Through China with a camera

1899

Special Collections DS709 TF75

London: Harper & Brothers

Legend gives credit for the discovery of silk to a Chinese empress, Leizu (Hsi-Ling-Shih, Lei-Tzu). While at first reserved for the Emperors of China, the use of silk spread to other levels of society. Because of its soft texture and lustre, it became a popular luxury fabric for clothing. One iconic item, often made of silk, is the stylish cheongsam, a body-hugging one-piece Chinese dress for women. It was created in Shanghai in the 1920s, and eventually became fashionable world-wide. It is a safe bet that the Chinese seamstress photographed by John Thomson in his classic Through China with a camera (1899) is not mending a silk item; more a functional work-a-day cotton garment.