Suzhou Embroidery
01 · Historical Records
Nantong realistic embroidery is also called "Shen embroidery"; its technique was brought to Nantong by the modern master of embroidery art Shen Shou. In the late Qing dynasty Shen Shou served as chief instructor of the embroidery section of the Bureau of Handicraft Industry under the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry, and Commerce, and later, at the invitation of Zhang Jian, went to Nantong, Jiangsu, to direct the Women's Handicraft Training Institute. Against the background of the eastward spread of Western learning, she absorbed the finest elements of Western fine art and, beyond traditional Su embroidery, founded "realistic embroidery" (fangzhen xiu).
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Nantong realistic embroidery, also called "Shen embroidery," is an important branch of Su embroidery. Shen Shou, the famous modern master of embroidery art, served in the late Qing dynasty as chief instructor of the embroidery section of the Bureau of Handicraft Industry under the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry, and Commerce, and was later invited to Nantong, Jiangsu, to direct the Women's Handicraft Training Institute. Against the historical background of the "eastward spread of Western learning," she absorbed the finest elements of Western fine art and, on the foundation of traditional Chinese Su embroidery, founded "realistic embroidery." This embroidery method creatively uses spiral stitches and void-solid stitches to render the texture of objects, and blends colors with richly varied silks; the finished works have natural, soft, and rich tones, fully realizing the effect of realism. Realistic embroidery often takes its subjects from portraits and landscapes in Western oil painting, and is most adept at embroidering figures; its stitch techniques are endlessly varied, rendering the facial features of the people in the paintings with remarkable vividness and demonstrating superb skill. For this reason Nantong realistic embroidery is also called "fine-art embroidery," while in the Nantong region it is honored as "Shen embroidery." Realistic embroidery is a formal innovation in traditional embroidery, opening a new path for the modern development of traditional Chinese embroidery. The Xueyi Embroidery Manual, dictated by Shen Shou, is China's first relatively systematic and complete theoretical work on embroidery; it raised realistic embroidery and the art of Chinese embroidery from practical experience to the level of rational understanding, laying a solid foundation for the transmission and development of realistic embroidery. Influenced and inspired by Shen Shou's artistic idea of "using old methods with new ideas," the successors of realistic embroidery at the Nantong Women's Handicraft Training Institute went on to create a number of new embroidery varieties — double-sided embroidery, double-sided different-color embroidery, double-sided different-color different-design embroidery, and colorful brocade embroidery — developing traditional flat embroidery into modern flat embroidery and raising the art of embroidery to new heights.
Shen Shou and simulated embroidery
Absorbing Western art, Shen Shou founded simulated embroidery with rotating and solid-and-void stitches to render texture and rich silk colour.
Portrait embroidery, the 'art embroidery'
Simulated embroidery takes Western oil portraits and landscapes as subjects, excelling at figures; Nanntong therefore calls it art embroidery, or locally Shen embroidery.
Double-sided polychrome and coloured-brocade embroidery
Inspired by Shen Shou's idea of applying old methods with new intent, her successors created double-sided, polychrome, differently-shaped and coloured-brocade embroidery.
The Xueyi Manual and embroidery theory
The Xueyi Embroidery Manual, dictated by Shen Shou, was the first systematic Chinese work on embroidery theory and lifted the craft from practice to principle.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Nantong realistic embroidery takes the Nantong Women's Handicraft Training Institute as its center of transmission and is distributed in the urban districts of Nantong and in Haimen, Rugao, and other places. The embroiderers trained at the institute went on to create new varieties such as double-sided embroidery, double-sided different-color embroidery, double-sided different-color different-design embroidery, and colorful brocade embroidery, forming a Shen embroidery lineage centered on Nantong.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Suzhou Embroidery · Suzhou Embroidery · Suzhou Embroidery · Suzhou Embroidery.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
At present there are very few professionals engaged in embroidery practice and related theoretical research in the Nantong area, and successors are lacking; Nantong realistic embroidery faces the danger of being lost and urgently needs strong support from the relevant departments so that it can be protected and transmitted, allowing this excellent folk craft to gain new life in the contemporary era. Jin Leilei (recorded in the official archives of associated inheritors): Female; Han; born in October 1954; a native of Nantong, Jiangsu. She is a research-level senior craft artist. In 1972, after graduating from senior high school, she was assigned to the Nantong Arts and Crafts Research Institute to study embroidery. She is highly skilled in embroidery, mastering flat embroidery, double-sided embroidery, double-sided different-color embroidery, colorful brocade embroidery, double-sided colorful brocade embroidery, portrait embroidery, random-stitch embroidery, and other techniques. She has deep attainments in the research and craft design of large colorful brocade murals; she once used modern management methods to organize group collaboration and embroidered the mural The Sun and Moon Shining Together on the Land of China for the return of Hong Kong. A number of her works are held by the Nanjing Museum and the Ministry of Light Industry. She is a representative inheritor of the third national-level batch of the intangible cultural heritage project Su Embroidery (Nantong Realistic Embroidery). Her works have won prizes on many occasions. She has twice won the first prize for scientific and technological achievements of the city of Nantong.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Li Eying 01-0078
- Gu Wenxia 01-0079
- Yao Jianping 03-1238
- Zhao Hongyu 03-1239
- Jin Leilei 03-1240
- Yu Fuzhen 04-1764
- Zhang Yuying 04-1765
- Jiang Xueying 04-1766
- Yao Huifen 04-1767
- Zhang Meifang 04-1768
- Wu Xiaoping 05-2596
- Sun Yanyun
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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