轻如烟雾！揭秘两千多年前的汉代“高定”成衣——曲裾素纱襌衣

An astonishingly thin garment from Lady Xin Zhui's tomb is on display for the first time at Hunan Museum in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province.

湖南博物院首次展出一件自辛追夫人墓中出土的衣物，其因轻薄程度出人意料而闻名。

“Light as smoke”

轻如烟雾

Weighing just 48 grams, the plain unlined gauze gown with curved hem is described as "thin as a cicada wing" and "light as smoke". It is longer and wider -- yet 1 gram lighter -- than a plain unlined gauze gown with straight hem.

这件有着弧形下摆的平纹无衬里纱衣即曲裾素纱单衣，仅重48克，可谓是“薄若蝉翼”“轻如烟雾”。它比有着平直下摆的直裾素纱单衣更长更宽，却较之更轻了1克。

In 1972, both gowns were unearthed from Lady Xin Zhui’s tomb at the Mawangdui relics site. Lady Xin Zhui, who died at about 50, was the wife of Li Cang, chancellor of the Changsha Kingdom during the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-25 AD).

这两件素纱襌衣皆于1972年出土自马王堆汉墓遗址中的辛追夫人之墓。辛追夫人离世之时约为50岁，乃是西汉时期长沙国丞相利苍的妻子。

China is the first country in the world to utilize silk from the silkworm cocoon more than 5,000 years ago. The exquisite silk fabric discovered at the Mawangdui tombs showcases the pinnacle of textile techniques during the Western Han Dynasty.

5000多年前，中国是世界上首个利用蚕茧制丝的国家。而在马王堆汉墓中所发现的精美丝织品，充分展现了西汉时期纺织技术的巅峰水平。

During the Han Dynasty (202 BC- 220 AD), clothing was usually designed either with a straight or curved hem. Those with a curved hem were generally worn on formal occasions, while those with a straight hem were for casual instances.

在公元前202年至公元220年的汉朝时期，服装往往被设计成直裾或曲裾样式。曲裾通常于正式场合穿着，而直裾则被应用于日常场合。

Fabric was incredibly lightweight, with a 75 percent light transmission rate as a 900-meter-long silk thread only weighed about 1 gram.

据悉，素纱襌衣极其轻薄，其透光度达75%，一根长900米的丝线也仅重约1克。

According to experts, due to advances in animal domestication and textile technology, modern silkworms are bigger in size, making the silk thicker and heavier. To restore the same lightweight texture, researchers had to make the silkworms lose weight.

据专家所言，由于现代蚕蛹经过驯化以及纺织技术的发展，现代蚕的体型变得更大，致使蚕丝愈发粗重。为了能再现素纱襌衣过去的轻盈质地，研究人员只好让蚕“减重”。

In 2019, a replica of the plain unlined gauze gown with straight hem, weighing about 49.5 grams, was announced by Hunan Museum after a nearly two-year effort, together with Nanjing Yunjin Research Institute. A few years later, a replica of the plain unlined gauze gown with curved hem also came out.

直到2019年，历经近两年的不懈努力，湖南博物院携手南京云锦研究所一同宣告成功复制出了一件重量约为49.5克的直裾素纱襌衣。几年后，曲裾素纱襌衣的复制品也得以问世。

A ‘mystery’ solved

被解开的“谜团”

Rumor has it that the plain unlined gauze gown with curved hem was stolen and burned many years ago.

曾有传言称，这件曲裾素纱襌衣在多年前被盗且已被烧毁。

In fact, it is the plain unlined gauze gown with straight hem that was once stolen. Fortunately, it was retrieved afterward.

事实上，曾经被盗的是直裾素纱襌衣。且幸运的是，它后来已被寻回。

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the archaeological excavation of the Mawangdui Han Dynasty tombs.

今年是长沙马王堆汉墓考古发掘50周年。

The newly-exhibited ancient Chinese gown has finally made its debut as part of the exhibition titled "She Walks in Beauty: Women of the Han Dynasty and the Roman Empire.”

湖南博物院特别推出“彼美人兮——两汉罗马时期女性文物展”，这件曲裾素纱襌衣最终在该展中进行首次亮相。

Featuring more than 200 pieces/sets of items from 19 museums across Italy and China, the exhibition will last until Oct. 7.

据悉，此次展览汇集了来自意大利和中国共19家博物馆的200多件（套）展品，并将持续展出至10月7日。