The Cultural Connotations and Industrial Development of the Nanjing Cloud-pattern Brocade

. As a traditional art of Nanjing, Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade is listed on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO and is also a national intangible cultural heritage. This paper summarizes the aesthetic characteristics and cultural connotations of the Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade by combing its development in Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, to provide a reference for the innovation of the modern Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade. At the same time, given the cultural and product attributes of the Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade, an intensive industrialization path led by the government is proposed. After analyzing the current industrial situation of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade facing misaligned consumer demand, small scale, insufficient funds, shortage of professionals and low brand recognition, a branding strategy for creating Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade cultural IP is proposed.


Introduction
Silk and Chinese civilization go hand in hand, and the Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade is an important part of silk.Brocade refers to a wide range of silk fabrics with various color patterns.Compared with other silk fabrics, brocade is a valuable silk fabric in ancient China because of its high weaving requirements and difficulty in weaving.cloud-pattern brocade is figured silk produced in Nanjing.There is a debate in academic circles about the origin of the Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade.Huang Nengfu believes that the origin of the Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade is from the 3rd century to the 5th century AD, and the official birth of the Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade is marked by Liu Yu's setting up of the Brocade Office in Nanjing.Therefore, he believes that Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade was produced in the late Eastern Jin Dynasty, flourished during the Yuan Dynasty, and reached its peak of development during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which is supported by Jiang Zanchi .In the history of the Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade, Xu Zhongjie proposed that Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade originated in the early Yuan Dynasty.Some scholars believe that cloud-pattern brocade originated in the late Song Dynasty and was developed on the basis of Song brocade.In terms of the making process, cloud-pattern brocade refers to the colored weft and flower made of gold and silver threads interwoven with warp satin and weft satin, and some use a partial cutwork process.The techniques of warp brocade and weft brocade used in cloud-pattern brocade were developed during the Six Dynasties in China, and the warp brocade and weft brocade also developed into Sichuan figured satin and Song brocade.Therefore, the techniques of cloud-pattern brocade were borrowed from Sichuan figured satin brocade and Song brocade.However, one of the most important features of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade is the use of gold thread to decorate the silk fabric pattern.This unique manual digging and weaving technique allows the pattern on any part of the fabric to change different threads and colors, and this technique and pattern feature began in the Yuan Dynasty.Therefore, this paper suggests that Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade was formed in the Yuan Dynasty and flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.According to "History of Yuan", the climate in northern China was dry and windy, and the texture and thickness of cloud-pattern brocade could meet the needs of people in Mongolia for practical functions of woven goods.At the same time, the rulers of Yuan dynasty inherited the official uniform system and the habit of using gold of the Jing people, not only the robes of the supreme ruler and the hundred officials were made of weaving gold fabric, but also the tents of officials above the third class were made of weaving gold fabric.As can be seen, the ruling class in Yuan dynasty fondness for gold, making the Yuan dynasty began to be popular with silk fabrics with gold, and the production of brocade from the preoccupation with color matching to the reverence for the use of gold, which is a major shift in the decoration and production of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade and this shift has improved the requirements of the weaving technology.Therefore, embroidery weaving institutions were established in various regions during the Yuan dynasty.Every year, it needs to spend lots of materials, financial and human resources to produce the dragon robes, dragon clothes, and all kinds of brocades needed by the royal family.Nanjing set up a weaving institution exclusively for the royal family, which played an important role in laying the groundwork for the development of Nanjing brocade weaving process.In the Ming Dynasty, the gold thread production technology of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade made great development, creating new varieties such as "Zhi Jin" and "Zhuang Hua", which formed the characteristics of Nanjing cloudpattern brocade.However, the central weaving bureau was unable to meet the large demand of the royal family for cloud-pattern brocade, which led to the development of local weaving bureaus.The cloud-pattern brocade reached its peak in the Qing Dynasty.
As mentioned above, with the development of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, Nanjing cloudpattern brocade gradually became a tribute to the imperial family.The monopoly of the royal family, which could directly possess the Fructus Industriales without any input, ensured the prosperity of the production of cloud-pattern brocade, and on the other hand, caused the inability of cloud-pattern brocade to flow into the market as a commodity.With the fall and eventual collapse of the feudal dynasty, the monopolistic demand for cloud-pattern brocade eventually disappeared, and by the Republican period of China, the production of cloud-pattern brocade stagnated and the number of brocade looms in Nanjing was cut from 30,000 in its heyday to 4. The social and economic value of cloud-pattern brocade gradually disappeared.Until 2009, cloud-pattern brocade was inscribed on the United Nations List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and its social value, cultural value and industrial development gained people's attention.
As a carrier of traditional culture, Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade is one of the symbols of Chinese culture, which is formed under the influence of multiple factors such as national temperament, history, culture, religion and customs, reflecting the aesthetic style and clothing rituals of people in different times and classes.As a high-quality silk fabric for the exclusive use of the emperors, princes and nobles, cloud-pattern brocade has the attribute of "divine right of kings" for the ruling class and this is the most important and special cultural connotation of cloud-pattern brocade.By studying the aesthetic characteristics of motifs on cloud-pattern brocade and analyzing the concept of strict hierarchy during the feudal period and traditional Chinese history and culture, this paper summarizes the problems faced by the cloud-pattern brocade industry by sorting out the development of modern cloud-pattern brocade art and proposes strategies to promote the development of the cloud-pattern brocade industry and foresees the industrial development trend of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade.

The artistic characteristics and cultural connotations of cloud-pattern brocade in different periods
Cloud-pattern brocade is woven with precious materials such as gold thread, silver thread, and silk, and it is supplemented with various bird and animal feathers to make it more splendid and unique.The patterns and colors of cloud-pattern brocade are the souls of it.The patterns used in cloud-pattern brocade include animals, such as sacred animals (dragon, phoenix, unicorn), wild birds (black bird, peacock, phoenix, wild goose), beasts (lion, deer, elephant), insects (butterfly, bee), etc., plant patterns: flowers (daffodils, magnolias, lotus, chrysanthemums, lilies, peonies, hibiscus), fruit and vegetable patterns: peach, grape, pomegranate, Buddha's hand, persimmon, pumpkin, gourd, grass and trees patterns: Ganoderma lucidum, pine tree, plantain, bamboo, and also, musical instruments, character patterns, geometric patterns, cloud patterns, etc. .Various patterns are combined together to form a composition style of left-right symmetry, front-to-back, height-to-bottom, size-to-size, and truth-to-fiction.
The patterns of cloud-pattern brocade in the Yuan dynasty are bold, sparse and simple, with flowers and plants in the subject matter and fewer characters and focus on the performance of the story, making the patterns not only decorative but also enable people to appreciate some plot content, thus increasing the connotation of the patterns themselves.During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the patterns of cloud-pattern brocade were more abundant, and people used some figurative or abstract objects to create motifs and used symbols and similes to enrich the composition of cloud-pattern brocade, so as to send people's good hopes.The official clothes worn by the emperor, empress, prince, concubines, ministers and civil and military officials in the Ming and Qing dynasties were called coveralls.The patterns of colored silk and gold threads woven on the coverall were called Bu Zi.The Bu Zi was a symbol of the status of emperors, ministers, and civil and military officials in the Ming and Qing dynasties.Craftsmen used harmonics and symbols to express different meanings of Bu Zi so that cloud-pattern brocade was not only a dress but also a symbol of the system and culture of the Ming and Qing dynasties.As shown in Table 1, the main patterns of the Mandarin square and their connotations for different official ranks in the Ming and Qing dynasties are sorted out.

First-class civil official
Ming dynasty

Grus japonensis
The Grus japonensis is an auspicious and elegant bird with an unusual temperament.It is the number of immortals, a symbol of longevity, second only to the phoenix in status, and symbolizes an official with an elegant, honest, that is admired by all.

Qing dynasty
Second-class civil official

Ming dynasty Golden pheasant
The golden pheasant is used to symbolize an official who is not afraid of death and has ambition and backbone.

Third-class civil official
Ming dynasty Peacock It means that the officials can be like peacocks, with self-respect, self-love and loyalty to the emperor.

Ming dynasty
Wild goose It represents sincerity and keeping promises, reminding officials to honor their promises.Qing dynasty

Ming dynasty Lophura nycthemera
It is good at walking, not flying, indicating calmness and relaxation.

Qing dynasty Egret
The egret is a metaphor for a hermit who is indifferent to fame and fortune, and the orderly flight of the egret is a metaphor for the orderly work of the official.

Ming dynasty Egret As above Qing dynasty
As above

Seventh-class civil official
Ming dynasty

Xi Chi
It is a water bird with colorful feathers, male and females follow each other to sleep, fly and swim together, meaning that officials should be united and loyal to the emperor.

Qing dynasty
Eighth-class civil official

Ming dynasty Oriole
The oriole is a symbol of spring, a time when everything grows, and means that officials should take care of people's livelihood.

Qing dynasty Quail
The quail symbolizes simplicity, straightforwardness and loyalty to duty.It is a symbol of inspiration,beautiful life and peace, prompting local officials to ensure peace in the areas under their jurisdiction.

Ninth-class civil official
Ming dynasty Quail As above

Qing dynasty Terpsiphone atrocaudata
The ancients used to tie curtains and seal rings with ribbons of different colors to indicate different official ranks.

First-class military official Ming dynasty Lion
The lion symbolizes power and wealth.It can be tamed, implying that ancient officials can be as brave and tenacious as the lion and know how to repay the favor and serve the emperor.

Qing dynasty Unicorn
It symbolizes an ancient general who is brave and decisive with benevolence, righteousness, wisdom and positive energy.

Lion
The lion symbolizes power and wealth.It can be tamed, implying that ancient officials can be as brave and tenacious as the lion and know how to repay the favor and serve the emperor.

Qing dynasty
Third-class military official

Ming dynasty Tiger
In ancient China, the dragon and the tiger were once worshipped, and the tiger was regarded to guard the house, and therefore was widely revered as a god of good luck and protection.The tiger denotes majesty and is associated with the army.

Qing dynasty Leopard
The majesty of the leopard and the beauty of the leopard print are revered by traditional Chinese culture.In ancient times, the process of maturing the leopard was compared to the cultivation of a gentleman's habit, signifying a morally noble person.

Ming dynasty
Leopard As above

Qing dynasty Tiger
In ancient China, the dragon and the tiger were once worshipped, and the tiger was regarded to guard the house, and therefore was widely revered as a god of good luck and protection.The tiger denotes majesty and is associated with the army.

Bear
In traditional Chinese culture, a bear is a metaphor for a brave warrior, describing a military official who is physically strong and good at military affairs and strategy.

Qing dynasty
Sixth The artisan used the horse as a reference to create an animal that could run on the sea, which is an expression that deified the horse.The horse runs quickly and is a symbol of victory.The generals need to ride horses to fight battles, and horses signify warriors who serve on the battlefields.

Qing dynasty
It can be seen that during the Ming and Qing dynasties, the main patterns of the Buzi were simple and clear, and the symbolic meaning of the patterns was very definite.Different animals were used to distinguish the official rank (Figure 1), but the division in the Qing dynasty was more stringent.The main pattern of the Bu Zi is in the center of the picture, and the heads of the patterns are all facing the sun or flaming pattern (Figure 2).The sun has its specific political meaning in ancient China.The eyes on patterns facing the sun mean sincerely serving the Son of Heaven, reflecting the hierarchy of rulers and ministers.Compared with the Ming dynasty, the number of auspicious patterns increased in the Qing dynasty, indicating that the Bu Zi added the meaning of praying for blessings and good fortune.At the same time, the workmanship is also more exquisite, reflecting the prosperity of the social economy and the progress of arts and crafts.The Qing Dynasty added the round Bu Zi.It was mainly used for royal relatives and women in order to express the difference within and out of the royal family, or metaphorical unity and success.
The patterns in cloud-pattern brocade reflect the ancient Chinese idea of the divine right of kings, and we can see from the patterns of cloud-pattern brocade the strict hierarchical view of feudal society with different official ranks of civil and military officials wearing cloud-pattern brocade with different motifs, and the emperor being the highest rank.The emperors considered themselves the "Emperor" and the "dragon" was the symbol of imperial power, so they used a lot of "dragon" images on their costumes.In the patterns of cloud-pattern brocade, the "dragon" is particularly striking with twelve patterns around, such as the sun, moon, stars, mountains and fire, implying that the emperor was a symbol of supremacy and domination over all directions.Only the emperor can use the "dragon" and feudal society constantly reinforced the order to ban dragon patterns for all officials.For example, in the Qing dynasty, the officials and the people who violated the ban on the use of dragon patterns were each punished with a hundred sticks and exiled for three years; the craftsmen were punished with a hundred sticks and sold them with a hundred sticks.Therefore, the traditional cloud-pattern brocade was a symbol of social hierarchy, and was one of the tools of the ritual system to "distinguish the superior from the inferior".This also indicates that the motifs of cloud-pattern brocade reflect the profound influence of Confucianism on the Chinese ritual system.
In addition, the theory that man is an integral part of nature in Taoist culture also influenced Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade.The craftsmen follow the concepts of "harmonious" and "artistic conception" when composing, summarizing, refining and promoting patterns.Each piece of work strives to achieve the harmony of the subject and the object.For example, in the "phoenix playing with peony", two phoenixes fly around the peony.The relationship between the phoenix and the flower is handled in an intimate and natural way, highlighting the theme of "play" .Nanjing cloudpattern brocade integrates patterns and auspicious culture, expressing the design ideas centered on the auspicious culture of China, such as "power, joy, wealth, fortune, prosperity, and longevity" which were painted into beautiful shapes.In cloud-pattern brocade patterns, the phoenix has an auspicious meaning, and the dragon and phoenix are used as auspicious patterns to signify auspicious and happy things.The peony, a symbol of wealth and nobility, the pomegranate, a symbol of fertility, and the lotus flower, a symbol of love and fidelity, are used in the cloud-pattern brocade to reflect the pursuit of auspicious culture in ancient China.It also forms the traditional Chinese folk culture.
In summary, the cloud-pattern brocade reflects our traditional thought, national culture and foreign exchange; for example, during the Golden Age of Three Emperors, the cloud-pattern brocade was infused with the Rococo style (Figure 3) under the influence of the European culture.Along with the end of feudal society, the powerful and noble class served by Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade gradually disappeared, making it lose its survival environment.After studying the development of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, this paper finds that the demand of the ruling class for Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade, the technological renewal of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade, the aesthetic characteristics of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade were the reasons for the flourishing of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade, which also led to the difficulties faced by the modern cloud-pattern brocade industry.

The development status of the modern cloud-pattern brocade industry 3.1 Reasons limiting the development of modern Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade industry
Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade, as a representative of traditional silk handicrafts in China, has a very complex production process, which is divided into pattern design, making pattern samples, raw material preparation, making machines and weaving.The production of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade required jacquard looms and each loom was operated by two people.Until 1956, the Zhuang Hua needed to be woven by hand using traditional weaving, and even the most skilled craftsmen could only produce 3-5 centimeters of brocade a day with one machine.It took months or even years to produce a single piece of cloud-pattern brocade from the collection of raw materials to the final production.
The raw materials for cloud-pattern brocade are gold, mulberry silk, and peacock feathers, which are made in order to form the cloud-patten brocade fabric.For example, the gold thread is made by repeatedly beating the gold pieces into gold foil, then cutting the gold foil into silk threads, and finally twisting them into gold threads, which shows that the raw materials of cloud-pattern brocade are costly and the production process is complicated and tedious.Unlike ordinary folk textiles, Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade shows the regal atmosphere, and the solemn and majestic atmosphere it creates highlights the theme and symbolic meaning of dignity and auspiciousness, making it a strong artwork attribute.With the change of people's aesthetics, contemporary people advocate nature and prefer a simple lifestyle, while the expensive and complicated style of traditional Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade leads people to rarely use clothes made of cloud-pattern brocade as daily wear, but if the graceful and luxurious expression is abandoned, then Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade will lose its characteristics.It is clear that the traditional artistic characteristics of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade do not fit perfectly with the current aesthetic trends.In addition, there are many varieties of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade with thick and dense structure due to the process.The fabric structure is wear-resistant and firm, windproof and cold-resistant, and is only suitable for people living in cold regions.The traditional cloud-pattern brocade is less malleable than other silk fabrics.Therefore, this paper argues that the difference between people's changing aesthetics and the unique aesthetic characteristics of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade, the longer production cycle, the higher cost, and the material of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade restrict its development.

The development dilemma of modern Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade industry
At present, Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade industry is facing the status of small scale, insufficient capital, shortage of professional talents and low brand recognition.Cloud-pattern brocade is a special cultural product with great technical difficulty, high production cost and disproportionate input to output.It is very difficult to rely on enterprise power to increase the economic benefits of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade in the short term.Most of the Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade enterprises are limited by equipment, human and financial resources, and are unable to develop new products according to market changes and consumer demands, making them less and less resilient and competitive to the market.Although the government has given partial policy support and economic subsidies to units and individuals that are dedicated to the inheritance and protection of cloud-pattern brocade, these phased subsidies cannot support the long-term development of Nanjing's cloud-pattern brocade industry.
The cloud-pattern brocade is not only a commodity but also intangible cultural heritage.The techniques of making cloud-pattern brocade are formed in the minds of the craftsmen and passed on by word of mouth, which makes a gap in the inheritance of cloud-pattern brocade.Many old Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade artists have a very comprehensive knowledge of all the processes of cloudpattern brocade weaving, but they are influenced by the concept of inheritance and do not necessarily pass on all the core techniques, especially some of their personal know-how and experience.The conservative concept of inheritance has led to the gradual loss of many core techniques of cloudpattern brocade.In addition, for the young people of today, the work of making cloud-pattern brocade is boring and tedious, and the income is not proportional to the effort.As a result, it does not attract young people to pass on the skills, and there is a gradual loss of those who choose to learn cloudpattern brocade skills.

Strategies for the development of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade industry
In a highly developed commodity economy, only by realizing the social, cultural and economic values of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade can this art, which has existed for more than 1500 years, be preserved and passed on.At present, research on cloud-pattern brocade has focused on the conservation and development of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade, with emphasis on its social value, cultural connotation, and design innovation, but less research has been conducted on the development path and strategy of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade industry as a commodity and from the perspective of the industrial chain.This paper believes that industrialization is an effective way to realize the economic benefits of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade.
First of all, the industrialization of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade needs to set a goal, and Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade, as intangible cultural heritage, cannot be ignored its cultural function, economic benefit and social value.Therefore, the goal of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade industrialization is to combine economic benefits with social and cultural benefits.This also determines that the Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade industry cannot run completely according to the market mechanism.Therefore, this paper argues that the development model of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade industrialization is an intensive business model led by the government.Relying on the Nanjing area, a Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade industry cluster is created, integrating producers engaged in Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade materials, design and production enterprises of finished products and sales enterprises.Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade institute Ltd. extends to the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain through property rights or contractual relationships, brand licensing, etc., attracts high-quality enterprises in the industrial chain to join, and optimizes the allocation of resources in the industrial chain through a virtuous cycle of logistics, information flow and capital flow, specialized division of labor and integrated operation.At the same time, the status of small and scattered enterprises and miscellaneous brands of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade will be transformed into a brand cluster with Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade as the core, and the state will carry out special funding to support the integration effect of regional industrial clusters to obtain the scale effect and brand influence.
Secondly, in the process of forming brand influence, on the one hand, we should strengthen the cultural IP of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade and cooperate with other industries across borders to create the story of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade.In 2021, Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade research institute cooperated with a popular game to create a cloud-pattern brocade Duan Yi suit with reference to the dress of Empress Xiao Duan Xian of Ming Dynasty, presenting Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade in a young form.And it took 8 months to weave the physical version, which attracted consumers' attention.However, this paper believes that relying on cooperation with the game to create cloudpattern brocade costumes can only form a temporary effect to promote the culture of cloud-pattern brocade.To form the cultural influence of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade, we need to deepen its cultural connotation of it.The products of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade are clothes, patterns, etc., but its core product is Chinese culture.The Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade records the history of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, and records the once thriving Jiangning Manufacturing Bureau, which reminds people of the Dream of the Red Chamber, these are the culture and history carried by Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade.Therefore, Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade can be designed as twins wearing clothes made of cloud-pattern brocade, The twins are called Cloud sister and Brocade sister.The sisters are craftsmen who are proficient in cloud-pattern brocade weaving, people can travel back to the prosperous period of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade led by them.We can use VR technology to create different scenes, such as the Jiangning Manufacturing Bureau scene, the classic scene in the Dream of the Red Chamber and rituals and weddings scenes of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, and through the design of different scenes to increase the consumer experience and the continuous cultural output of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade.In addition, we also rely on the new media to serialize long graphic articles and cartoons of the Cloud sister and the Brocade sister, and make stickers of them to interact with consumers and enhance their stickiness and loyalty.We will create Nanjing Barbie dolls out of Cloud sister and Brocade sister, and make different types of paper cloudpattern brocade clothes so that consumers can make up their favorite trendy wear of cloud-pattern brocade according to their own preferences.Using Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade in the process of the historical development of famous people's homes, monuments, ancient brocade and a large number of treasures recovered by the cloud-pattern brocade Institute, etc., to create an immersion experience of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade, develop experience tourism products about Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade, for example, consumers can experience reeling, gold and silver thread production process, so that their experience is not limited to the cloud-pattern brocade museum and form a "civilian" route of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade culture dissemination.It enables more consumers to get in touch with Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade, cultivating their brand awareness, thus enhancing the brand recognition of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade and forming its cultural benefits of it.
Although Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade has been used by the royal family since the Yuan Dynasty, the motifs of cloud-pattern brocade have incorporated the aesthetic preferences and interests of the people.The cloud-pattern brocade is the creation of ordinary people, and this has inspired the design of modern Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade.As mentioned above, the artistic aesthetics of ancient Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade has failed to meet the aesthetic needs of contemporary people due to the change of aesthetic interests, which reflects the diversity of people's needs and culture.Therefore, the product innovation of modern Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade should be based on maintaining the traditional Chinese culture and add popular elements to show the fashionable and trendy product value of modern Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade and reflect the diversified and open cultural characteristics of Chinese people.Take clothing as an example, Chinese elements such as "dragon", "phoenix", "flowers and plants" and "auspicious clouds", which are rich in historical and cultural backgrounds, are extracted and embroidered on the collar, chest, back and waist to satisfy the subconscious psychological demand for luxury and nobility (Figure 4).In the design and marketing of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade clothing, we should reflect the connection and relationship between the series of clothing, highlight the overall image of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade clothing, and make good use of its cultural IP.For example, when launching the Unicorn series of apparel and single products, we should firstly launch the cloud-pattern brocade Unicorn IP, anthropomorphize or animate the Unicorn, and tell the story of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade and the creation process of these products in the tone of the Unicorn, which improves the fun and purchase scenarios of the products.

Fig.4 Modern costume design of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade
In order to adapt to the changing needs of consumers, in 2021, Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade research institute has expanded three new industrial lines, the first is cloud-pattern brocade artwork mainly for collection and appreciation, the second is cloud-pattern brocade + lifestyle, such as cloudpattern brocade + leather goods, cloud-pattern brocade + tea sets, cloud-pattern brocade + incense sets, etc., which will introduce Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade into life and make cloud-pattern brocade younger and trendier, the third is to launch various cultural and creative products with cloudpattern brocade elements.The "cloud-pattern brocade +" and "cloud-pattern brocade elements" have become the latest direction of expansion and new economic growth point of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade.These three industrial lines can form the scale economy of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade, and the industrial pattern of cloud-pattern brocade clothing, cloud-pattern brocade artwork, cloudpattern brocade cultural and creative products form a situation that middle-end and high-end product lines co-exist.At this stage, the trend of industrialization of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade is to focus on mid-range products.However, according to the data in the China Luxury Market Report 2021, the size of China's personal luxury market reached nearly $73.6 billion (about RMB 471 billion) in 2021, an increase of 36% year-on-year.China may become the world's largest luxury market in 2025, the age of the main consumers in the luxury market is between 25-40 years old, and 43% of young Chinese consumers believe that buying local high-end products gives them a sense of identity.Therefore, with the expansion of China's luxury market, young consumers gradually become the main force of consumption, and the rise of national trendy brands, consumers' identification with local brands have also increased.Therefore, on the basis of consolidating the mid-range product line, Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade needs to pay more attention to the development of high-end products, such as high-end clothes and wedding dress, not only to carry out cooperation with internationally famous designers, but also to establish a team of designers, strengthen the introduction, train designer talents, improve the overall level of designers and create Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade products with national characteristics of the new era.It is also essential to pay attention to the protection of intellectual property rights, form the benefits of the intellectual property system, and promote the core of Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade cultural IP, the synergistic development of cultural and economic benefits.

Fig. 1
Fig.1 The Bu Zi of the first-class civil official in Ming Dynasty

Fig. 2
Fig.2 The Bu Zi of the first-class civil official in Qing Dynasty

Fig. 3
Fig.3 Nanjing cloud-pattern brocade in western style

Table 1 .
The Buzi of the Ming and Qing dynasties