Embroidery: An Eternal Tradition in Chinese Art and Culture

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Embroidery is a shining pearl in Chinese art. Embroidered items are very diverse: from a magnificent dragon robe to theatrical costumes, purses, shoes, eyeglass cases, banners, altar cloths and many other items. Some of them were so finely embroidered that it took 5-6 people several years to create them.

The oldest recorded embroidered product in China dates back to the Shang Dynasty. Embroidery during this period symbolized social status. Only later, with the development of the national economy, did switzerland email list embroidery enter the lives of ordinary people.



Development during the Han Dynasty
With the advancement during the Zhou Dynasty, the Han Dynasty witnessed a leap in embroidery, both in technique and artistic style. Court embroidery was established and specialization emerged. Embroidery patterns covered a wider range , from the sun, moon, star, mountain, dragon and phoenix to tiger, flower, grass, cloud and geometric patterns. Auspicious words were also in vogue. This is confirmed by both historical records and the products of the time. According to records, all the women in the capital of Qi (today's Linzi, Shandong Province) knew how to embroider. The royal family and aristocrats had everything covered in embroidery - even their rooms were decorated with so much embroidery that the walls were not visible! Embroidery filled their homes , from mattresses to bedding, from clothes worn in life to funerary items.

The authentic embroideries found in the Han tomb at Mawangdui are the best evidence of this unprecedented spread of embroidery. Meanwhile, the embroideries discovered in the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang further confirm this observation.