Faxiu
01 · Historical Records
It originated in the Tang-dynasty custom of devout women embroidering Buddhist images with strands of their hair, and has a history of more than 1,300 years.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Dongtai hair embroidery, also called 'ink embroidery' (moxiu), is a traditional embroidery craft transmitted in the Dongtai area of Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province; it uses the hair of young women from the local coastal region, strands more than 30 centimeters long, as 'thread', worked with the traditional stitches of Suzhou embroidery. Dongtai hair embroidery uses human hair as its material; the choice is unusual, and the hair is resistant to rot, moths, and fading. Its pictures emphasize monochrome line drawing, in a style that is plain and elegant, richly moist and beautiful. Its works come in many types, including monochrome ink embroidery, tinted embroidery, double-sided embroidery, and double-sided different-color embroidery, and in many forms, including long hair-embroidered scrolls, baby-hair embroidery, and micro hair embroidery. To enrich the expressive power of the works, artisans build on the traditional stitches and, taking account of the fact that hair is relatively stiff and of limited color and is suited to rendering the furry texture of animals, shorten the stitch spacing and tighten the line intervals so that the stitches lie close to the fabric and enhance the sense of texture; at the same time they have developed rolling, twisting, wrapping, and covering stitches, so that the density, dryness and wetness, distance and nearness, and lightness and depth of the works carry the flavor of brushwork. Its themes are rich and fine works come forth in succession, covering religious stories, historical legends, famous paintings of past dynasties, and portraits of notable people; representative works include Along the River During the Qingming Festival, the Diamond Sutra, and One Hundred Horses. The long hair-embroidered scroll The Prosperous Scene of Gusu is at present the longest and largest hair-embroidered masterpiece in China; 'as fine as a mosquito's eyelash, its workmanship rivaling that of spirits', it may truly be called a treasure of traditional Chinese culture and art. The production process of Dongtai hair embroidery is complex, and each work is usually completed through the cooperation of artisans in several specialties. First a designer produces the sample draft; then a painter traces the pattern onto the stretched fabric, such as taffeta; afterward the embroiderers select high-quality human hair and, threading their needles, embroider it into beautiful images; after mounting, the piece becomes an exquisite handicraft. Dongtai hair embroidery is transmitted from master to apprentice, and its artisans are mainly distributed in the Dongtai area of Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province. Dongtai hair embroidery is a comprehensive craft involving calligraphy, painting, seal carving, embroidery, engraving, and many other fields; with its long history and strong regional cultural character, it embodies the profound depth of China's traditional fine arts.
Archival Records of Process Steps
The production process of Dongtai hair embroidery is complex, and each work is usually completed through the cooperation of artisans in several specialties.
Nuns embroidering with their own hair
Beginning with Tang-dynasty nuns embroidering Buddhas in their own hair, the practice has run for more than thirteen centuries.
Stitch density chosen to the hair
Because hair is stiff, sparse in colour and right for suggesting fur, the stitches are set closer so the strands lie flat and read as texture.
Rolling, revolving, wrapping and looping
Rolling, revolving, wrapping and looping extend the range so that tone, texture and depth carry the brush feel of painting.
Immune to rot, moth and fading
Hair does not rot, moth or fade, and the practice takes locks over thirty centimetres, using Suzhou stitches in a restrained single-colour line style.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
It is now mainly distributed in Dongtai City, Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, and the surrounding area. It is appreciated by discerning people and is a fine item for collection and gift-giving; it effectively promotes local economic development and boosts local employment, and has considerable socio-cultural and economic value.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Faxiu.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Dongtai hair embroidery replaces silk thread with human hair: the toughness and luster of a single strand of hair both surpass those of ordinary silk thread, so its works retain their color as if new after a hundred years. Depending on the theme, the artisans choose monochrome line drawing or applied color, so that religious stories, historical legends, and famous paintings of past dynasties can all be rendered in embroidery. Dongtai hair embroidery is now mainly distributed in Dongtai City, Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, and the surrounding area; it is appreciated by discerning people, is a fine item for collection and gift-giving, effectively promotes local economic development, and boosts local employment.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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