The ageless architect of ancient silk

A turning point came in 1981. As foreign museums showcased Chinese silk and Suzhou's traditional looms gave way to imported machinery, Qian sensed that centuries-old weaving traditions were in danger of disappearing. Driven by that concern, she conceived an ambitious idea: establishing China's first silk museum in Suzhou.

"China, the land of silk, should have a silk museum! If we don't protect it ourselves, who will remember thousands of years of silk civilization?" she wonders.

She spent years raising funds and rallying support. After a decade of relentless effort, the Suzhou Silk Museum — a condensed chronicle of China's silk civilization — finally opened its doors. During preparations for the museum, Qian encountered numerous fragments of Song brocade, sparking a deeper fascination with the craft and setting her on a new path of research.