This beautiful book accompanied a spectacular exhibition of the same name, taking place at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from 31 July to 24 October 2004. Focusing on a seldom-seen aspect of the arts of China, this catalogue to the exhibition contains over 80 full-colour images of exquisite silk textiles made in China for use at the imperial court, or as temple offerings in mainland China or Tibet. No single product better evokes the image and exoticism of China than silk, for it was this material which gave its name to the exotic and fabled Silk Road. At the time of those first tentative trading contracts between the classical world of the Eastern Mediterranean and far-distant China some 2000 years ago, 'seres' (silk) was the name by which the Chinese were known. The works reproduced in Celestial Silks vary from extraordinarily rich Imperial dragon robes, Daoist priest robes, to temple hangings and hierarchical badges of rank. They all illustrate with glorious richness one of China's defining artistic traditions.