Chinese embroidery refers to embroidery created by any of the cultures located in the area that makes up modern China. It is some of the oldest extant needlework. The four major regional styles of Chinese embroidery are Suzhou embroidery (Su Xiu), Hunan embroidery (Xiang Xiu), Guangdong embroidery (Yue Xiu) and Sichuan embroidery (Shu Xiu).
The birth of Chinese embroidery is said to be in the Neolithic Period, in about 6000-5000BC.However, we don't have valid evidence, i.e. embroidery pieces, to buttress the saying, except for archeological findings of the wall painting and embroidery equipments. In the Spring and Autumn Period(770-403BC), the art of embroidery was already quite mature, as proven in a large quantity of historical relics unearthed in the past hundred years or so(A concrete piece of embroidery crafts was first found in present Hubei Province,where I and my group members currently live ,from a king's tomb.). Themes ofembroidery in this period include exaggerated figures of dragon, phoenix and tiger, interspersed with flowers, foliage or geometrical shapes.There is often a great sense of rhythm brought out by the vivid animal figures, the decorative patterns, and the richness and harmony of colors.
Entering the Qin(221-206BC) and Han(202BC-220AD) Dynasties, embroidery reached a new height. What deserves special mention is the workshop set up in Linzi, capital of the Qi Kingdom, dedicated exclusively to the making of official court uniforms. Thousands of weavers were hired, and no cost was spared. Not only the royal family had the whole house dress in brocade and their horses and dogs clad in woolen dress, but all the rich wore what was called the “five colored brocade” and decorated their furniture with silks and embroideries. By the end of the late Han Dynasty, Buddhism became increasingly popular in China. Embroidery of Buddha’s portrait remained popular all the way through the Tang Dynasty(618-907AD). This kind of embroidered Buddha can still be seen in museums in England and in Japan, acclaimed for the fine craftsmanship and dazzling colors. Another great achievement of the Tang embroidery art is the invention of a new stitch – the satin stitch, which is popular until the present day. This new stitch brought more freedom to the artist, and brought about a new era of embroidery.
The Song Dynasty(960-1279AD) marks the peak of Chinese embroidery, both in terms of quality and quantity. The refinement of embroidery in the Tang and Song Dynasties was determined by the social environment of that time. In a time of clear division of labor between men and women with men ploughing and women weaving, all women were required to learn needlecraft. Embroidery was a basic skill, aprerequisite for a woman to be accepted by society, and at the same time an elegant pastime, hobby from which women of leisure cultivated their artistic taste and creativity. The function of embroidery can be classified into daily necessities and art pieces intended strictly for artistic appreciation. Even the intelligentsia participated in the creative process of fine embroidery, which often borrowed ideas from painters before it was completed by artisans.
The revival of folk handicraft in the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644AD) injected new vitality into the technique and production of embroidery. Individuals and households talented in embroidery became famous for their crafts, and both the demand and usage of embroidery increased. Practical embroidery pieces became better in quality, finer in material, and more skilled in techniques. In the Ming and later Qing Dynasties(1644-1911AD), embroidery reached its peak in popularity. In the two hundred plus years of the Qing Dynasty, local schools of embroidery appeared like bamboo shoots after the rain, the most famous being Suzhou, Guangdong, Sichuan, Hunan, Beijing and Shandong schools. In addition to their local flavors, these schools all borrowed from other ethnic cultures.
Today, fashion comes and goes, and machines have replaced the human hand in many ways. Fortunately, the art and craft of embroidery have been preserved as China’s great cultural heritage. Besides the local embroidery schools, many ethnic minority people have their own beautiful embroidery, such as the Uygur, the Yi, the Dai, the Bouyi, the Kazak, the Yao, the Miao, the Tujia, the Jingpo, the Dong, the Bai, the Zhuang, the Mongolian, and the Tibetan people. Embroidery is not only found in garments and home furnishings, but also exists on their own as a unique art form that has incorporated the character of Chinese painting and calligraphy.
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It's very interesting to see the art forms of different cultures.
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