Wore it over a teal dress and the colours picked each other up perfectly.
Tang Heritage
Dunhuang Five Elements Printed Mulberry Silk Shawl / Scarf
Dunhuang Five Elements Printed Mulberry Silk Shawl / Scarf
Regular price
$260.80 USD
Regular price
Sale price
$260.80 USD
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The name Dunhuang (敦煌) means "great and radiant", a fitting name for the oasis city that stood for more than 2,000 years at the meeting point of the Silk Road. Here, Chinese tradition absorbed the art of India, Persia and Greece, and the painted caves of Dunhuang became one of the great treasuries of the ancient world. This shawl draws on that legacy through the Five Elements (五行) of metal, wood, water, fire and earth, the ancient system through which Chinese thought understood colour, season and the balance of all things. Each of the five designs gives one element its own palette, painted in sweeping ribbons that recall the flying apsaras (飞天) of the cave murals, whose streaming scarves carried them across the heavens.
Key Features
- The Five Elements: Each design interprets a single element through the palette of the Dunhuang murals: gilded sand for metal, jade green for wood, deep blue for water, fired red for fire, and soft ochre for earth.
- Flying Apsara Ribbons: Brushed, flowing lines echo the celestial ribbons of the flying apsaras, the airborne musicians and dancers painted across the Mogao Caves.
- Mural Textures: Speckled pigments and layered washes recall the weathered surfaces of cave paintings, softened by centuries of desert light.
- Clear Print, Rich Colour: Fine linework and saturated tones are rendered with clarity across the full length of the silk.
- Sun Protection: Independently tested to UPF 50+, offering graceful cover on bright days.
How to Wear
Drape it loosely over the shoulders as a light shawl for evening, or wrap it once around the neck and let the long ends fall for daytime. Knotted at the collarbone, it brings colour to a plain dress or shirt. In the sun, it can be worn over the shoulders or loosely over the hair for gentle protection.
A Gift Ready to Give
Each shawl arrives folded in a red Tang Heritage gift box, ready to be given for birthdays, festivals, or as a thoughtful gesture of thanks. The piece is presented with care, so it can be given just as it is.
Materials & Details
- Fabric: 100% mulberry silk (桑蚕丝)
- Weave: 14 momme silk satin (素绉缎), with a soft lustre and fluid drape
- Finish: Rolled hem, secured with fine triangle stitching
- Dimensions: 180 × 65 cm
- Sun protection: UPF 50+, independently tested
- Presentation: Red Tang Heritage gift box
- Available in five designs: Metal · Gilded Sands, Wood · Drifting Jade, Water · Mural Light, Fire · Flame in the Wind, and Earth · Cloud Raiment.
Care
- Do not machine wash; regular dry cleaning is recommended.
- Do not bleach.
- Do not tumble dry.
- Iron at low temperature, avoiding direct contact with heat above 110°C; avoid steam, which can mark the silk.
- Dry naturally in a cool, shaded place.
Heritage Refund Policy: 30 Days of Confidence
Customer Reviews
Overall rating: 4.9 / 5 from 31 reviews.
The navy watercolour effect on white is stunning up close. You can see where the colour bleeds and pools like real ink on paper, and it changes depending on how the light hits it. Much more interesting than a flat print.
Colours are vivid in person, much more so than on screen.
The box has the print design on the lid, which is a lovely touch.
The movement when you walk is beautiful. Really flows.
Gorgeous pastels
Muted blues, very calming. Beautiful piece.
Wore it over my head in the sun and it stayed put. Doesnt slip like some silk.
Lovely print and good quality silk. A little sheerer than I expected, so I layer it.
Goes perfectly with a straw hat for holidays. Very summery.
Refined colours, nothing loud. Exactly what I wanted.
so light it floats. love it
The blue and pink is beautiful in a garden. Photographs really well.
Came in a gift bag and box. Lovely presentation.
Packed it for a trip and wore it constantly. Takes up no room.
The pastel colourway is so soft. Very pretty.
Took this to the coast and it was ideal. Light enough for the heat but it broke the wind coming off the water, and it dried in minutes when it got splashed. The orange looks incredible against the sea.
Print is sharp with no bleeding between the colours. Really well done.
So chic. Instantly elevates a plain dress.
light and cool, perfect for warm days
Elegant without being formal. Works for day or evening.
Long enough to hang properly. Lovely weight.
The teal and orange together is unusual and gorgeous. Gets noticed every time.
Boxed beautifully. A proper gift item.
Beautiful print and drapes well. Bit more orange than the photo suggested, but it grew on me.
Big enough that I tied it as a top for the beach. Very versatile.
Colour is even richer in daylight.
The rust orange is bold but wearable. Really striking.
Modern and artistic. Not floral, which is what I wanted.
Looks like a painting. Very unusual print.
The blues and oranges blend into each other beautifully. Like a watercolour.