Former Site of Zhenjiang Cooperative Silkworm Breeding Farm

Former Site of Zhenjiang Cooperative Silkworm Breeding Farm

The former site of the Zhenjiang Cooperative Silkworm Breeding Farm is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Jiangsu Province.

The former site of the Zhenjiang Cooperative Silkworm Breeding Farm is located within the Sibaidu Silkworm Breeding Farm in the western part of the city and the western campus of Jiangsu University of Science and Technology. During the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period, Zhenjiang began to develop its sericulture industry. In the Republican era, the China United Sericulture Improvement Association aimed to breed high-quality silkworm eggs, promote new methods of silkworm rearing, improve the quality of silk products, and boost the national sericulture economy. In the 15th year of the Republic of China (1926), the Zhenjiang Silkworm Egg Production Farm was established in Sibaidu, Zhenjiang. From its inception, the farm achieved remarkable results—its high-quality silkworm breeds were highly welcomed and beneficial to sericulturists across Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Inspired by its success, local gentry successively founded more than ten private silkworm breeding farms, including Yumin, Mingming, Yimin, Ruichang, Junyi, Yongtai, Sanyi, Yong’an, and Nüzhi. Later, to expand the supply of quality silkworm breeds and vigorously promote and popularize scientific silkworm rearing practices, over ten private silkworm breeding farms in Zhenjiang, along with some from Suzhou and Nanjing, were consolidated. With the Zhenjiang Silkworm Egg Production Farm at its core, they formed the Cooperative Silkworm Breeding Farm, which became a national hub for the production of premium silkworm breeds. The distribution of these silkworm breeds expanded from Jiangsu and Zhejiang to Anhui, Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hubei, Sichuan, Guangdong, and even overseas.

A total of 21 existing buildings of the silkworm breeding farm remain: the first major group is located within the former Zhenjiang United Sericulture Improvement Association and Yumin Silkworm Breeding Farm on the current western campus of Jiangsu University of Science and Technology; the second major group is situated within the Zhenjiang Silkworm Breeding Farm. These structures have been well preserved and feature a complete set of facilities for the entire silkworm egg production process—a rarity in China. In 2011, it was designated as a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Jiangsu Province.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Sites