a secret? They didn’t want other people to know about it because it was a valuable trade good in distant lands. If other people know about it, then it wouldn’t be so valuable.
Did China or Egypt invent paper?
The first papermaking process was documented in China during the Eastern Han period (25–220 CE) traditionally attributed to the court official Cai Lun. During the 8th century, Chinese papermaking spread to the Islamic world, where pulp mills and paper mills were used for papermaking and money making.
Why do Chinese Buddhist hang decorative paper cuttings?
Paper cut-outs pasted on or near entrances are supposed to bring good luck. Even to this day, Chinese people love to hang paper-cutting of these two characters at their doors. “福” is usually used during the Chinese New Year’s Festival, indicating people’s wishes for a lucky year.
How did paper impact China?
The invention of paper greatly helped the spread of literature and literacy, making books more convenient to use and cheaper. Paper was so highly valued in ancient China that it was used to pay tribute and taxes to the state during the Tang dynasty (618-907 CE).
Who stole the secret of silk from China?
In 552 AD, the two monks sought out Justinian I. In return for his generous but unknown promises, the monks agreed to acquire silk worms from China. They most likely traveled a northern route along the Black Sea, taking them through the Transcaucasus and the Caspian Sea.
Which country first made silk?
The production of silk originates in China in the Neolithic (Yangshao culture, 4th millennium BC).
What was the penalty for telling the secret of silk making?
Death was the penalty for telling the secret. Long before the rest of the world learned how silk was made, the Chinese were trading this treasured fabric with people west of China.
What are the 3 properties of silk?
Characteristics of silk Breathability. Silk is a lightweight, breathable fabric, which means it reduces the risk of overheating when you’re going about your day. Elasticity. If they’re treated well, silk clothes are good at keeping their shape. Absorbency. Thermal regulation. Drying speed. Shine.
How many years did China maintain a monopoly of silk?
The Chinese were so grateful for her discovery that they named the princess a goddess and patron deity of weaving. From that historic moment, the Chinese discovered the life cycle of the silkworm and for the next 3000 years were to keep their monopoly of silk.
How was silk created?
Silk fibres are produced by silkworms when they spin themselves into a cocoon on their journey to becoming a silkmoth. These ultra-soft fibres are harvested from the cocoon in their raw state by being boiled in hot water (still containing the silkworms) and stirred until the cocoons unravel.
Why is the Silk Road so important?
The Silk Road was an ancient trade route that linked the Western world with the Middle East and Asia. It was a major conduit for trade between the Roman Empire and China and later between medieval European kingdoms and China.
Why did the Ottomans close the Silk Road?
As the Ottoman Empire expanded, it started gaining control of important trade routes. Many sources state that the Ottoman Empire “blocked” the Silk Road. This meant that while Europeans could trade through Constantinople and other Muslim countries, they had to pay high taxes.
