In 10 volumes, 5,000 years of pure silk

A four-year-long national project has produced a magisterial work that celebrates a great heritage, Mei Jia reports.

Silk is the most important creation from ancient China, one that has been passed down over 5,000 years, says Zhao Feng, a silk expert and director of the National Silk Museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

"To protect and preserve the relics we can try to be comprehensive with new ways of sourcing and reutilizing for modern-day use."