So-called „black lacquered gauze“, or “tea silk” “xiangyun sha” in Chinese (literally: fragrant silk organdy) is all but forgotten in present-day China. But it has been produced here since the Ming dynasty (14th to 17th century A.D.). 30 laborious steps make up its manual production process before it achieves its characteristic marbled gloss, which is reminiscient of Chinese tea eggs.
First, the material is dyed with vegetable juices, then covered with river sand and laid out to dry in the open air. Just before finishing it is washed in tea. The individual coloring of the final product reflects the influences of all of Nature´s elements: plants, water, sun, earth and the changes of temperature in rhythm with the seasons. “black lacquered gauze” is a living, breathing meterial. It gains in gloss and quality if it is stored for several years before use. For this reason, “vintage” tea silk is traded in Japan just as a special wine vintage would be in the West. In China there are only two producers left, both in Guangdong province, who know all the secrets to making this precious silk.
