Essentials of Sericulture

Preface to the Compendium of Sericulture Essentials

The philosopher Guanzi original: "Guanzi" (管子); a 7th-century BCE statesman and philosopher whose writings emphasize that the stability of a state depends on the basic economic welfare of its people. once said: "If even one man does not plow, someone may suffer from hunger; if even one woman does not weave, someone may suffer from cold."

Under the governance of the Sage Kings, a hundred mu original: "mu" (畝); a traditional Chinese unit of land area. One hundred mu was the standard allocation for a household in ancient agricultural ideals. of land were granted to each family, and five mu were set aside specifically for the homestead. From this, we know that among the people of ancient times, there were none who did not cultivate mulberry trees. Can it be that the natural advantages of the land today are somehow different from the past? It is merely that human effort and the study of these matters have not been fully exhausted.

Qinglian The style name of the author or editor of this compendium. from my youth followed my father to his official posts in Western Zhejiang original: "Zhexi" (浙西); a region famous for centuries as the heart of China's silk industry.. There, I became accustomed to seeing the people, household by household, busy with their silkworms. They would trade their silk to obtain the value needed to provide for the daily sustenance original: "zhanzhou" (饘粥); literally thick and thin rice congee, symbolizing the basic food requirements of the common people. of the masters and the laborers in the fields. Thus, the auxiliary benefits provided by silkworms are truly profound.

Within the Wu region, districts such as Jiangning, Zhenze, Yixing, and Jingxi are all adjacent to the border of Zhejiang. Being well-versed original: "shuan" (熟諳); meaning to have deep, practical experience and knowledge. in sericulture original: "cansang" (蠶桑); the combined practice of raising silkworms and cultivating mulberry trees., they reap great profits. However, in the prefecture of Runzhou The historical name for modern-day Zhenjiang in Jiangsu province., only the single county of Liyang is known to practice the silk arts, while in the other districts, one hears nothing of it. Now, given that these places are all within the same prefecture, the climate and local customs are essentially the same...