Collected Illustrations of the Three Powers

Original: Sancai Tuhui (三才圖會).

Implements, Volume Nine

This volume provides an encyclopedic visual guide to the tools used in Ming Dynasty industry and daily life.

Page Two


Mulberry basket	Cleaving axe	Mulberry bench	Northern reeling machine	Cocoon basket	Ripening frame also	Silkworm net	Silkworm ladle	Silkworm mat
Cutting knife	Mulberry hook	Mulberry ladder	Silkworm egg sheet Egg sheet	Southern reeling machine	Cocoon jar	Boiling cauldron	Silkworm frame	Silkworm tray

This table lists the essential hardware for the "silk cycle." Tools like the Mulberry ladder and hook were for harvesting leaves, while the Boiling cauldron was used to loosen the silk gum from the cocoons. The distinction between Northern and Southern reeling machines reflects the regional technological differences in Ming Dynasty China; Northern machines were often larger and powered by foot pedals, while Southern designs were optimized for the finer silk produced in the Yangtze Delta.

The Ripening frame (熟簇) is the structure where silkworms are placed once they are ready to spin their cocoons. The Silkworm net (蠶網) was a labor-saving device used to lift the worms off their old leaves and waste so they could be moved to fresh trays.