Silks of Life

This travelling exhibition looks at life viewed through the exceptional collections of Chinese and Chinese-influenced costume and design at Saffron Walden Museum and the Warner Textile Archive.

This exhibition toured throughout Essex as part of the Essex- Jiangsu Festival, celebrating 20 years of friendship between the people of Essex and the Jiangsu Province of China.

“Chinese calligraphy is one of the oldest forms of writing that is still in use today.”

Culture & Learning

Chinese people place a great emphasis on culture and learning. For centuries they have established communities all over the world, including Essex, especially in Colchester and Harlow.

The exhibition brought to life the stories using personal memorabilia, graphic interpretation and audio-visual displays. The centre piece of the exhibition was the stylised representation of an Olympic Stadium in the Great Hall.This exhibition explores the everyday life, traditions and culture of the Chinese middleclass, from the late 19th century (Qing dynasty 1644-1911) to the beginning of the People’s Republic of China in 1948, through clothes and designs.