K'o-ssu

K'o-ssu is a style of silk tapestry, admired for its lightness and clarity of pattern.

"K'o-ssu" means "cut silk", a name that comes from the appearance of cut threads created by the use of colour in the pictorial designs typical of the style . Unlike continuous weft brocade, in k'o-ssu each colour area was woven from a separate bobbin, making the style both technically demanding and time-consuming.

K'o-ssu first appeared during the Tang Dynasty , and became popular in the Southern Song Dynasty , reaching its height during the Ming dynasty . The style continued to be popular until the early 20th century, and the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1911–12.

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