Vase Mat (S) (Tempyo Kamhata-mon Nishiki)

Shosoin-sAKI is an enormous collection of textile dyeing and weaving techniques of the 7th and 8th centuries not only in Japan but also in East Asia, and is known as an extremely valuable source of information on all kinds of dyeing and weaving techniques of this period. This poem is one of them. Although small in size, it is a gorgeous tsuzunishiki brocade with iriko water chestnuts and floral motifs in a dizukin tone color scheme. The ancient Japanese word "Ki" refers to the traditional spelling weaving machine, and in China, this spelling weaving was used as a strong belt, hence the name "Kanhata," which refers to the narrow Sanada-himo style weaving. This piece is woven using the sutra brocade weaving method with a graceful and elegant floral and geometric design on a dizukin ground so as not to detract from the Ki style, and is a reminder of the beauty of the Tenpyo period.