Exhibition place：Textile Conservation Gallery, CNSM

Exhibition time：2014.4 - 2014.6

    The Qing dynasty (1644CE — 1911CE) is the last feudal dynasty in China. During the end of this dynasty, natural dyes usages fell dramatically. That age also witnessed natural dyeing techniques' greatest success. In the early 17th century, Nurhaci, Qing Taizu (a temple name reserved for dynastic founders) established the Qing dynasty. He demanded court dresses should be dyed with the Han ethnic people's techniques and issued a decree of dress etiquette that is very similar to that of the previous dynasty. During Qianlong's reign (1711CE —1799CE, Qianlong is the sixth emperor in Qing dynasty), two books came out – DaQing HuiDian (Great Qing empire statutes collection) and Huang Chao LiQi TuShi(Illustrated Precedents of the Ritual Paraphernalia of the Imperial Court). Both of them governdress codes strictly (for example, some colours can only be worn by people of certain social status). From those colours one can imagine the history and past cultures. The exhibition is about dyeing fabrics in colours and with dyestuffs recorded in the archive document (of dyestuffs consumed for dyeing certain fabrics in certain colour) from Weaving and Dyeing Service (a professional craft shop operated by the state to supply the palace with silks) during Qianlong's reign. In the exhibition, analytical techniques has proved that the dyestuffs recorded in archives do work. Visitors can see Qing dynasty clothes in shades from the achieve. The exhibition also explains the culture behind each colour.

    In 1950s, natural dyes gradually declined in China.Du Yansun, in the preface of his book Dyeing Methods with Chinese Plant Dyestuffs, the second edition, writes: "Ever since synthetic dyestuffs are imported to China, synthetic dyestuffs consumption increases rapidly. The Chinese did not think of improving traditional dyeing methods. Instead, they preferred synthetic dyestuffs. Plant dyestuffs were abandoned. Decades later, almost no one used plant dyestuffs and few people grew plant dyestuffs. Clothes and fabrics were all dyed with imported dyestuffs." The exhibition "Qianlong Palette –Colours from Qing Dynasty Archives Brought to Life" aims not at promoting natural dyes sales but at telling people about the Chinese nation's creativity in dyeing techniques and at inspiring those who are in cultural industry or museums and those who love traditional cultures to inherit and innovate dyeing techniques with natural dyestuffs and to apply natural dyestuffs to ECO-friendly industry. The exhibition also associates archaeological documents with historic objects by using analytical techniques. As the Key Scientific Research Base of Textile Conservation, State Administration of Cultural Heritage, China National Silk Museum (CNSM) has been devoted to researches in traditional dyeing techniques and ancient dyestuff for over a decade. CNSM needs support from the society to make new breakthroughs.