China's earliest cotton originated in its southern, southwestern, and northwestern regions. In the Tang–Five …
China's earliest cotton originated in its southern, southwestern, and northwestern regions. In the Tang–Five Dynasties era, it toiled mainly in the western regions and Hexi. Excavations in Xinjiang yield late-Tang cotton fibers and seeds, providing evidence of early regional production.
By the Song Dynasty, cotton spread widely, overtaking hemp as the primary textile fiber.