Conditions of the Female Workers in The Silk-Reeling Industry in China

The silk filature was usually divided into five manufacturing departments: (1) cocoon peeling, (2) cocoon sorting, (3) silk reeling, (4) silk finishing and re-reeling, and (5) waste preparing. The most important department was the silk reeling. The boss in the silk reeling room was known as tsungche. Under him there were several foremen called kwangche. The female workers in the room were divided three groups under a foreman: (1) regular reelers, (2) substitute reelers, (3) basin workers. Substitute reelers took the place of regular reelers when they were absent or took a rest for short time. As for basin workers, played the part of boiling or cocoon. The female workers were recruited, trained, and supervised by the foreman. The method of training was similar to a system of the apprenticeship and supervision was so strict that the workers could not be idependent of the foreman