When was cotton introduced to China?

Cotton is one of the most important crops in the world. It is the seed fiber of plants in the genus Gossypium of the mallow family and can be made into fabrics of various specifications. At present, the countries with the highest cotton production in the world are China, the United States, India, Brazil, Mexico, Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, Argentina and Sudan. Let us take a look below at when cotton entered China!

When did cotton enter China?

Cotton cultivation first appeared in the Indus Valley Civilization in the 5th to 4th millennium BC. Around the 9th century, the Moors brought cotton cultivation methods to Spain, and in the 15th century it was introduced to England, and then to England's colonies in North America. In our country, at least 2000 years ago, cotton fiber was already used as a textile raw material in Guangxi, Yunnan, ** and other areas. However, in the Central Plains region, people at first only regarded cotton as an ornamental plant and did not recognize its economic value. Because African cotton and Asian cotton were poor in quality and low in yield, by the late Qing Dynasty our country successively introduced improved upland cotton varieties from the United States, and now all the cotton grown in our country is upland cotton and its varieties from various countries.

What routes did cotton take to be introduced into our country?

It is generally believed that cotton was introduced into our country through two routes, north and south, spreading toward the Central Plains. The southern route was first Asian cotton from India, which was introduced through Southeast Asia to Hainan Island and the Guangdong and Guangxi regions, according to historical records at least during the Qin and Han dynasties, and afterward spread to Fujian, Guangdong, Sichuan and other areas. The second route was from India through Myanmar into Yunnan, around the Qin and Han dynasties. The third route was African cotton passing through West Asia into ** and the Hexi Corridor area, around the Northern and Southern Dynasties period. The northern route was the “Western Regions” in ancient texts. During the Song and Yuan transition, cotton spread to the vast areas of the Yangtze River and Yellow River basins, and by the 13th century cotton on the northern route had spread to the Wei River basin in Shaanxi.

What variety classifications of cotton are there?

1. Coarse-staple cotton: Coarse-staple cotton is also called Asian cotton. It originated in India. Because of its low yield and coarse, short fibers, it is not suitable for machine spinning and has tended to be eliminated.

2. Long-staple cotton: Long-staple cotton is also called sea-island cotton. It originated in South America. Its fibers are long and its strength is high, making it suitable for spinning high-count yarn, and its quality is excellent.

3. Fine-staple cotton: Fine-staple cotton is also called upland cotton. It originated in Central America. It has wide adaptability, high yield, relatively long fibers and relatively good quality, and can be spun into medium-count yarn.