Silk has a long history of being prized, from the emperors of the Roman Empire to the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. Learn about the discovery of silk, how it contributed to the establishment of the fabled Silk Road, and how the skill of creating silk expanded around the world.

Where was silk invented?

According to a legend known as The Chinese Empress Who Accidentally Discovered Silk, silk was first discovered in ancient China around 2700 BC. One of China’s most well-known philosophers and politicians, Confucius, chronicled the history of the discovery of silk in writing. He claimed that a silkworm cocoon accidentally fell into the cup of tea of the Chinese Empress Leizu, also known as Xi Ling Shi, and that this led her to discover silk. The silkworm cocoon started to lose its cohesion because hot water weakens the silk fiber that it is formed of. The silk thread’s end came undone as Leizu removed the cocoon from her teacup, and the cocoon started to come apart. Leizu had the brilliant idea to weave this fine thread into a piece of fabric after observing that the cocoon was formed of a single lengthy strand of silk.

When Liang Shaoji placed the dried cocoon on the delicate silk, the mottled glimmer reflected through it, creating a subtle shadow of silk and the dry cocoons that entangled and intertwined with each other like a virtual shadow floating. This was the first time that Liang Shaoji had used silkworms as his medium for creation.

 Liang Shaoji

The First Uses of Silk

Silk didn’t take long to become a status symbol after it was discovered. Silk was rare and valuable since it takes a lot of work and resources to make silk cloths. At initially, silk clothing could only be worn by the Emperor, members of his immediate family, and senior military officers. Nevertheless, during the Qing Dynasty, these restrictions were later removed. Everyone, from king to peasants, was permitted to wear silk garments after the Qing Dynasty. However, as silk remained an expensive cloth, it was uncommon to see most members of society’s lower classes wearing it.

• Silk helps fight the effects of aging.
• Silk is better for your skin.
• Silk is good for your hair. 
• Silk can help fight infection.
•  Silk keeps you cool.

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