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Some of the textile artifacts are on display at the China National Silk Museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/WeChat account: tongxiangfabu]

The China National Silk Museum recently unveiled a groundbreaking exhibition showcasing for the first time the textile artifacts recovered from a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) tomb in Yangjiaqiao, Puyuan town, Tongxiang, a county-level city of Jiaxing, Zhejiang province. The exhibition will run until May 30.

On display at the museum are 12 meticulously restored textile artifacts from the tomb. The exhibition not only celebrates successful restoration efforts but also marks the public debut of these invaluable relics.

Among the highlights is a horse-face skirt, a garment widely worn during the Ming Dynasty as both ceremonial attire and everyday dress for both men and women.

According to Yang Rulin, curator and deputy research librarian at the China National Silk Museum, the horse-face skirt discovered in the tomb differs slightly from modern versions with its shorter length and simpler patterns.

The resurgence in popularity of horse-face skirts in recent years has provided renewed impetus for the development of pu silk, a renowned Tongxiang product.

Feng Jiyang, a Jiaxing municipal-level inheritor of pu silk weaving techniques in Jiaxing, introduced the pu silk horse-face skirt, which has garnered widespread acclaim.