Illustrations of Cotton Cultivation and Manufacture

Qing dynasty (1644�1911), Qianlong period (1736�95), dated and engraved 1765

Compiled and edited by Fang Guancheng (1698�1768); inscription by the Qianlong emperor (1711�99; r. 1736�95); slabs engraved in regular, clerical, and running scripts

Album of 40 leaves, ink rubbed on paper; overall dimensions: approx. 30.5 x 29.8 cm; each leaf: approx. 23.5 x 26.4 cm

Date of rubbing not given, probably late Qing dynasty (1644�1911), late 18th�19th century

Inventory number: Huaxiang 883

In 1765, during the fourth of his six southern inspection tours, the Qianlong emperor was presented with an album illustrating cotton cultivation by Fang Guancheng, the governor-general of Zhili (present-day Hebei Province).� The pictures were subsequently sent to be engraved in intaglio on 12 heavy slabs of duan stone.

This album of rubbings taken from the original stone slabs opens with the text of two memorials submitted to the emperor by Fang Guancheng, one upon presentation of the illustrations and the other upon completion of the stone engravings; next are the governor-general's postscript to the "Illustrations of Cotton Cultivation" and "Prose-poem on the Cotton Plant," composed by the Kangxi emperor (r. 1661�1722); and, finally, 16 pictures depicting the sowing, irrigation, weeding, topping, picking, sunning, purchasing, selling, ginning, fluffing, making slivers of, spinning, coiling threads of, starching, warping, weaving (as well as extracting oil from), and dyeing of cotton.� Each picture is accompanied by an explanatory text by Fang Guancheng, a poem by the Qianlong emperor, and a matching quatrain by Fang.