中国秦・漢の時代から、500年来にわたり揚子江下流地域で織られてきた

伝統的な藍染めの綿織物です。衣類や布団の面布、装飾品などとして

庶民の間で愛用され受け継がれてきました。

濃い藍と白で描かれるデザインのモチーフは花や鳥、蝶などの自然物から、

渦巻き水玉などの幾何学模様、また獅子、鳳、松、竹、梅などの

おめでたい婚姻や正月どの祝い事に由来するモチーフが多く、

中国の庶民の思いや夢などを彷佛とさせる華やかな味わいがあります。

洗う程に風合いが増し長く長く使い込んで次の代へと受け継ぎ、愛用される織物です。

Chinese indigo calico is a traditional  cotton cloth

that was developed along the downstream basins of the

Yangzi River over the 500 years.

The distinctive indigo blue cotton cloth,

used for clothing,bedclothes and ornamentation,

has been cherished for centuries.Many of the motifs,

drawn in blue-black and white colors, feature flowers, birds, butterflies,

and other natural creatures as well as geometrical figures such as

spiral polka dots and figures such as lions,Chinese phoenixes,

and the traditional designs of pine,bamboo,and plum trees which are used on

auspicious occasions such as marriages and at the New Year.

These flowery and  impressive motifs reflect the wishes and

dreams of the Chinese people.

The aesthetic beauty of this cloth increases the longer you use it

and the more you wash it. That is the secret of its fine texture

that you will come to cherish.