China is the hometown of embroidery .The
continuous development of the Chinese embroidery craftsmanship and the various
tastes in art of different dynasties. Embroidery, a folk art with a long
tradition, has an important position in the history of Chinese arts and crafts.
Chinese embroidery are so vivid that once you stand before the them, it seems
that you are to be able to smell the fragrance of the flowers, to hear singing
of the birds, to see the scamper of a tiger and the smile of a person（An embroidery tour to China）.
History
of Chinese embroidery
Chinese embroidery has a long history since
Neolithic age. Because of the quality of silk fiber, most Chinese fine
embroideries are made in silk. Some ancient vestiges of silk production have
been found in various Neolithic sites dating back 5,000-6,000 years in China.
Currently the earliest real sample of silk embroidery discovered in China is
from a tomb in Mashan in Hubei province identified with the Zhanguo period (5th-3rd
centuries BC). After the opening of Silk Route in Han Dynasty, the silk
production and trade became flourishing. In 14th century, the Chinese silk
embroidery production reached its high peak. Several major silk embroidery
styles had been developed, like Song Jin (宋锦 Song embroidery)
in Suzhou, Yun Jin (云锦 Cloud embroidery) in Nanjing and Shu Jin (蜀锦 Shu
embroidery) in Sichuan.
Major
styles of Chinese embroidery
Embroidery always accompanies silk and its
development. The most famous embroideries in China are Su embroidery in
Jiangsu, Xiang embroidery in Hunan, Shu embroidery in Sichuan and Yue
embroidery in Guangdong, namely Four Renowned Embroideries.
Su Embroidery
Suzhou Embroidery appeared in the Northern
Song Dynasty and was briefly named Su embroidery. According to history records,
Su embroidery was so popular in the Song dynasty that people even named their
lanes with names concerned with silk and embroidery. Almost every family raised
silkworm and embroidered. Su embroidery reached its peak in Qing dynasty.
Su embroidery has wide range of themes. Its
techniques include single face embroidery and unique double-face embroidery,
which looks the same from either side. Simple composition, clear theme, vivid
image and gentle color are basic features of delicate Su embroidery. Now it
even absorbs some western painting techniques.
Xiang Embroidery
Combining merits of Su embroidery and Yue
embroidery with local embroidery, Xiang embroidery came into being in the later
Qing dynasty. However, Hunan's local embroidery had a long history.
Archeologists have discovered fine silk embroidery items in the Chu and Han
Tombs, which were both more than 2,000 years ago.
Compare with the other embroideries, it is
unique in style. Its unique embroidery techniques facilitate tiger patterns
embroidery, which Xiang embroidery is famous for. Although it features
techniques of painting, engraving, calligraphy and embroidery, it is generally
based on the Chinese painting. Now, it has developed a new unmatched embroidery
product - Double-face and Different Images Embroidery, which features different
images and colors on each side of the transparent chiffon.
Shu Embroidery
As it is mainly produced around Chengdu,
Sichuan province, it is also called Chuan Embroidery. It has a long history
although it formed a style in the middle of the Qing dynasty. The materials
adopted for such embroidery are local-produced soft satin and colorful threads.
The threads are neatly and thickly used and the colors are elaborately
arranged. It is characterized by even stitches, bright threads, closeness and
softness in texture, delicate needling. Its theme covers mainly animals and
plants in the nature, especially adept at embroidering pandas and fish. The
embroidered products include mirror curtain, wedding dress, hats and shoes
etc., with the main themes of auspicious happiness.
Yue Embroidery
It is also called Cantonese Embroidery for
it is produced in Guangdong province. It is said that it was created by a
minority people in the middle and at the end of the Ming dynasty. A variety of
threads are used, including thread twisted from the peacock quill and down
thread from the horsetail. The whole piece is bright in color with gold thread
as the contour for embroidering complicated patterns, looking splendid. Such
themes are usually employed as A Hundred Birds Displaying Homage to The
Phoenix, marine products and melons.
Do you fall in love with the fascinating Chinese
embroidery? Why not book a holiday tour to China to enjoy the real embroidery!
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