How is Chaozhou embroidery formed?

Embroidery is one of the folk crafts in China, which has flourished since the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Especially, Suzhou embroidery, Hunan embroidery, Guangdong embroidery and Sichuan embroidery are called the four famous embroideries in China because of their high artistic level and great influence.

Guangdong embroidery has a long history, mainly divided into Guangdong embroidery and Chaozhou embroidery. Chaozhou embroidery, referred to as Chaozhou embroidery, mainly includes the whole Chaoshan area centered on Chaozhou.

Su E's Du Yang Zaben in the Tang Dynasty recorded that in 785 AD, Lu Mei Niang in The Legend of the Strange Woman in the South China Sea embroidered seven volumes of critical eyes on a foot of silk, which were "clearly divided and as thin as hair".

During the Qin and Han Dynasties, Chaozhou was placed under Nanhai County, but Nanhai County was established in the Sui Dynasty, so the "micro-embroidered strange girl" mentioned above should belong to Nanhai County. However, since Lingnan embroidery in the Tang Dynasty was so exquisite, Chaozhou embroidery in the same place should not be inferior.

By the Ming Dynasty, embroidery had become a familiar handicraft for Chaozhou women. For example, in the Ming Dynasty Chaozhou Opera 1566 Edition "Reprinting Five-color Chaoquan and Adding a Title to the Complete Poems of Goulan Beautiful Scenery in the Northern Song Dynasty", there is an article "Wu Niang Embroidery", which writes that Wu Niang misses her lover Chen San in the boudoir, and the maid Yichun tells her to embroider to relieve boredom.

Chaozhou embroidery has always been very popular in the Ming Dynasty. Chaozhou embroidery can be seen on pillow towels, handkerchiefs, quilts, shoes, clothes and official uniforms. There are not only a large number of folk competitions and sacrificial robes, but also exquisite craftsmanship. At this time, the county government has set up a full-time embroidery worker, which shows that Chaozhou embroidery was very developed in the Ming Dynasty.

Chaozhou embroidery is formed on the basis of such a heavy folk craft activity. During the period of Ganjia in Qing Dynasty, the development of local social economy and culture prepared the conditions for the formation of Chaozhou embroidery. The enthusiasm of clan and religious sacrifice and the prosperity of local drama have caused the demand for embroidery, and embroidery shops have emerged.

Chaozhou embroidery began to be commercialized. The competition of goods urges embroidery artists to study their skills seriously and learn to absorb the advantages of foreign embroidery, so the embroidery level in Chaozhou has been rapidly improved and has its own distinctive and relatively stable style. This school of Chaozhou embroidery was formed.

Exquisite Chaozhou embroidery