Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c4.s2.116

v1.c4.s2.116

A little appreciated by-product of the 19^th century CE trade between India and China was the transmission of some artistic and cultural influences, although compared to the pre-modern period, this was on a small scale. Traders from Bombay imported from China silk cloth with the fine silk embroidery which was a specialty of the Guangzhou region. This greatly influenced the style of particularly women’s and children’s clothing among the Parsis. The characteristic *gara* sarees worn by Parsi women, with their distinctly Chinese style embroidery, were a product of this fusion of Chinese and Indian styles. The *tanchoi* type of silk brocade weaving in India was also learned and adapted from Chinese weavers. Chinese porcelain and furniture were also greatly appreciated and adorned the homes of the elite particularly in Bombay. Portrait painting and the art of reverse glass painting were also popularised in India by Chinese masters and subsequently, the art was learned and imitated by Indian artists.