Suzhou embroidery, a handicraft that uses needles and thread to draw on silk, has a history of more than 2,000 years and is called “the essence of oriental art”. Originating from Suzhou area and developing to the whole Jiangsu Province, it is the first of China’s four famous embroideries. On May 20, 2006, it was listed in the first batch of national nonmaterial cultural heritage list of China.
In Jiangsu area, the land is fertile, the climate is mild, the silkworm industry is flourishing, and the silk is abound. Since ancient times, it has been the “land of splendid embroidery” . The superior geographical environment has brought gorgeous and rich brocade and colorful yarn for people. The warm natural environment has nurtured the women in the south of the Yangtze River, who have manipulated the taut cloth, the taut frame, the suture needle and the coloured thread with their skillful hands and created the exquisite embroidery works one after another.
The production of Suzhou embroidery requires patience and endurance. Usually, a piece of embroidery with a normal 30 cm length can be completed in half a month if it is dealt with meticulosity. People use Suzhou embroidery in clothing, home textile, craft decoration and other aspects. The delicate technique and vivid image of Suzhou embroidery add a beautiful scenery to people’s life.
The works of the Suzhou embroidery masters have been presented to international friends many times as a national gift, and the Buckingham Palace has collected a classic Suzhou embroidery works. Today, the masters will innovate Suzhou embroidery skills unceasingly, to make it move towards a world that is more and more capacious. Just in the 2017 Venice international art biennale not too long ago, Suzhou embroidery received the boundless appreciation of friends from all over the world.
