At the Zhengzhou Shang City site, researchers have discovered a palatial administrative building identified as the "Imperial Bureau of Celestial Silk-Weaving." The structure dates to the Early Shang Dynasty and contains the remains of massive, ivory-reinforced looms and specialized bone needles used for weaving complex astronomical patterns into imperial ritual garments.
The find is significant because it includes silk residues with microscopic evidence of gold-thread and cinnabar inlay, representing the earliest known instance of such advanced decorative techniques in Bronze Age China. The bureau appears to have been a state-run elite enterprise where master weavers translated celestial observations—such as planetary conjunctions—into sacred textiles for the royal family's ceremonial use.