Silkworm (Bombyx mori)

Timeline

1. c. 1–150Qi and Sichuan regions · ChinaThe Han established official silk workshops in Qi, Sichuan, and elsewhere; private farmers commonly reared silkworms and reeled silk, silkworm breeding and mulberry cultivation techniques matured, and silk became an important material for court tribute and gifts.
2. c. 100–300Hexi Corridor · NorthwestSilk produced by silkworms was shipped via the Hexi Corridor and Western Regions trade routes to Central Asia and the Roman world, becoming the Silk Road's most celebrated trade commodity; Roman texts already recorded Chinese silk.
3. c. 300–500Jiangnan silk weaving centers · JiangnanIn the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, Jiangnan emerged as a new silk weaving center; silkworm breed improvement and multivoltine rearing techniques spread, and the quality of complex fabrics like ling, luo, and brocade improved markedly, laying the foundation for Sui–Tang silk weaving.