The Warping Wheel

Page 11

Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms — Utensils, Volume 9

Warping Wheeloriginal: 經車 (jīngchē). A device used in traditional textile production to organize individual silk threads into a "warp"—the set of parallel, longitudinal threads that are held in tension on a loom during weaving.

[Illustration: A craftsman is shown kneeling before a sturdy wooden frame, operating a large horizontal reel to wind and organize silk threads.]

The warping wheel was a vital advancement in textile technology, allowing weavers to prepare long, continuous threads of uniform tension. According to historical descriptions in this volume, the device consists of a wooden frame supporting a rotating drum; as the drum is turned, silk is drawn from bobbins and wound onto the reel, creating the foundation for the finished fabric.