rom Home Weaving to the World’s Wardrobes: The Journey of Songjiang’s Cotton Textiles

Never before seen outside of Asia, a highly acclaimed textile exhibit celebrating part of China’s intangible cultural heritage will make its UK debut when it goes on display at this leading Scottish visitor attraction. Its opening at the award-winning centre in one of Scotland’s historic textile heartlands, will be marked with a vibrant programme of events and workshops celebrating the cultural ties between Scotland and China in the lead up to Chinese New Year 2025.

Reflecting the countries’ shared interest in textiles, From Home Weaving to the World’s Wardrobes: The Journey of Songjiang’s Cotton Textiles has been brought to Scotland in partnership with the University of Edinburgh, the Confucius Institute for Scotland and the Edinburgh College of Art.

Opening weekend events on 18 January include a Chinese Tea Ceremony, Lion Dance and craft workshops.

Through a collection of textiles and garments chosen by artist Dong Ye, The Journey of Songjiang’s Cotton Textiles tells the story of an ancient cloth weaving technique which has been preserved for over 700 years in the millennium-old Songjiang district of Shanghai, often referred to as the ‘Root of Shanghai’. Much like Scotland’s iconic fabrics, the Songjiang textiles are widely recognised for their cultural importance to China, with its intricate weaving techniques, beautiful patterns, and ancient historical relevance to the Ming and Yuan Dynasties.