Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c5.s2.t12.4

v1.c5.s2.t12.4

The earliest archaeological evidence for silk in China dates back to about 2570 BCE from the Huzhou Neolithic site of Qianshanyang. Chinese silk is identified with the domesticated species of moth, *Bombyx mori*. The silkworms are reared primarily on a diet of white mulberry leaves. The silkworm cocoons are boiled in a slightly alkaline solution in order to remove a gum called sericin. By boiling the cocoons before the moths come out, it is possible to draw out an unbroken filament which results in a very fine quality of the silk.