Embroidery

Embroidery, also known as "needlework," is a traditional handicraft that involves using a needle and colorful threads to create patterns or characters on fabric. This craft became popular alongside the production and development of silk fabrics. There are many different techniques used in embroidery, with dozens of needlework styles available, each producing its own unique stitching and artistic effects.

Records show that over 4,000 years ago, people were already painting and embroidering on clothing. The earliest surviving ex- amples of Chinese embroidery are from the Shang Dynasty (1600- 1046 B.C.) and were discovered in Henan Province; they display a high level of craftsmanship. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279), especially during the reign of Emperor Huizong (1082-1135), embroidery reached its pinnacle when calligraphy and painting were fused with embroidery to create unique ornamental works. The Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) saw the rise of the four famous embroidery styles - Su embroidery from Jiangsu, Yue embroidery from Guangdong, Xiang embroidery from Hunan, and Shu embroidery from Sichuan - which gained in popularity with the development of commerce. Among these, Su embroidery is the best-known. In addition to the four famous embroidery styles, there are also other local styles such as Jing embroidery, Lu embroidery, and Bian embroidery. Additionally, many ethnic minorities have their unique styles of embroidery. Using needles as pens and threads as ink and showcasing the distinctive charm of Chinese classical aesthetics, embroidery displays exquisite workmanship and has been passed down through the centuries.

刺繡

刺繡俗稱“繡花”，即用繡針引彩線，在織物上繡成紋樣或文字的一種傳統(tǒng)手工藝。刺繡隨著絲織品的產(chǎn)生與發(fā)展逐漸興起。刺繡針法共有幾十種，采用不同的針法會(huì)有不同的線條組織和獨(dú)特的藝術(shù)表現(xiàn)效果。

據(jù)記載，4000多年前就有在衣裳上繪畫和刺繡的做法。在河南發(fā)現(xiàn)的商代刺繡實(shí)物，是中國(guó)現(xiàn)存最早的刺繡工藝品，已經(jīng)達(dá)到相當(dāng)高的工藝水平。刺繡在宋代達(dá)到高峰，宋徽宗（1082-1135）時(shí)期將書畫藝術(shù)融入刺繡工藝之中，形成獨(dú)特的觀賞性刺繡作品。明清時(shí)期，隨著商業(yè)發(fā)展，江蘇的蘇繡、廣東的粵繡、湖南的湘繡、四川的蜀繡四大門類廣受歡迎，被稱為“四大名繡”，其中以蘇繡最負(fù)盛名。除了四大名繡，中國(guó)還有京繡、魯繡、汴繡等地方名繡，許多少數(shù)民族也都有自己特色的民族刺繡。刺繡以針為筆，以線為墨，做工精美，沿傳至今，展現(xiàn)著中國(guó)古典美學(xué)的獨(dú)特魅力。