The diagrams illustrate the life cycle of a silkworm and the process of producing silk cloth.
Overall, the life cycle of the silkworm involves four main stages: eggs, larva, cocoon, and adult moth. In contrast, silk cloth production consists of five key steps: selecting, boiling, unwinding, twisting, and weaving.
The life cycle begins when female moths lay eggs on mulberry leaves. After approximately ten days, the eggs hatch into larvae, which feed on mulberry leaves to grow. Over four to six weeks, the larvae produce silk threads and spin themselves into cocoons within three to six days. Finally, after 16 days, the cocoon hatches, and an adult moth emerges, restarting the cycle.
In the silk production process, selected silk cocoons are boiled in hot water to loosen the threads. The softened threads, which range from 300 to 900 meters in length, are then unwound to create silk strands. These strands are twisted to form thicker silk yarn, which is subsequently woven into fabric. Finally, the woven cloth is dyed to complete the manufacturing process.