Title
Feather Satins and Orangutan Felts: A Material History of English Woolens in Qing China
Abstract
Through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, merchants from Europe, Russia, and America imported hundreds and thousands of lengths of European woolens to China. These fabrics were bought in through Canton and Kiakhta, and from there transported to textile markets in cities like Suzhou, Hankou, and Beijing. They also reached court and elite consumers through acts of diplomatic gifting, official presentations, and imperial procurement.
In this talk, Rachel Silberstein explored the dynamics of reception through the Chinese names given to imported woolen fabrics and what they tell us about shifting understandings and valuations of this fibre in Chinese textile history.
Biography
Dr. Silberstein is an independent scholar specializing in the history of Chinese textiles and dress, affiliated with the China Studies program of the University of Washington, and currently a fellow in the School of Historical Studies at the Institute of Advanced Studies, Princeton.