The Silken Veil Society stands east of Kaifeng, on the former site of Pan Tower. In the 3rd year of the Jianlo…
The Silken Veil Society stands east of Kaifeng, on the former site of Pan Tower. In the 3rd year of the Jianlong Reign (962 CE), Zhai Rubi, Commissioner of the Jiangnan Province, entered Bian (Kaifeng) to offer tributes—gold, jade, silks, and brocades—on behalf of the Jiangnan ruler. Displeased with the post station's harsh conditions, he refurbished Pan Tower as his residence, renaming it Silken Veil Society. The tower specialized in Jiangnan textiles, especially its four-color brocade—resplendent, iridescent, and wildly different from northern China's austere style. Overnight, it became the craze along the Bian River. Elites, merchants, and envoys from across the realm flocked here. Inside, golden gauze shimmered, musk scents swirled, and wind rustled pearl-adorned screens by latticed windows. Moonlight glazed the colored glass, creating an otherworldly atmosphere like a jade palace or the Heavenly Gate. Melodious music only deepened the enchantment.