原文

葛布

粤之葛，以增城女葛为上，然恒不鬻于市。彼中女子终岁乃成一疋，以衣其夫而已。其重三四两者，未字少女乃能织，已字则不能，故名女儿葛。所谓北有姑绒，南有女葛也。其葛产竹丝溪、百花林二处者良。采必以女，一女之力，日采只得数两。丝缕以针不以手，细入毫芒，视若无有，卷其一端，可以出入笔管，以银条纱衬之，霏微荡漾，有如蜩蝉之翼。然日晒则绉，水浸则蹙缩，其微弱不可恒服。惟雷葛之精者，百钱一尺，细滑而坚，颜色若象血牙。名锦囊葛者，裁以为袍直裰，称大雅矣。故今雷葛盛行天下。雷人善织葛，其葛产高凉、碙洲，而织于雷。为絺者绤者，分村而居，地出葛种不同，故女手良与沽功异焉。粤故多葛，而雷葛为正葛，其出博罗者曰善政葛。李贺罗浮山人与葛篇云：依依宜织江南空。又云：欲剪湘中一尺天。谓此。出潮阳者曰凤葛，以丝为纬，亦名黄丝布。出琼山、澄迈、临高、乐会者，轻而细，名美人葛。出阳春者曰春葛。然皆不及广之龙江葛坚而有肉，耐风日，凡此皆絟葛也。絟葛外有新会细苎，盖左思所谓筩中黄润，又曰黄润比筒者。凡叠布必成筒，一筒十端，而葛之大者率以两端为一连，苎则一端为一连，他布则以六丈为端，四丈为疋，此其别也。古时无木绵，皆以细麻为布，惟粤之苎则自上古已有。《禹贡》曰：岛夷卉服。《传》曰：岛夷，南海岛上夷也。卉，草也。卉服，葛越也。葛越，南方之布，以葛为之，以其产于越，故曰葛越也。左思曰：蕉葛升越，弱于罗纨。《正义》曰：卉服葛越，蕉竹之属，越即苎祁也。汉徐氏女赠其夫以越布。邓后赐诸贵人白越，是也。《汉书》云：粤地多果布之凑。韦昭曰：布，葛布也。颜师古曰：布谓诸杂细布。皆是也。其黄润者生苎也，细者为絟，粗者为苎，苎一作纻。《禹贡》曰：“厥篚织贝。《传》曰：织细纻也。《疏》曰：细纻，布也。《汉志》所谓兰干细布也。兰干者，獠言纻也。翁源以为苎霜布，是也。其曰花练，曰谷纟户，曰细都，曰弱折，皆其类。许慎云：南方筩布之属皆为荃。荃，絟也，蕉竹之属皆絟也。蕉布黄白相间，以蕉丝为之，出四会者良。唐时端、潮贡蕉布，韶贡竹布。竹布产仁化，其竹名曰丹竹，丹亦曰单。竹节长可缉丝，织之名丹竹布，一名竹綀。庾翼与燕王书曰：竹綀三端。是也。志称蛮布织蕉竹、苎麻、都落等。麻有青、黄、白、络、火五种。黄白曰苎，亦曰白绪。青络曰麻，火曰火麻，都落即络也。马援在交趾，尝衣都布单衣。都布者，络布也。络者，言麻之可经可络者也。其细者当暑服之，凉爽无油汗气。湅之柔熟如椿椒茧绸，可以御冬。新兴县阳盛，估人率以绵布易之。其女红治络麻者十之九，治苎者十之三，治蕉十之一，纺蚕作茧者千之一而已。又有鱼冻布，莞中女子以丝兼苎为之，柔滑而白若鱼冻。谓纱罗多浣则黄，此布愈浣则愈白云。外有藤布、芙蓉布，以木芙蓉皮绩丝为之，能除热汗。又有罾布，出新安南头。罾本苎麻所治。渔妇以其破敝者翦之为条，缕之为纬，以绵纱线经之，煮以石灰，漂以溪水，去其旧染薯莨之色，使莹然雪白。布成，分为双单，双者表里有大小絮头，单者一面有之。絮头以长者为贵，摩挲之久，葳蕤然若西毡起绒。更或染以薯莨，则其丝劲爽，可为夏服。不染则柔以御寒，粤人甚贵之，亦奇布也。谚曰：以罾为布，渔家所作。著以取鱼，不忧风飓。小儿服之，又可辟邪魅。是皆中州所罕者也。粤布自《禹贡》始言，迁、固复言，官其地者往往以为货赂。昔孙｛幸中"土改大"｝调朱厓广幅布，蛮不堪役，遂作乱杀｛幸中"土改大"｝。而士燮献吴大帝细葛以千数，粤人苦之。宋恭帝时，广州献入筒细布，一端八丈，帝恶其精丽，蠹害女红，却之，诏岭南禁作此布。诚虑小民淫巧，风尚侈靡，使贪吏得以为暴也。

雷州妇女多以织葛为生。《诗正义》云：葛者妇人之所有事。雷州以之。予诗云：雷女工絺绤，家家买葛丝。又云：蛮娘细葛胜罗襦，采葛朝朝向海隅。又云：雷女采葛，缉作黄丝。东家为绤，西家为絺。增城亦然，其治葛无分精粗，女子皆以针丝之。乾撚成缕，不以水绩，恐其有痕迹也。织工皆东莞人，与寻常织苎麻者不同。织葛者名为细工，织成弱如蝉翅，重仅数铢，皆纯葛无丝。其以蚕丝纬之者，浣之则葛自葛丝自丝，两者不相联属，纯葛则否。葛产绥福都山中，以蔓生地上而稚者为贵。若缭绕树间，则葛多枝叶，不中为丝。采者日得数斤，城中人买而绩之，分上中下三等为布。阳春亦然。其细葛不减增城，亦以纺缉精而葛真云。凡葛以挼之有响，濡之明亮者为真。浣以梅叶之汁，和以清泉，摺幅为方而勿揉以手，则理不皱。其盎以瓦毋以木，则色不淄。湛之经宿，出而拍拍阴乾于檐端，毋以烈日则不脆。然纯葛者可浣，兼丝者浣之则缩。纯葛曰絟，言全乎葛也。

蕉类不一。其可为布者曰蕉麻，山生或田种，以蕉身熟踏之，煮以纯灰水，漂澼令乾，乃绩为布。本蕉也而曰蕉麻，以其为用如麻，故葛亦曰葛麻也。广人颇重蕉布。出高要宝查、广利等村者尤美。每当墟日，土人多负蕉身卖之。长乐亦多蕉布，所畜蚕，惟取其丝以纬蕉及葛，不为绸也。绸则以天蚕食乌桕叶者织之。史称粤多果布之凑，然亦夏布若蕉葛、苎麻之属耳。冬布多至自吴、楚。松江之梭布，咸宁之大布，估人络绎而来，与绵花皆为正货。粤地所种吉贝，不足以供十郡之用也。蕉布与黄麻布为岭外所重，常以冬布相易。予有《蕉布行》云：“芭蕉有丝犹可绩，绩成似葛分絺绤。女手纤纤良苦殊，余红更作龙须席。蛮方妇女多勤劬，手爪可怜天下无。花针白越细无比，终岁一疋衣其夫。竹与芙蓉亦为布，蝉翼霏霏若烟雾。入筒一端重数铢，拔钗先买芭蕉树。花针挑出似游丝，八熟珍蚕织每迟。增城女葛人皆重，广利娘蕉独不知。”

白话

中文

广东的葛布，以增城出产的“女儿葛”为最好，但通常不在市场上售卖。当地女子花费整年时间才能织成一匹，仅用来给她们的丈夫做衣服。其中重三四两的极品，只有未出嫁的少女才能织出，已婚妇女则不能，因此得名“女儿葛”。这就是所谓的“北方有姑绒（产自姑苏的细绒），南方有女葛”。这种葛产自增城的竹丝溪、百花林两地为佳。采葛必须由女子进行，一个女子一天也只能采得数两。纺葛丝是用针而不是用手捻，细如毫毛的尖端，几乎看不见，卷起一端可以穿过笔管。如果用银条纱作衬里，（葛布）轻薄飘动，如同蝉翼一般。但是，这种葛布日晒会起皱，水浸会收缩，因为它太纤弱了，不能经常穿着。

只有雷州葛布中的精品，一尺价值百钱，既细滑又坚韧，颜色如同象牙（或带血的象牙）。名为“锦囊葛”的，裁剪来做成长袍或直裰（古代服饰名），非常雅致。因此现在雷州葛布在天下非常流行。雷州人擅长织葛，葛的原料产自高凉、碙洲等地，但在雷州进行编织。织粗葛（绤）和细葛（絺）的人，会分开村落居住，因为不同地方出产的葛种不同，所以女工的技艺和报酬也不同。广东自古就多产葛布，而雷州葛是其中的正宗。博罗出产的葛布叫做“善政葛”。诗人李贺的《罗浮山人与葛篇》中说：“依依宜织江南空”，又说：“欲剪湘中一尺天”，指的就是这类葛布。潮阳出产的叫“凤葛”，用丝作纬线，也叫“黄丝布”。琼山、澄迈、临高、乐会等地出产的，轻而细，名叫“美人葛”。阳春出产的叫“春葛”。然而这些都不如广州龙江出产的“龙江葛”那样坚韧厚实，耐日晒风吹。以上这些都属于“絟葛”（纯葛布）。

除了絟葛，还有新会出产的细苎麻布。这大概就是左思在《吴都赋》里所说的“筒中黄润”，又说“黄润比筒”（指色泽黄润的苎布卷在筒里）。凡是叠布，必定叠成筒状，一筒有十端。而大幅的葛布，通常两端算作一“连”；苎麻布则一端为一“连”；其他的布，则以六丈为一“端”，四丈为一“匹”。这就是它们的区别。古代没有棉花，都用细麻织布，只有广东的苎麻从上古时代就有了。《尚书·禹贡》说：“岛夷卉服。”《传》解释说：“岛夷，是南海岛上的部族。卉，是草。卉服，就是葛越。”葛越，是南方的布，用葛制成，因为产于古越地，所以叫葛越。左思说：“蕉葛升越，弱于罗纨。”（蕉布、葛布、越布这些南方织物，比北方的罗纨要纤弱）。《正义》解释说：“卉服葛越，属于蕉、竹之类的纤维。越，就是苎麻。”汉代徐氏的妻子曾赠送丈夫越布。邓太后也曾赏赐各位贵人白色的越布。这些都是例证。《汉书》记载：“粤地多果布之凑。”（广东地区是水果和布匹的集散地）。韦昭注释说：“布，指葛布。”颜师古注释说：“布，指各种细布。”说的都是这类布。其中色泽黄润的是生苎麻。细的叫“絟”，粗的叫“苎”（苎也写作“纻”）。《禹贡》说：“厥篚织贝。”《传》解释说：“织的是细纻（苎）。”《疏》解释说：“细纻，就是布。”也就是《汉书·地理志》里所说的“兰干细布”。“兰干”，是当时南方少数民族语言里“纻”的发音。翁源县称之为“苎霜布”。那些叫做“花练”、“谷纟户”、“细都”、“弱折”的，都属于这类织物。许慎在《说文解字》中说：“南方筒布之类都称为‘荃’。”荃，就是絟，蕉、竹纤维织成的布都属于絟。

蕉布，黄白相间，用芭蕉纤维制成，四会出产的最好。唐代时，端州、潮州进贡蕉布，韶州进贡竹布。竹布产于仁化县，所用的竹子叫“丹竹”（丹也写作“单”）。这种竹子的竹节很长，可以用来缉丝，织成的布叫“丹竹布”，也叫“竹綀”。东晋庾翼给前燕慕容皝写信时提到：“送上竹綀三端。”说的就是这个。地方志记载，所谓“蛮布”，是用芭蕉、竹子、苎麻、都落（络麻）等织成的。麻有青麻、黄麻、白麻、络麻、火麻五种。黄麻、白麻称为“苎”，也叫“白绪”。青麻、络麻称为“麻”。火麻就是“火麻”。“都落”就是络麻。马援在交趾时，曾经穿过“都布”做的单衣。“都布”就是络麻布。“络”，指的是可以作为经线和纬线的麻。细的络麻布，夏天穿着凉爽，没有油汗气味。经过漂练后，柔软熟滑如同椿绸、椒茧绸，可以用来抵御寒冷。新兴县气候炎热，商贩大多用棉布来交换络麻布。当地的女红，十有八九是加工络麻的，加工苎麻的占十分之三，加工蕉丝的占十分之一，养蚕缫丝的仅占千分之一。

还有一种“鱼冻布”，是东莞女子用丝和苎麻混合织成的，柔软光滑，洁白如鱼冻。据说纱罗洗多了会变黄，而这种布越洗越白。此外还有“藤布”、“芙蓉布”，是用木芙蓉的树皮纤维纺丝织成，能去除暑热汗湿。还有一种“罾布”，产自新安县南头。罾（渔网）本来是用苎麻制成的。渔家妇女把破旧的渔网剪成条，拆解出纤维作为纬线，用棉纱线作经线，用石灰水煮，在溪水中漂洗，去除原来薯莨染的颜色，使其变得像雪一样洁白。织成的布，分为双层和单层。双层的里外都有大小不一的线头（絮头），单层的只有一面有。线头以长的为贵，经常摩擦后，会变得蓬松柔软，如同西域的毛毡起了绒一般。如果再用薯莨染色，布料就变得挺括凉爽，可以做夏天的衣服。不染色则柔软，可以用来御寒。广东人非常看重这种布，也是一种奇特的布料。谚语说：“用渔网做成布，是渔家所造。穿着它捕鱼，不怕风暴。小孩穿了，还可以辟邪。”这些布料都是中原地区很少见的。

广东的布料，从《禹贡》就开始记载，司马迁、班固（指《史记》、《汉书》）又再次提及。在当地做官的人，往往用这些布匹作为贿赂品。从前，孙｛幸中"土改大"｝（人名，字迹不清，或为“孙瓌”）征调朱崖（海南岛）的宽幅布，当地百姓不堪劳役，于是作乱杀了他。而士燮向吴大帝孙权进献数以千计的细葛，让广东百姓深受其苦。宋恭帝时，广州进献可以卷入筒中的细布，一端长达八丈。皇帝厌恶它过于精美华丽，耗费女工，便退了回去，并下诏禁止岭南制作这种布。这确实是考虑到防止民间追求奇巧淫技，形成奢侈的风气，也防止贪官借此来剥削百姓。

雷州妇女大多以织葛为生。《诗经·毛传郑笺》说：“葛是妇女分内的事。”雷州就是这样。我（屈大均自称）的诗写道：“雷州女子擅长织细葛粗葛，家家户户都买葛丝。”又写道：“南方姑娘的细葛胜过绫罗做的襦裙，她们每天早晨都到海边去采葛。”又写道：“雷州女子采来葛藤，纺绩成黄色的丝。东家织成粗葛布（绤），西家织成细葛布（絺）。”增城也是这样，她们处理葛不论精细粗糙，女子都用针来纺绩。在干燥状态下捻成线，不用水来绩，怕留下痕迹。织工大多是东莞人，和普通织苎麻的不同。织葛的工人被称为“细工”。织成的葛布薄如蝉翼，重量只有几铢，都是纯葛纤维，不掺杂蚕丝。那些用蚕丝作纬线的葛布，洗涤后葛归葛，丝归丝，两者会分离，纯葛布就不会。葛产于绥福都（地名）的山中，以在地上蔓生而幼嫩的为贵。如果缠绕在树上，葛藤就会多枝叶，不适合做纺织原料。采葛的人一天能得几斤，城里人买来纺绩，分成上、中、下三等制成布。阳春县也是如此。那里出产的细葛不比增城的差，也是因为纺绩精细而且葛的品质纯正。凡是葛布，用手搓揉有声响、用水浸湿后明亮的是真品。洗涤时用梅树叶的汁液，和着清泉，把布折叠成方形，不要用手搓揉，这样纹理就不会皱。浸泡的盆要用瓦盆，不要用木盆，这样颜色就不会变暗。浸泡一夜后，拿出来轻轻拍打，在屋檐下阴干，不要在烈日下暴晒，这样布就不会变脆。纯葛布可以洗涤，掺丝的洗后会收缩。纯葛布叫做“絟葛”，意思是完全由葛制成。

芭蕉的种类不止一种。可以用来织布的叫“蕉麻”，野生的或田里种植的都有。把成熟的芭蕉茎干踩烂，用纯碱水煮，漂洗干净，然后纺绩成布。本来是芭蕉却叫“蕉麻”，是因为它的用途像麻一样，所以葛有时也叫“葛麻”。广东人很看重蕉布。高要县宝查村、广利村等地出产的尤其好。每到墟日（集市日），当地人多背着芭蕉茎干来卖。长乐县（今五华县）也多产蕉布，当地养蚕，只取蚕丝用来作蕉布和葛布的纬线，不织绸缎。绸缎是用吃乌桕叶的天蚕丝织成的。史书称广东是水果和布匹的集散地，但（本地产的）也只是像蕉布、葛布、苎麻布这类夏布。冬天的布匹多来自吴地、楚地（长江中下游地区）。松江府的梭子布，咸宁的大布，商贩络绎不绝地运来，这些布和棉花都是主要的交易货物。广东本地种植的棉花（吉贝），不足以供应十个郡（泛指全省）的用量。蕉布和黄麻布在岭外（指广东以外）很受重视，常常用来交换冬布。我有《蕉布行》一诗写道：“芭蕉有丝还能纺绩，织成像葛一样的细布粗布。女子纤纤巧手实在辛苦，剩余的红色蕉丝还能编成龙须席。南方女子大多勤劳，灵巧的手天下难找。用花针织出的白越布无比精细，花费整年织一匹给丈夫穿。竹子和芙蓉也能织布，薄如蝉翼轻若烟雾。卷入筒中一端仅重几铢，女子拔下发钗先要去买芭蕉树。花针挑出的蕉丝细如游丝，就是八次蜕皮的珍贵蚕丝织起来也慢。增城的女儿葛人人都看重，广利村姑娘织的蕉布却无人知晓。”

英文

Guangdong's kudzu cloth (Ge Bu) is considered superior when it comes from Zengcheng, known as "Nü'er Ge" (Daughter's Kudzu), but it is usually not sold in the market. The local women spend an entire year weaving just one bolt, solely for making clothes for their husbands. The finest type, weighing only three or four liang (an old unit of weight), can only be woven by unmarried young girls; married women cannot produce it, hence the name "Daughter's Kudzu." This leads to the saying, "In the North, there is Gu Rong (fine velvet from Suzhou); in the South, there is Nü Ge." The kudzu for this cloth grows best in Zengcheng's Zhusi Creek and Baihua Lin areas. Harvesting must be done by women, and one woman can only gather a few liang per day. The fibers are spun using needles, not by hand, resulting in threads as fine as the tip of a hair, almost invisible. A rolled-up end can fit through a pen tube. When lined with silver-striped gauze, the cloth appears ethereal and flowing, like the wings of a cicada. However, it wrinkles under sunlight and shrinks when soaked in water; being so delicate, it cannot be worn regularly.

Only the finest quality Leizhou kudzu cloth (Lei Ge), costing a hundred coins per chi (an old unit of length), is both fine, smooth, and strong, with a color like ivory (or blood-tinged ivory). The type called "Jinnang Ge" (Brocade Pouch Kudzu) is tailored into robes or zhiduo (a type of traditional gown) and is considered very elegant. Thus, Leizhou kudzu cloth is now popular throughout the land. The people of Leizhou are skilled weavers. The raw kudzu comes from Gaoliang and Pozhou but is woven in Leizhou. Weavers of coarse kudzu cloth (xi) and fine kudzu cloth (chi) live in separate villages because the types of kudzu grown differ by location, leading to variations in the women's skills and wages. Guangdong has historically produced much kudzu cloth, but Lei Ge is considered the standard. Kudzu cloth from Boluo is called "Shanzheng Ge" (Good Governance Kudzu). The poet Li He, in his "Poem on the Man of Luofu Mountain and Kudzu," wrote: "Lingeringly suitable for weaving the southern sky," and "Wishing to cut a foot of the Xiang River's sky," referring to this type of cloth. Cloth from Chaoyang is called "Feng Ge" (Phoenix Kudzu), using silk for the weft, also known as "Huangsi Bu" (Yellow Silk Cloth). Cloth from Qiongshan, Chengmai, Lingao, and Lehui is light and fine, named "Meiren Ge" (Beauty Kudzu). Cloth from Yangchun is called "Chun Ge" (Spring Kudzu). However, none of these match the "Longjiang Ge" from Guangzhou's Longjiang area in terms of toughness, substance, and resistance to sun and wind. All the above belong to the category of "Shuan Ge" (pure kudzu cloth).

Besides Shuan Ge, there is fine ramie cloth from Xinhui. This is likely what Zuo Si referred to in his "Rhapsody on the Wu Capital" as "yellow and lustrous within the tube" and "yellow luster comparable to the tube" (referring to lustrous ramie cloth rolled in tubes). When folding cloth, it is always made into a tube; one tube contains ten duan (bolts). For large kudzu cloths, typically two duan make one lian; for ramie, one duan is one lian; for other cloths, six zhang (about 3.3 meters) make one duan, and four zhang make one pi (piece). These are the distinctions. In ancient times, there was no cotton; fine hemp was used for cloth. Only Guangdong's ramie has existed since high antiquity. The Book of Documents, in the "Tribute of Yu" chapter, states: "Island barbarians wear plant-fiber clothing." The commentary explains: "'Island barbarians' refers to tribes on the South Sea islands. 'Hui' means grass/plant. 'Hui fu' (plant-fiber clothing) is 'Ge Yue'." Ge Yue was a cloth of the south, made from kudzu, and because it was produced in the ancient Yue region, it was called Ge Yue. Zuo Si said: "Banana fiber, kudzu, and Yue cloths are inferior to silks and gauzes." The Zhengyi commentary explains: "'Hui fu Ge Yue' belong to the category of banana and bamboo fibers. 'Yue' is ramie." In the Han Dynasty, the wife of Mr. Xu gifted her husband Yue cloth. Empress Deng also bestowed white Yue cloth upon various nobles. These are examples. The Book of Han records: "The Yue lands are a hub for fruits and cloths." Wei Zhao commented: "'Bu' (cloth) refers to kudzu cloth." Yan Shigu commented: "'Bu' refers to various fine cloths." Both refer to these types. The yellow and lustrous type is raw ramie. The fine type is called shuan, the coarse type zhu (ramie, also written as 纻). The "Tribute of Yu" says: "Their baskets contain woven cowries." The commentary explains: "Woven fine ramie (zhu)." The sub-commentary explains: "Fine zhu is cloth." This is what the Book of Han's "Treatise on Geography" calls "Langan fine cloth." "Langan" was the pronunciation of zhu in the language of the southern Liao people. Wengyuan County calls it "Ramie Frost Cloth." Those called "Hua Lian," "Gu Hu," "Xi Du," and "Ruo Zhe" are all similar types. Xu Shen, in Shuowen Jiezi, said: "Southern cloths rolled in tubes are all called 'Quan'." Quan means shuan; cloths woven from banana and bamboo fibers are all shuan.

Banana fiber cloth (Jiao Bu), yellowish-white, is made from banana fibers; the best comes from Sihui. During the Tang Dynasty, Duanzhou and Chaozhou offered banana cloth as tribute, while Shaozhou offered bamboo cloth. Bamboo cloth (Zhu Bu) is produced in Renhua County, using a bamboo called "Dan Zhu" (Dan also written as Shan). This bamboo has long nodes suitable for extracting fibers. The woven cloth is called "Dan Zhu Bu," also known as "Zhu Shu." Yu Yi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty mentioned in a letter to Murong Huang of Former Yan: "Three bolts of Zhu Shu." This refers to it. Local gazetteers record that "Man Bu" (Barbarian Cloth) was woven from banana, bamboo, ramie, and duluo (luo hemp). There are five types of hemp: Qing (green), Huang (yellow), Bai (white), Luo, and Huo (fire). Yellow and white hemp are called zhu (ramie), also baixu. Green and luo hemp are called ma (hemp). Fire hemp is huoma. Duluo is luo hemp. When Ma Yuan was in Jiaozhi (northern Vietnam), he wore a single-layer garment made of "Du Bu." "Du Bu" is luo hemp cloth. "Luo" refers to hemp suitable for both warp and weft. Fine luo hemp cloth is cool to wear in summer and doesn't retain oily sweat odors. After processing (scouring and bleaching), it becomes soft and smooth like chunjiao silk or cocoon silk, suitable for winter wear. In Xinxing County, where the climate is hot, merchants often trade cotton cloth for luo hemp cloth. Among the local women's crafts, nine out of ten work with luo hemp, three out of ten with ramie, one out of ten with banana fiber, and only one in a thousand spins silk from cocoons.

There is also "Yudong Bu" (Fish Jelly Cloth), made by women in Dongguan by blending silk and ramie. It is soft, smooth, and white like fish jelly. It is said that while silk gauze turns yellow with frequent washing, this cloth becomes whiter the more it is washed. Additionally, there are "Teng Bu" (Vine Cloth) and "Furong Bu" (Hibiscus Cloth), made from fibers spun from the bark of the wood hibiscus, known for wicking away sweat in hot weather. There is also "Zeng Bu" (Fishing Net Cloth) from Nantou in Xin'an County. Fishing nets (zeng) were originally made of ramie. Fisherwomen take old, torn nets, cut them into strips, unravel the fibers for weft threads, use cotton or silk yarn for the warp, boil it with lime, bleach it in stream water to remove the original shulang dye (from Dioscorea cirrhosa), making it snow white. The finished cloth comes in double-layered and single-layered versions. The double-layered has lint ends (xutou) of varying sizes on both sides; the single-layered has them on one side only. Longer lint ends are more valued. With frequent rubbing, it becomes fluffy and soft, like the nap on Western felt. If dyed again with shulang, the fabric becomes crisp and cool, suitable for summer wear. Undyed, it is soft and can be used for warmth. Guangdong people highly value this peculiar cloth. A proverb says: "Using fishing nets to make cloth, made by fisherfolk. Wear it for fishing, fear no storms. Children wearing it can ward off evil spirits." These are all cloths rarely seen in the Central Plains (China proper).

Guangdong's cloths have been mentioned since the "Tribute of Yu," and Sima Qian and Ban Gu (authors of Shiji and Hanshu) mentioned them again. Officials governing the area often used these cloths as bribes or tribute. In the past, Sun {?} (name unclear, possibly Sun Gui) requisitioned wide-width cloth from Zhuya (Hainan), causing the local people to revolt and kill him due to the unbearable burden. Shi Xie presented thousands of bolts of fine kudzu cloth to Emperor Sun Quan of Wu, causing hardship for the people of Guangdong. During the reign of Emperor Gong of Song, Guangzhou presented fine cloth rolled in tubes, one bolt measuring eight zhang. The emperor disliked its exquisite beauty, deeming it harmful to women's labor, rejected it, and issued an edict banning its production in Lingnan. This was truly out of concern that common people might pursue excessive craftsmanship, fostering extravagance, and allowing corrupt officials to exploit them.

Many women in Leizhou make a living by weaving kudzu cloth. The Commentary and Sub-commentary on the Book of Songs states: "Working with kudzu is women's business." This applies to Leizhou. I (Qu Dajun) wrote in my poems: "Leizhou women excel at weaving fine and coarse kudzu, every household buys kudzu fiber." And: "The southern maiden's fine kudzu surpasses silk robes, she gathers kudzu by the sea every morning." And: "Leizhou women gather kudzu, spin it into yellow threads. The east neighbors weave coarse cloth (xi), the west neighbors weave fine cloth (chi)." Zengcheng is similar; when processing kudzu, regardless of fineness, women use needles to spin it. They twist the fibers dry, without using water, fearing it might leave marks. The weavers are mostly from Dongguan, different from ordinary ramie weavers. Kudzu weavers are called "fine workers." The woven cloth is delicate as cicada wings, weighing only a few zhu (an ancient unit of weight), made purely of kudzu fiber without silk. Cloths using silk as weft will separate upon washing – kudzu remains kudzu, silk remains silk – they do not bond; pure kudzu cloth does not do this. Kudzu grows in the mountains of Suifudu; the young vines creeping on the ground are prized. If it twines around trees, the vine develops many branches and leaves, unsuitable for fiber. Gatherers obtain several jin (an old unit of weight) per day. People in the city buy and spin it, grading it into upper, middle, and lower quality cloth. Yangchun County is similar. Its fine kudzu is no less than Zengcheng's, also attributed to fine spinning and pure kudzu quality. Genuine kudzu cloth rustles when rubbed and appears bright when wet. To wash it, use juice from plum leaves mixed with clear water, fold it squarely, and do not rub it by hand, so the texture doesn't wrinkle. Use an earthenware basin, not wood, so the color doesn't darken. Soak it overnight, take it out, pat it gently, and hang it to dry in the shade under the eaves, avoiding strong sunlight so it doesn't become brittle. Pure kudzu cloth can be washed; blended silk types shrink upon washing. Pure kudzu cloth is called "Shuan Ge," meaning entirely made of kudzu.

There are various types of bananas. The one used for cloth is called "Jiao Ma" (Banana Hemp), growing wild or cultivated. The ripe banana stems are trampled, boiled in pure ash water, bleached, dried, and then spun into cloth. Though it's banana, it's called "Jiao Ma" because its use is like hemp (ma); similarly, kudzu is sometimes called "Ge Ma" (Kudzu Hemp). Guangdong people value banana cloth highly. The cloth from Baocha and Guangli villages in Gaoyao County is particularly fine. On market days, locals often carry banana stems to sell. Changle County (now Wuhua) also produces much banana cloth. They raise silkworms only to use the silk as weft for banana and kudzu cloths, not for weaving silk fabrics (chou). Silk fabrics are woven from the silk of Tussah silkworms that feed on tallow tree leaves. Historical records state Guangdong is a hub for fruits and cloths, but locally produced cloths are mainly summer fabrics like banana, kudzu, and ramie. Winter cloths mostly come from the Wu and Chu regions (middle and lower Yangtze River). Shuttle cloth from Songjiang Prefecture and coarse cloth from Xianning are brought in continuously by merchants; these cloths and raw cotton are major trade goods. The cotton (kapok, jibei) grown in Guangdong is insufficient to supply even ten prefectures (i.e., the whole province). Banana cloth and yellow hemp cloth are highly valued outside Lingnan (Guangdong) and often traded for winter cloth. I have a poem titled "Ballad of Banana Cloth" which says: "Banana fibers can still be spun, woven like kudzu into fine and coarse cloth. Women's delicate hands toil hard indeed, leftover red fibers even make Dragon Beard mats. Southern women are mostly industrious, their skillful hands are unmatched worldwide. White Yue cloth woven with flower needles is incomparably fine, taking a whole year to weave one bolt for her husband. Bamboo and hibiscus also make cloth, like cicada wings, ethereal as mist. Rolled in a tube, one bolt weighs mere zhu, women pull out hairpins first to buy banana trees. Banana fibers drawn out by flower needles are like floating silk, even precious silkworms weaving eight times are slow. Zengcheng's Daughter's Kudzu is prized by all, yet Guangli village maidens' banana cloth goes unnoticed."

文化解读/分析

此条目详细记述了清初广东地区种类繁多、各具特色的植物纤维纺织品，尤以葛布为重点，兼及苎麻、蕉布、竹布、藤布、芙蓉布乃至利用废旧渔网制作的罾布等，是研究岭南地区物质文化、传统手工艺、社会经济和民俗风情的重要文献。

1. 地域特色与物产利用： 清晰展示了广东各地（增城、雷州、博罗、潮阳、琼山、新会、四会、仁化、新安等地）因地制宜，利用当地丰富的植物资源（葛、苎麻、芭蕉、竹子、木芙蓉、藤、麻）进行纺织的图景。这反映了岭南地区独特的亚热带、热带自然环境对手工艺生产的影响。
2. 精湛的纺织技艺： 特别突出了“女儿葛”的极端精细（轻薄如蝉翼、可入笔管）及其对特定人群（未嫁少女）技艺的依赖，以及雷州葛布的细滑坚韧。记载了绩丝（以针代手、干捻）、织造（细工）、洗涤保养（梅叶汁、瓦盆、阴干）等具体工艺细节，体现了高超的手工技艺水平。
3. 性别分工与女性角色： 明确指出纺织，尤其是精细织物的生产，主要是妇女的劳作（“女葛”、“雷女”、“蛮娘”、“女红”）。“终岁乃成一疋，以衣其夫”不仅描绘了生产的艰辛，也反映了当时社会男耕女织的模式和女性在家庭经济中的贡献。
4. 经济与贸易： 区分了不同布料的市场定位（女儿葛不入市、雷葛行天下），记录了价格（雷葛百钱一尺），提及了区域间的贸易（本地夏布与外地冬布、棉花的交换，粤布作为贡品或官员贿赂品）。这揭示了清初广东手工业的商品化程度和在区域经济中的地位，同时也反映了本地棉花种植不足，对外部棉布存在依赖。
5. 历史脉络与文化传承： 作者旁征博引，将当时的纺织品与《禹贡》、《汉书》等古籍记载相联系，追溯其悠久历史（如苎麻自上古已有），考证名称源流（葛越、兰干），体现了深厚的文化底蕴和历史传承感。
6. 民俗信仰： 记载了“罾布”的特殊来源（废旧渔网再利用）及其民俗功用（穿着捕鱼不惧风浪、给小儿穿可辟邪），这是典型的将物质生产与民间信仰相结合的例子，具有独特的民俗学价值。
7. 社会批判意识： 作者在记述的同时，也表达了对统治者过度索取（孙｛瓌｝、士燮）导致民不聊生的批判，以及对宋恭帝禁奢举措的赞赏，体现了其关注民生疾苦、反对奢靡浪费的儒家情怀。
8. 多样性与独特性： 全文展现了中原地区罕见的多种南方特色布料，如蕉布、竹布、罾布等，极大地丰富了我们对中国古代纺织品种类和技术的认识，凸显了岭南文化的独特性。

总之，“葛布”条目不仅是对一种或多种物品的描述，更是清初岭南社会经济、文化生活、技术水平和民俗观念的一个缩影。

关键词

葛布, 广东新语, 屈大均, 岭南, 民俗, 纺织, 手工艺, 增城, 女儿葛, 雷州, 雷葛, 苎麻, 蕉布, 竹布, 罾布, 薯莨, 地方物产, 传统技艺, 清代, 广东, 贸易, 经济史, 物质文化, 女性劳动, 渔网布