Chinese silk thread art and the history of Chinese embroidery art history
Chinese silk thread art also known as art of embroidery has a long history in China and it is very popular in China. One of the more well-known examples of traditional Chinese craftsmanship is embroidery.
chinese silk embroidery art history
Girls engage in the handicraft by using a needle to thread colorful strands of thread onto fabric in order to create intricate patterns and characters.
The art of embroidery in China has a long and illustrious history. Chinese girls who lived in towns and cities were required to start learning how to embroider at a young age so that they would have a competitive advantage when it came time for them to get married in ancient times.
Embroidery was originally established by the ladies of the community who wanted a unique way to embellish their clothing, pouches, and bed linens. Flowers and birds are two of the most common motifs used in Chinese needlework.
It has slowly evolved into a recognized form of national artistic expression thanks to the vibrant and colorful patterns it employs. In addition to this, China's massive silk manufacturing has been instrumental in fostering the growth of the embroidery and brocade art forms.
The beginning and the progression of history
According to the ancient Chinese literature classic known as Shangshu, which is also known as the Book of History or Book of Documents, the clothing that the ancient Chinese monarch Shun wore was distinct from that of other people.
On his upper outer garment there were six embroidery designs of the sun, moon, stars, mountain, and dragon, and on his bottoms there were six embroidery patterns of drinking vessels, algae, fire, rice, and fufu. There was also a five-colored insert on his upper outer garment. It is possible that this is the oldest record of needlework in China.
The two pieces of embroidery from the Warring States Period that were discovered in a Chu tomb in Changsha, Hunan Province, are considered to be the earliest examples of Chinese embroidery and proof of a high degree of embroidered workmanship.
Embroidery pieces dating back to the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD) have been discovered in the Thousand-Buddha Cave in Dunhuang's Mogao Grottoes, Hebei's Wuluchong tomb, Changsha's Mawangdui tomb, and several ancient tombs in North Inner Mongolia and Astana, near Turpan, in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
The wavy cloud, the soaring phoenix, running animals, and geometric patterns were the most common types of embroidery patterns used during this time period.
Buddha became an important motif in embroidery during the Tang Dynasty (618–907) as a result of the widespread practice of Buddhism during that time. Painting was considered the pinnacle of artistic achievement during the Song Dynasty (960–1279), and as such, it had a significant impact on the development of needlework in China.
chinese silk embroidery thread
As a result, there were embroidered landscapes, embroidered figures, embroidered flowers, and embroidered birds, all of which echoed the many distinct styles of painting.
During the later years of China's imperial era, substantial advancements were made in the technology of yarn-dyeing, which stimulated modifications and advances in embroidery.
The official embroidery studios were established by the royal courts, while regional embroidery groups worked to improve the technological capabilities of local needlework.
Peking Embroidery, Lu (Shandong) Embroidery, Yue (Guangdong) Embroidery, Xiang (Hunan) Embroidery, Su (Jiangsu) Embroidery, and Shu (Sichuan) Embroidery were all styles of embroidery that developed over time and were well-known throughout China.
The designs and patterns of early needlework were only found on one side of the fabric, while the other side had crooked stitches and loose thread ends. Later on, the ability to embroider on both sides of a fabric developed.
The front and back of an embroidered piece can display the same design, but in a different range of colors. One side of a graphic depicting a peony, for instance, might be red, while the other side might be yellow.
Chinese embroidery silk
Embroidery styles that are well-known in China
The regional differences in needlework, the commercialization of embroidery, and the segmentation of the market have all contributed to the classification of the embroidery sector in China, which now includes a wide variety of different categories and styles.
The provinces of Jiangsu, Hunan, Guangdong, and Sichuan are responsible for producing the four most well-known styles of embroidery in China.
The Yunjin style of Nanjing brocade, Songjin style of Suzhou brocade, and Shujin style of Sichuan brocade are the three most well-known types.
The Zhuang people in Guangxi, the Dong and Miao people in Guizhou, the Dai people in Yunnan, and the Li people in Hainan are among of the minority peoples that are responsible for the production of other well-known styles of brocade.
Su Xiu (Suzhou Embroidery)
Su Xiu comes from Suzhou, as its name suggests, and has been produced there for over two thousand years.
Its history dates back far more than that. It boasts intricate embroidery work, a variety of stitches, attractive designs, and sophisticated coloration.
Both the pictorial needlework and the intimating-painting embroidery that were created by Su Xiu are famous all over the world for their exceptional aesthetic value.
Xiang Xiu (Hunan Embroidery)
A heritage of embroidery that dates back to the Spring and Autumn Period can be traced to Hunan, which is one of the four centers for the manufacture of Chinese embroidery (770BC - 453BC).
When making Xiang Xiu embroidery works, the embroiderers make use of satin, organdy, and nylon as the primary types of raw materials.
Not only do they create priceless pieces of Xiangxiu embroidery art, but they also make useful things such as embroidered pillowcases, embroidered mattress covers, embroidered handkerchiefs, embroidered tablecloths, and embroidered garments.
Yue Xiu (Guangdong Embroidery)
According to local legend, the people of the Li minority in Guangzhou and Chaozhou were the ones who first invented Yue Xiu. Guangdong Embroidery is one of the oldest styles of Chinese embroidery, and it is distinguished by the use of five distinct elements: a variety of different kinds of threads, a high level of color contrast, the use of gold thread to sew the contour line of embroidery patterns, a complicated and gorgeous decorative motif, and male embroiders.
Shu Xiu (Sichuan Embroidery)
Since the Jin Dynasty, Chengdu has served as the primary location for the creation of Sichuan embroidery (226-420). Embroidery from Sichuan and brocade made in Sichuan are two of the region's most well-known specialties.
Throughout the course of history, the majority of Sichuan embroidery was produced for official robes, gifts, dowries, curtains, and other such items. The craftsmanship is remarkable, with over one hundred different kinds of delicate stitching.
Chinese embroidery souvenir
As a result of the fact that traditional Chinese needlework involves a harmonious combination of achievements in the fine arts, aesthetics, and practical uses, it is regarded as a symbol of China and is a good option for purchasing Chinese trinkets as a memento.
When you travel through China, whether you are in a city that is known for tourism or in a rural area inhabited by a minority group, you may have the opportunity to purchase embroidered goods such as simple embroidery cloth, quilt covers, pillowcases, coats, shoes, scarves, or cup mats as unique presents for the people who are closest to you at home or among your travel companions.
Chinese embroidery history
Embroidery of Chinese origin
Since the beginning of recorded history, China has been known for its love of embroidery. In common usage, it is referred to as xiuhua or zhahua, which literally translates as "creating ornaments with a needle" (xiu being the Chinese word for needlework).
Silk is typically used as the primary fabric in Chinese embroidery. The Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) left behind documents that make reference to embroidered robes. Additionally, needlework is described in the history book of the Shujing dynasty, which is even older.
The outer garment of the ancient formal attire of the emperors consisted of a painted ornamentation in six different colors, while the undergarment consisted of embroidered embellishments in the same number of colors. This description appeared for the first time in the Shujing.
On a bronze wine jug that dates back to the Shang Dynasty (about 1500-1066 BC), impressions of embroidery have been discovered, and there is an imprint of chain stitch embroidery that dates back to the Western Zhou. Both of these impressions date to ancient China (c. 1066-771).
Examples of embroidery that have survived to the present day stretch back to subsequent centuries. Chain stitch, which was the preeminent kind of embroidery up to the beginning of the first millennium, is used to create the majority of these designs.
Later on, the satin stitch became widely used, particularly for portraying realistic representations of the Buddha, but it was also used for depicting human faces, animal faces, plant faces, and other such things.
By the time of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), in addition to the numerous variations of the satin stitch, gold thread was also put to use. During this time period, craftsmen affixed gold leaves to paper or sheepskin, and afterward cut the resulting material into thin strips that were later incorporated into embroidery.
A mausoleum belonging to the Liao Dynasty nomads who ruled the Qidan region, which dates back to around 960, comprised clothing embroidered in the traditional styles of the Tang Dynasty as well as garments embroidered using consecutive stitches and couching techniques.
An embroidery studio that was run by professionals was established in the imperial capital during the time of the Northern Song (960-1126).
At the same time, embroidered pictures and embroidered calligraphy gained more and more popularity.
One of the most well-known embroidered pictures from the Southern Song is called "Riding a Crane over a Beautiful Terrace," and it was designed after a painting by an accomplished painter. This needlework employed a wide variety of various stitching methods in its creation.
Southern Song Dynasty embroideries also use gauze embroidering and what is called chuosha. Both forms correspond to the petit point technique in Europe.
Yuan embroideries are characterised by the use of gold. Some of the few extant examples are housed in the Liaoning Provincial Museum, and include the Lotus Sutra and the Prajnaparamita Sutra embroideries.
Trying to imitate pictures crated by famous artists, embroiderers went to extremes to achieve the effect of original paintings. The Gu family in Luxiangyuan, Jiangsu Province (Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644) used the 'hair embroidery', whereby hairs of newborn babies were used in the design, in order to create extremely fine lines.
In the succeeding Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the use of embroidery flourished among all ranks of the population. New techniques were developed, including the 'split-colour floss' method. Commercial firms were set up everywhere to sell embroidery tools and materials.
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