"Xiang embroidery" from Hunan Province in central China, "Shu embroidery" from Sichuan Province in western China, "Guangdong embroidery" produced in Guangdong Province in southern China and "Su embroidery" produced in Jiangsu Province in eastern China are collectively called "Four Famous Embroideries in China".
1. Hunan embroidery
Hunan embroidery is one of the four famous embroideries in China. It is the general name of Hunan embroidery products with distinctive Hunan and Chu cultural characteristics centered in Changsha, Hunan. It originated in Hunan's folk embroidery has developed by absorbing the advantages of Suzhou embroidery and Cantonese embroidery, and has a history of more than 2,000 years.
Hunan embroidery is characterized by rich layers of coloring and painting-like embroidery. Folks have the sayings of Su Mao and Hunan Tiger. The liger and tiger fur patterns in Hunan embroidery are strong and upright, and the eyeballs are lively, almost like the real thing. It has developed into double-sided embroidery with different colors, shapes and faces. Hunan embroidery has participated in international expositions held in Japan, Panama, the United States and other places, won many awards, and enjoys a high reputation in the international market.
2. Shu embroidery
Shu embroidery, also known as "Sichuan embroidery", is as famous as Su embroidery, Hunan embroidery and Guangdong embroidery. It is one of the four famous embroideries in China. It is used on silk or other fabrics. A traditional Chinese craft of embroidering patterns with silk thread. As one of the embroidery types with the longest inheritance in China, Shu embroidery has formed its own unique charm with its bright and delicate colors and exquisite stitching techniques. Its richness ranks first among the four famous embroideries.
3. Cantonese embroidery
Cantonese embroidery has a history of more than a thousand years. In "Du Yang Zabian" by Su Jia of the Tang Dynasty, there is a record that Lu Meiniang, a girl from Nanhai (today's Guangzhou), was "extremely skilled in craftsmanship and could embroider seven volumes of the Lotus Sutra on ruler silk".
During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, Zhang Jiugao, the envoy of the Lingnan Festival, presented exquisite embroidery to Concubine Yang Guifei and was promoted to the third rank. In the Ming Dynasty, Guangdong's overseas trade flourished. In the ninth year of Zhengde in the Ming Dynasty (1514), a Portuguese businessman purchased pieces of dragon robe embroidery in Guangzhou and returned to China. He presented the embroidered robe to the king and received a heavy reward. Guangdong embroidery became famous overseas.
4. Su embroidery
Su embroidery is the general name for embroidery products in Suzhou. Its birthplace is in Wuxian County, Suzhou, and has now spread to Wuxi, Changzhou and other places. Embroidery is inseparable from sericulture and silk reeling, so embroidery is also called silk embroidery. The Qing Dynasty established "Suzhou embroidery, Hunan embroidery, Guangdong embroidery, and Shu embroidery" as China's four famous embroideries.
The Qing Dynasty was the heyday of Su embroidery. It can be said that schools multiplied and famous craftsmen competed. Su embroidery has a unique style with beautiful patterns, ingenious conception, meticulous embroidery work, lively stitching, elegant colors, and strong local characteristics. Suzhou embroidery is the most famous for its embroidery in Zhenhu Town (now a street) in the High-tech Zone of Suzhou Embroidery Research Institute. Zhenhu is the main birthplace of Su embroidery, and 80% of Su embroidery products come from Zhenhu.
Extended information
In October 2010, in Shaping Town, Kaifu District, the origin of Hunan embroidery, "Xiang embroidery", "Shu embroidery", "Guangdong embroidery" and "Su embroidery" were among China's "four embroideries". Representatives of "Famous Embroidery" will read out the "Shaping Declaration" and launch the "joint declaration of the four famous embroideries as world intangible cultural heritage." This is what reporters learned from the press conference of the third Kaifu Golden Autumn Economic and Trade Culture Festival today.
This cultural festival has carefully planned three major theme activities: the opening ceremony of the first China·Shaping Hunan Embroidery Cultural Festival and the third Kaifu Golden Autumn Economic and Trade Culture Festival, Dachengbei Social Construction Investment Promotion Conference, and the International Library East Asian Document Cooperation and Chinese Newspapers and Periodicals Digitization Seminar.
Shaping Town is the origin of Hunan Embroidery in China and is known as the "Hometown of Hunan Embroidery in China". It has now developed into a Hunan Embroidery style town integrating shopping, food, housing, transportation, entertainment and tourism. At this cultural festival, in addition to the release of the "Shaping Declaration", the Shaping AAA-level scenic spot and the Shaping Hunan Embroidery Geographical Indication Award will also be held. Citizens can enjoy thousands of embroidery workers competing for the "Gold Medal Embroidery Girl" and thousands of embroidery workers. It is a grand occasion for Hunan embroidery pieces to compete for "masterpieces".
Baidu Encyclopedia-Four Famous Embroideries