Nankeen
Encyclopedia
Nankeen, also called Nankeen cloth, is a kind of pale yellowish cloth, originally made at Nanjing
from a yellow variety of cotton, but subsequently manufactured from ordinary cotton which is then dyed. Also in the plural a piece or variety of this cloth.
The term blue nankeen describes hand-printed fabric
of artistic refinement and primitive simplicity, which originated on the Silk Road
over three thousand years ago.
Hand-carved stencils, originally made from wood but now from heavy paper, are prepared and a mix of soya bean flour and slaked lime is applied through the openings of the stencil onto the 100% cotton fabric. When dry, the fabric is then dipped numerous times into the large tubs containing the indigo
dye. After the desired color is achieved and the fabric has dried, the paste is scraped off, revealing the white patterns on the blue cloth. The fabric is then washed, dried, and ironed before fabrication. Such fabric represents one of many fast-disappearing historic art forms which embody ancient Chinese culture and tradition.
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
from a yellow variety of cotton, but subsequently manufactured from ordinary cotton which is then dyed. Also in the plural a piece or variety of this cloth.
The term blue nankeen describes hand-printed fabric
Fabric
A fabric is a textile material, short for "textile fabric".Fabric may also refer to:*Fabric , the spatial and geometric configuration of elements within a rock*Fabric , a nightclub in London, England...
of artistic refinement and primitive simplicity, which originated on the Silk Road
Silk Road
The Silk Road or Silk Route refers to a historical network of interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa...
over three thousand years ago.
Hand-carved stencils, originally made from wood but now from heavy paper, are prepared and a mix of soya bean flour and slaked lime is applied through the openings of the stencil onto the 100% cotton fabric. When dry, the fabric is then dipped numerous times into the large tubs containing the indigo
Indigo
Indigo is a color named after the purple dye derived from the plant Indigofera tinctoria and related species. The color is placed on the electromagnetic spectrum between about 420 and 450 nm in wavelength, placing it between blue and violet...
dye. After the desired color is achieved and the fabric has dried, the paste is scraped off, revealing the white patterns on the blue cloth. The fabric is then washed, dried, and ironed before fabrication. Such fabric represents one of many fast-disappearing historic art forms which embody ancient Chinese culture and tradition.
Derived uses
Nankeen also refers to:- Trousers made of nankeen (singular or plural).
- A pale yellow or buff; the colour of nankeen.
- Bobbin laceBobbin laceBobbin lace is a lace textile made by braiding and twisting lengths of thread, which are wound on bobbins to manage them. As the work progresses, the weaving is held in place with pins set in a lace pillow, the placement of the pins usually determined by a pattern or pricking pinned on the...
made from unbleached silk (usually in plural form nankins). - A kind of usually blue and white porcelain of Chinese style, originally exported to Europe from Nanking and later copied by European potters.
- Of the colour of nankeen; pale yellow or buff; also from their colour, part of the name of many animals and plants (chiefly Australian).
- Nankeen gum, the bimble box, Eucalyptus populneaEucalyptus populneaEucalyptus populnea, commonly known as Poplar box or Bimble box is an endemic tree of Australia. It is found in central and coastal Queensland to northern New South Wales. It can reach up to 25 meters tall and forms extensive open-forest communities in arid and sem-arid regions...
, a tree of eastern Australia having a fibrous bark and glossy green leaves. - Nankeen KestrelNankeen KestrelThe Australian Kestrel or Nankeen Kestrel is one of the smallest falcons, and unlike many, does not rely on speed to catch its prey. Instead, it simply perches in an exposed position, but it also has a distinctive technique of hovering over crop and grasslands...
, also called Nankeen hawk, the Australian kestrel, Falco cenchroides, a small falcon found in Australia and neighbouring islands. - Nankeen Night HeronNankeen Night HeronThe Nankeen Night Heron, Nycticorax caledonicus, also commonly referred to as the Rufous Night Heron, and in Melanesia as Melabaob, is a medium-sized heron. It is found throughout much of Australia except the arid inland, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Melanesia...
, also called Nankeen bird or Nankeen crane or Nankeen heron, the rufous night heron, Nycticorax caledonicus, a stocky nocturnal heron found in Australasia and Indonesia
- Nankeen gum, the bimble box, Eucalyptus populnea