Patterns on the Embroidered Textiles Unearthed from the Silk Road I: Animal Pattern

Based on the archaeological evidences from the Silk Road, this paper reviews animal pattern on the embroidered textiles of the Han and Tang dynasties (2ndC BC9thC AD). The evidences show that animal pattern is widely found on the embroidered textiles unearthed from the graveyards or ancient sites along the Silk Road and particularly rich in variety. Generally, animals on the embroideries from the Silk Road can be categorized into animals of the real world and animals of the imaginary world. The first group consists of a range of real animals, including birds and butterflies which are usually flying in the sky or among the flowers, herbivorous animals like horses, antelopes, deer (especially reindeers) and yaks and carnivorous animals like tigers which are regular seen on the grasslands and aquatic animals like fish and turtles. The second group includes imaginary animals which play an important role in Chinese mythology like phoenixes, dragons and suanni etc. and significant legendary creature in Central Asian mythology like griffins. Besides, historical documents provide more information about animal pattern adopted by embroidered textiles than we have seen on archaeological evidences.


Animals of the Real World
(1) Birds Most of the embroidered birds can't be identified.However, they are nearly always closely connected to flowers.From the embroidered textiles of the late Western Han dynasty (late 1stC BC-early 1stC AD) found in Noin-Ula to the embroidered textiles of the Han and Jin dynasties (2ndC BC-early 4thC AD) found at Niya and Astana, then to the embroidered textiles of the Tang dynasty (early 7thC-9thC) unearthed from the Famen Temple and the Mogao Grottoes, it is obvious that in most cases, birds appear together with flowers.In the Tang dynasty, birds and flowers became a stylized pattern -sometimes birds are enclosed in flowers, sometimes birds are flying in between sprays and sometimes they are holding sprays.Birds on the embroidered textiles from Noin-Ula are executed in satin stitch with wool threads.They are in a naturalistic style, for example, the birds in Figure 1 are large in size, with hooked claws, long tails and outspread wings.Birds on the embroidered textiles from Xinjiang and Gansu are mostly executed in chain stitch with silk threads.Differ from those on textiles found in Noin-Ula, they are usually simple in style.The embroidered borders on a piece of underwear found at Niya show a cute bird: bearing three feathers on head, with sharp beaks, big eyes, outspread claws, curly bodies and wings and long tails (Figure 2a).An embroidered vest unearthed from Astana bears another cute bird: small in size, with round heads, sharp beaks and crescent-shaped bodies (Figure 2b,2c,2d and 2e).Some birds are even simpler, for example, the birds on an embroidered border from Wuwei (Figure 2d) and the bird enclosed in flowers on an embroidered piece from Qinghai now in the China National Silk Museum collection (Figure 2g).Birds on the embroidered textiles found at the Mogao Grottoes are mainly executed in satin stitch with silk threads in different colors, sometimes they are even embroidered with gold threads (Zhao, 2007, p. 229), which matches     (Liu, 1975(Liu, , p. 1866) and peacocks executed with gold threads in couching stitch on a belt and a gauze shirt are described in a poem written by Huangpu Song (Peng, 1986, vol. 369, p. 920) and a poem written by Du Fu (Peng, 1986, vol. 25, p. 93).
(4) Orioles There are few examples of embroidered oriole, only in a poem written by Sun Guangxian, it is mentioned that a shirt was embroidered with an oriole (Peng, 1986(Peng, , vol. 897, p. 2184).
(5) Xichi Xichi is a purple bird similar to but larger than mandarin duck.In a poem written by Liu Jian it is described that on a ground of gauze there is a pair of newly finished embroidered xichi (Peng, 1986(Peng, , vol. 766, p. 1900)), and in a poem written by Bai Juyi mentions a shirt embroidered with xichi (Peng, 1986(Peng, , vol. 438, p. 1086)).
(6) Partridges Partridge is similar to but smaller than chicken.In a poem written by Wen Tingjun it is described that on a jacket made of gauze several pairs of partridges were embroidered with gold threads in couching stitch (Peng, 1986(Peng, , vol. 891, p. 2167).
(7) Luan birds In China, luan is a mythical bird like the phoenix.Luan bird as a pattern for embroidery appears in a poem written by Lu Zhaolin and a poem written by Wei Chengban, in which it is mentioned a bed-curtain embroidered with luan bird (Peng, 1986, vol. 41, p. 133) and a gauze shirt decorated with luan bird embroidered with gold threads (Peng, 1986(Peng, , vol. 895, p. 2167)).
(8) Di birds Di is a long-tailed pheasant and usually used as a pattern on the formal dress for the empress, imperial concubines or women given title or rank by the emperor.In Tang liu dian [Six Administrative Regulations and Rules of the Tang Government] it is specified that women in the palace should wear long dark blue-colored gauze dress embroidered with di bird (Li, 1992, p. 341); besides dress in Jiu Tang shu [Old Book of Tang History.] also specified bixi (a cloth used to cover knees hanging from the waist) should be embroidered with di bird (Liu, 1975(Liu, , p. 1956).
(9) Kirin Kirin is an auspicious animal in Chinese mythology and also often used as a pattern for embroidery.According to the poems of Tang, kirin is usually executed in gold or silver threads in couching stitch, for example, in a poem written by Du Fu it is described that beauties dressed in gauze dresses embroidered with gold peacock and silver kirin are enjoying the beauty of spring near Qu River in suburban Chang'an (Peng, 1986, vol. 25, p. 93), and a poem written by Rong Yu mentions an attendant is carrying a bolt of silk embroidered with gold kirin (Peng, 1986, vol. 270, p. 673).
(10) Pixie Pixie is also an auspicious animal in Chinese mythology.It is similar to deer but with long tail and two horns.A poem written by Lin Kuan mentions pixie probably embroidered with gold threads in couching stitch (Peng, 1986(Peng, , vol. 606, p. 1536)), and in Xin Tang shu it is recorded that pixie executed in embroidery is used as a pattern on an official robe (Song & Ouyang, 1975, p. 530).Pixie used on the robe of a military officer is a symbol of officer's rank and also valor.

Conclusion
The archaeological evidences from the Silk Road show that animal pattern widely appears on the embroidered textiles unearthed from Shanpula, Niya, Zhaguluke, Astana in Xinjiang province, the Mogao Grottoes in Gansu province, Dulan or neighboring areas in Qinghai province, Famen Temple in Shaanxi province and Noin-Ula in Mongolia.As a common motif it is particularly rich in variety.Generally, animals on the embroideries from the Silk Road can be categorized into animals of the real world and animals of the imaginary world.Animals of the real world consists of a range of animals, including birds, butterflies, horses, antelopes, deer, yaks, tigers, fish and turtles.Some animals match the records in historical documents and show their popularity during this period.Among them, most of the birds are hard to be identified but they are nearly always closely connected to flowers.As a pattern, butterfly appears as late as the Tang dynasty, especially during the period of the late Tang to Five Dynasties.It also usually combines with flowers and flying birds to create the scene of a spring day.Herbivorous animals like horses, antelopes, deer (especial reindeers) and yaks and carnivorous animals like tigers which are regular seen on the grasslands are mostly found on the wool textiles from Noin-Ula and Shanpula; so are aquatic animals like fish and turtles.Imaginary animals also appear on the embroideries dating to the Han and Tang dynasties unearthed from the Silk Road, including phoenixes, wuseniao, double-headed birds, dragons and suanni which play an important role in Chinese mythology or appear in historical documents and significant legendary creature griffin in Central Asian mythology.Mostly, the imaginary animal patterns are related to special cultures.In addition, animal pattern adopted by embroidered textiles in historical records is more than we have seen on archaeological evidences.About birds, except for phoenixes and five-colored birds there are mandarin ducks, peacocks, geese, orioles, xichi, partridges, luan birds, di birds and etc.; about beast, besides dragons, tigers and horses there are kirin and pixie.
Figure 2 Figur Peacock should have been a common pattern for embroidery in the Tang dynasty.It is recorded that fans embroidered with peacocks were used in formal occasions at imperial court during Kaiyuan period