What is silk flower?

Silk flower, also known as Jinghuaer, is one of the traditional handicrafts of the Han nationality in China with a long history and strong decorative color. Refers to flowers imitated with silk fabrics of various colors.

The art of making flowers from silk fabrics existed in China more than 1,700 years ago. In the Tang Dynasty, silk flowers became the main decoration for women. The "Picture of Ladies with Hairpins" by Tang Dynasty painter Zhou Fang vividly reproduces the scene of women in the palace wearing hairpins and colorful flowers.

After that, silk flower production was introduced to Japan and Korea. In 1982, the Edo-style silk flower hairpin was designated as a Tokyo traditional craft. In 1993, the Japanese Silk Flower and Hairpin Museum was established in Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo. Shenmuchang Street outside Chongwenmen in the Ming Dynasty was the birthplace of Beijing silk flowers. In 2008, Beijing Silk Flower was approved by the State Council and was selected into the "Second Batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage List". In 2013, Korea's silk flower craft - palace flowers - was designated as Important Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 124 by the Korean Cultural Heritage Administration.