Hong'an Embroidery: A Dance of Needles and Threads

Text by Chen Lingyan

Photos by Xiao Hao

On August 15, in Taipingqiao Town,Hong'an County, Liu Shouxian,57 years old, was sitting at the window and busy with embroidering stitch by stitch.

Since the age of 8, she began learning embroidery from her aunt and grandmother. “Grandma first brought me a small pile of sand and asked me to draw on the sand with chopsticks. I drew on the sand and fl attened it repeatedly to practice embroidery,” said Liu Shouxian, who was trained strictly by her grandma. At first,she was allowed to draw straight lines and grids, and gradually fl owers, birds, insects,and fish. At the age of 12, she picked up a needle and thread to help her elder sister who was the old hand of embroidery. Since then she has been engaged in embroidery for more than 40 years.

刘寿仙家中一面墙上摆放了200多双花色各异的鞋垫绣品There are more than 200 pairs of embroidered insoles with different patterns and colors on a wall of Liu Shouxian's house

小小竹筐放满了各色彩线A small bamboo basket filled with threads of different colors

“We have a long tradition of embroidery in my hometown, but not many still keep to it today,” said Liu Shouxian. She continues doing embroidery merely because she is keen on it and finds the peace of mind needed in embroidering.

In her house, she has a wall covered with more than 200 pairs of embroidered insoles, all of which are typical varieties of Hong'an embroidery. “Despite the small size,seven different styles of stitches are needed to finish embroidery of one pair,” said Liu Shouxian proudly, taking a pair of insoles embroidered with flowers and birds and pointing out the patterns bit by bit to us. “The petals are embroidered in irregular stitch,with interlaced stitches. The leaves are in ridged stitch, which creates a feeling of veins. The soft effect of these two parts is created by woolen embroidery. The stems are in Chinese knot stitch. This part is in feather net stitch. The large piece is in plain stitch, and there is also the same stitch...” This simple pair of insoles take at least two days to embroider.

Dragons and phoenixes,flowers and birds, insects and fish are classic pairs of groupings in Chinese traditional embroidery patterns. It may take a few minutes for Liu Shouxian to make a small piece of embroidery, but for some complicated large pieces such as door curtains, she will carefully draw the sketch first. Her drawing book is full of diverse patterns. “I have a few dozen drawing books,”she said. Meanwhile, she also provides personalized services for customers. “Sometimes people ask for peculiar designs. Whenever someone asks, I try my best to do it.” Her embroideries include different seals, paper cutting styled products and drawings inspired by “Departing from Baidi in the Morning,” a famous poem by Li Bai.

In recent years, her daughter Liu Shan has come back home to help her manage online transactions.The 34-year-old daughter, a fashionable young woman, designs patterns such as lifelike animals and abstract designs in bold colors that are more interesting for Liu Shouxian. Her embroideries range from traditional forms such as door curtains and insoles to mobile phone pouches, bookmarks, and the like.

In front of Liu Shouxian's house is a wooden sign that reads“Taipingqiao School of Hong'an Embroidery.” Many locals are learning from her. When the weather is nice, they learn in her courtyard. “It takes about a week to grasp the basics of embroidering.”

Hong'an Embroidery, with its classic and elegant composition and fine stitches, is the best representative of aesthetic and skill. As the saying goes, “A master can only lead a person to the temple gate； he must practice himself to become a monk.” Now Liu Shouxian has hundreds of students, many of whom have become outstanding in the field of embroidering.

(Translation: Chen Jiani)

刘寿仙在自家庭院里授课Liu Shouxian teaching in her courtyard

刘寿仙在窗台前做着绣活Liu Shouxian embroidering by the windowsill

刘寿仙（右）Liu Shouxian (right)