Essentials of Sericulture

Silkworm Stands

The Book of Rites an ancient collection of texts describing social forms, administration, and ceremonial rites states that in the final month of spring, one should prepare the "baskets and stands." The zhi 植; stand is the frame used to support the silkworm baskets. While the ancient designs can no longer be verified, modern stands utilize a triangular style. They are constructed using three wooden beams as pillars, each standing eight feet high. Within this frame, nine tiers of cross-bars 檔; dang are set, spaced eight inches apart—a distance chosen to allow easy insertion and removal of the baskets.

The front cross-bars are six feet long, while the rear bars are three feet long. In the middle of the front bars, a short tenon 準; zhun, a projecting piece of wood four inches long is inlaid. The ends of the rear bars are carved into matching slots 準口; zhun kou, a mortise or joint opening to fit onto these tenons. A hole is drilled through the center and secured with a bamboo peg, which allows the entire structure to be rotated and folded for storage. For young silkworms, "small stands" are used; these are approximately four feet high and four feet wide, with five or six tiers. These smaller frames are designed to be placed inside bed curtains silkworm rearers often kept young larvae within their own bed canopies to maintain a stable, warm temperature and protect them from drafts.

Brushing the Silkworm "Hairs"

The tool for "carrying the silkworm hairs" is made from goose feathers. They are chosen for their lightness and softness, which prevents any injury to the silkworms. When the "new blacks" original: xin wu; refers to newly hatched silkworm larvae, which are dark and covered in tiny hairs first emerge, they are as delicate as a single hair. Since it is impossible to handle them by hand without causing harm, one must use these feathers to gently collect and move them.