The First Academic Forum on Chinese Lu Silk Culture
The first forum was held in Jincheng, Shanxi Province on November 16, 2011. It was jointly organized by the Publicity Department of the Shanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Publicity Department of the Jincheng Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, and was hosted by the Gaoping Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Gaoping Municipal Government and the Jili 'er Lu Silk Group. Qian Youqing, vice president of the China National Silk Association, Zhang Zhengming, former vice chairman of the Shanxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and others jointly launched the forum. The participants visited the creative and experience halls of Jilier Lu Silk Group, gaining a deep understanding of the model of integrating traditional Lu silk craftsmanship with modern industries. More than 20 experts and scholars from universities such as Tsinghua University, Peking University and Donghua University held a discussion on the historical status, cultural value and industrial development of Lu silk. The academic circle has put forward the historical positioning of Lu silk as the "root of silk", emphasizing its glorious achievements of "accounting for one-third of the country" during the peak period of the Ming Dynasty.
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The forum aims to promote the revival of Lu Silk culture, facilitate the upgrading of Shanxi's cultural industry, and explore the integration path of traditional craftsmanship and modern economy. In 2024, Lu Silk signed a title sponsorship agreement for the "Paris Socialite Ball", showcasing its intangible cultural heritage skills and Fahua craftsmanship on the international stage and becoming an important platform for cultural exchanges between China and France. The design of Lu silk products incorporates traditional elements such as dragon, phoenix and cloud patterns, and participates in international fashion events to convey Eastern aesthetics.
The weaving technique of Lu silk was included in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014. In 2024, Fudan University used Lu silk fabric to make the covers of its admission notices, promoting the integration of traditional culture and higher education.
Lu silk not only represents the peak of ancient northern weaving techniques, but its development history is also a microcosm of the integration of economy and culture. Although Lu silk was once as famous as Hangzhou brocade and Shu brocade, its modern popularity is relatively low. It needs to restore its status through academic research, industrial innovation and international communication.
