What is ou embroidery?

Ou embroidery, also known as painting curtain, is a local traditional art in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, produced in the Oujiang River area; it is also one of the "three carving and one embroidery" special handicrafts in Zhejiang Province, which is developed from traditional Chinese embroidery. It is also one of the "three carving and one embroidery" special crafts in Zhejiang Province, which is developed from Chinese traditional embroidery. It is known as the four famous embroideries in China together with Hunan embroidery, Suzhou embroidery and Shu embroidery. Ou embroidery is one of the famous export embroideries in China, which is not only treasured by the country, but also presented as a national gift. There is "hair embroidery diplomacy" said. There are many varieties of ou embroidery, besides various kinds of paintings, hanging screen and other decorations, there are also tablecloths, theater costumes, pillowcases, quilt tops and other practical products. There are 4 categories of pictures, such as figures, landscapes, flowers and beasts, and more than 1,000 kinds of colors and varieties.

Features

Wenzhou is located on the banks of the Ou River, hence the name, also known as "Wen embroidery". The maker scrapes off the green skin of bamboo, opens the piece through layering, cooks and draws the silk, weaves into the bamboo curtain, then uses the pigment or the colored thread to make the work of birds and flowers, landscape, figures and so on on the top. The biggest characteristic of ou embroidery is that there are many kinds of stitches and fine workmanship. For example, one eagle in "pine eagle figure" uses more than ten kinds of stitches such as fan needle, cutting needle, flat needle, etc., and also uses a lot of color threads with different textures, thicknesses and hues to mix and use. The composition is refined, the texture is clear, the stitches are neat, the stitching method is varied, the embroidery surface is bright and suitable for the eyes, the color and lustre is bright and foamy and harmonious, the animal feathers are easy and lively, the characters, orchids and bamboos can be embroidered in a subtle and vivid way. Its style is characterized by "prominent theme, bright colors, refined composition and clear embroidery." It has a strong decorative and local style. Its production method is: scrape off the green skin of the bamboo, by layering pieces, cooking and drawing silk, woven into bamboo curtains, and then use pigments and colorful threads to make works on the top, the type of needle type there are more than 20 kinds of broken needles, rolling needles, messy needles, and so on. In ancient times, Wenzhou girls "eleven twelve mothers combed their hair, twelve thirteen mothers taught embroidery", with a fine tradition of embroidery.

Craft

The woolen bamboo draws the silk to weave to make, uses the color thread to draw the flower and bird, the landscape or the character on the top, so is also called "draws the curtain". Ou embroidery products have a variety of stitches, fine workmanship, with embroidered figures as the masterstroke, with bright and colorful, bright and vivid embroidery surface, clever combination of embroidery and painting, well-proportioned and flexible stitches, flush stitches, concise composition, prominent theme and other characteristics.

History

Ou embroidery began more than a thousand years ago in the Tang Dynasty brocade, flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Qing Xianfeng three years (1853), Wenzhou has a professional embroidery store. Mostly embroidered official robe, dragon robe, birthday screen and temple application of embroidery, the content of figures, birds and flowers, landscapes and so on. Later, more varieties, pillowcase, quilt tops, clothing and so on. During the Guangxu period, the embroidery was sold to Europe, America and Southeast Asia, and a large number of embroideries were exported in 1917, and there were more than five hundred artists at the peak. The Republic of 5 years (1916) Wenzhou set up embroidery bureau, Wenzhou City, Fuqian Street, Wumajie, Caolong Bridge and other places, are equipped with embroidery society. The embroidery works of early craftsmen Cai Moxiao and Jin Jingzhi were exhibited in Panama, Canada and the U.S.A. In 1922, Wenzhou embroidery artist Lin Senyou improved the production of ou embroidery, and since then ou embroidery became a work of art for appreciation. After the founding of the country, the urban area set up Wenzhou embroidery society, wide range of talents, expand production, with a certain scale. Ou embroidery is exquisite in composition, strict in needlework, rich in local characteristics. 1957, Mr. Su Misuo, a famous painter, began to design character embroidery for Ou embroidery. 1960, wenzhou undertook the task of national gifts, specializing in making high-quality products, Ou embroidery became a high-level work of art. During the Chinese cultural revolution, ou embroidery began to decline.

Development

Ou embroidery began in the era of Tang and Song dynasties, more than 800 years ago, Wenzhou area has been using embroidery to beautify clothing, embroidery skills have reached a considerable level. Ou embroidery is a traditional handicraft in the area of south Zhejiang, comparable with Xiang embroidery, Su embroidery, Guangdong embroidery and Shu embroidery, and is called one of the famous embroideries in China. In the third year of Qing Xianfeng (1853), there was a professional embroidery store in Wenzhou. The number of embroiderers once reached 600 to 800. It is said that ou embroidery was firstly produced in the hands of women who are good at embroidery in folk, in ancient times, Wenzhou girls had the embroidery tradition of "eleven twelve mothers combing their hair, twelve thirteen mothers teaching embroidery", which shows that ou embroidery was common and prosperous at that time. Ou embroidery for wenzhou successive generations of folk women's family traditional side business, then the embroidery varieties of clothes, children's hat circle, scarf saliva, brocade belly, women's shoes, pillows, wallets and so on, the subject matter is only flowers, birds, fishes and insects and so on. As a once brilliant traditional crafts, the government is obliged to foster and guide, and to create a favorable environment.

Restrictions on the development of ou embroidery is hand embroidery spend a long time, and the wage profit is low, the embroidery worker every day to embroider more than ten hours a month, only five or six hundred dollars compensation. And the female embroiderers are completely rely on the love of traditional crafts and as a family handicraft inheritance to persist.

As early as in the Song and Yuan years, Ouyue folk prevailed in shoes, hats, clothes embroidery, which is Ou embroidery. After hundreds of years of circulation, it is more and more colorful, more and more varieties of flowers and colors, and gradually formed in the process of unique embroidery. Ou embroidery is characterized by clear theme, simple composition, varied needlework, gorgeous color, bright embroidery surface, flush stitch and vivid charm. Ou embroidery products are divided into two categories: appreciation products and daily necessities, with appreciation products as the main products. The content has the character, the beast, the landscape, the scenery and so on, especially the character is good at. Generally choose the people's favorite auspicious patterns as the theme, such as "the eight immortals across the sea", "Magu Xianshou" and so on. Ou embroidery in great elegance in the vulgar, because of its characters image of God, stitching flexible and changeable and very rich ornamental, decorative and collection value, loved by the people. It is especially popular in Taiwan, Hong Kong and overseas compatriots. During the Guangxu period, the embroidery was sold to Europe, America and the South Seas. Republic of 5 years (1916) Wenzhou set up embroidery bureau, Wenzhou City, Fuqian Street, Wu Ma Street, Caolong Bridge and other places, are equipped with embroidery society. Early craftsmen CaiMoXiao, JinJingZhi's embroidery works, have been exhibited in Panama, Canada and the U.S.A. In the 1960s, ou embroidery is exported to more than 50 countries and regions overseas, the main market in the overseas Chinese gatherings, Southeast Asian countries, and Taiwan, Hong Kong and other regions.

Since the establishment of New China, Ou embroidery has caused a great sensation with many works.

In 1979, Wenzhou ramp embroidery factory workers with more than 100 kinds of colorful silk threads, more than 20 kinds of needlework, embroidered into a 1-meter-high, 4-meter-wide giant embroidery "Dream of the Red Chamber? Twelve Hairpin Figure", held in Hong Kong, China Silk Clothing Embroidery Exhibition, attracted Hong Kong people to see. In this 2-meter-long, 1-meter-wide giant works, the four seasons of flowers open at the same time, "twelve gold hairpin" set in a picture, the picture of sixteen characters of the face, hair buns, jewelry, demeanor is not the same. The embroidered surface is colorful and brilliant. Wei Jingxian's "White Stone" sketch embroidery, won the Chinese Arts and Crafts Hundred Flowers Award, Excellent Creation Award. Portrait of hair embroidery "Sun Yat-sen", "Zhang Daqian", "Queen Elizabeth II", to participate in the Millennium Chinese Cultural Relics Exhibition held in Taiwan.

In 1998 a 3.5 meters long, 1.4 meters wide giant ou embroidery boutique "crane and deer with spring", again sensational at home and abroad. This piece of work brings together all the traditional techniques of ou embroidery, using more than 100 kinds of embroidery thread color, is the history of the first piece of ou embroidery work that brings together the characters, flowers and birds, landscapes, beasts and animals as a whole.

These Ou embroidery masterpieces are all taken from the ancient and suitable for today, set the traditional techniques and innovation, fully showing the Ou embroidery of inclusiveness, innovativeness, indicating that Ou embroidery is a kind of craft varieties of great vitality.

Brilliant honor

In 1979, Wenzhou ramp embroidery factory workers with more than 100 kinds of colorful silk threads, more than 20 kinds of needlework, embroidered into a 1-meter-high, 4-meter-wide giant embroidery "Dream of the Red Mansion - Twelve Golden Hairpins", the shape of the vivid, can be called ou embroidery masterpiece. When it was exhibited in Hong Kong, the audience was enthusiastic. Wei Jingxian's "White Stone Old Man" sketch embroidery, won the Chinese Arts and Crafts Hundred Flowers Award, Excellent Creation Award. Portrait hair embroidery "Sun Yat-sen", "Zhang Daqian", "Queen Elizabeth II", to participate in the millennium Chinese cultural relics exhibition held in Taiwan.

Ou embroidery is famous for its exquisite composition, strict embroidery method, delicate needlework and bright colors. Many masterpieces have been chosen as national gifts and exhibited in international art fairs for many times. 2001 Ou embroidery was listed as a key protected art species by Zhejiang Province.

By Wenzhou ou embroidery art research institute of the four masters of the collective creation of ou embroidery works "group eagle soaring set" in the selection of the line on the needle on the original, ou embroidery superb technique from the best performance, inherited the development of ou embroidery of the traditional mastery of the art.

"Jin Yu Yingchun" won the 2001 West Expo won the second China Arts and Crafts Masters Works and Excellence Exhibition Gold Medal. The author Lin female is (female), born in 1959, Wenzhou City. Folk art master. The main works are "Spring Dance Color", "Royal Wind" and so on. [1]

Ou embroidery supplement:

Ou embroidery is not one of the four great Ming embroidery. The Four Great Ming Embroideries are: Suzhou Embroidery, Hunan Embroidery, Cantonese Embroidery, and Shu Embroidery. Ou embroidery, Gu embroidery and Beijing embroidery are famous, but not one of the four famous embroideries.