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Embroidery is a form of traditional Chinese art.
During the Spring and Autumn Period, more than 2,000
years ago, people from Wu State applied embroidery
to clothes. That was the origin of Suzhou-style
embroidery. China’s three other well-known styles
of embroidery are the Xiang, Shu and Yue. During the
development of Suzhou-style embroidery, many famous
women pushed the art form to new levels. They
displayed their cleverness and talent, and,
subsequently, entrenched their names in history.
Shen Shou over the past 100 years has had the
greatest impact on the development of Suzhou-style
embroidery. Shen, born in 1871 in Wuxian County,
Jiangsu Province, commonly referred to as the cradle
of Suzhou-style embroidery, began using a needle at
seven. She learned embroidery a year later. At
first, she embroidered flowers and grass on bedding
and various other items. Later, as she matured as an
embroiderer, Shen began creating her own works,
which her family hailed as original art. By 16, she
had become a famous embroidery artist in Suzhou
City. In 1904, Shen embroidered eight pieces
?including a portrait of Buddha ?to give to the
Empress Dowager Cixi, of the Qing Dynasty, who was
celebrating her 70th birthday. The gift pleased Cixi.
In return, she wrote 寿 (Longevity)
and 福（Happiness)---which
she gave to Shen and her husband. Also that year,
the Qing Government sent Shen to Japan to observe
Japan’s works of art ?most especially the
embroideries and paintings. When she returned, Shen
was appointed the Imperial Palace’s general
instructor of embroidery.
By combining her experiences, Japan’s embroidery
techniques and Europe and America’s sketching and
oil painting techniques, Shen set a new standard for
Chinese embroidery. In 1911, Shen finished her work
“Portrait of an Italian Empress,?which was
presented to Italy as a State present from the Qing
Government. Italy’s then-Emperor and Empress, in a
letter, thanked the Qing Government for the
exquisite, Suzhou-style embroidery. They also gave
Shen a gold watch as a reciprocal gift. The
embroidery was sent to Italy’s Turin International
Fair, where it won first place.
In 1914, Shen was named director of Jiangsu’s
Nantong Needlework Learning School. She also taught
embroidery in other regions of China, and, as a
result, developed a cult-like following of young
people. Unfortunately, she burned herself out within
eight years. While lying in bed, Shen recalled her
experiences. Over several months, she wrote a book,
titled Xuehuan Embroidery Guide, which summed up her
40-year career as an embroiderer---China’s
preeminent embroiderer. Shen’s book was the first
written about Suzhou-style embroidery.
Other outstanding embroiderers during that era
included Hua Qi, Wang Shouming, Tang Yizhen, Li
Peifu, Cai Qunxiu, Zhang Yingxiu and Jin Jingfen.
Collectively, they won many prestigious awards
?including honors at Italy’s Turin International
Fair (1911), the Panama-Pacific International Fair
(1915) and the Belgium International Fair
(1930)—for their wonderful embroideries. Of the
outstanding needlework artistes, Jin Jingfen
formally acknowledged Shen as her master. Jin later
followed Shen to the capital, and became a teacher
at the embroidery school. Jin’s works included
flowers, birds, people, mountains and rivers. Jin
was especially adept at embroidering portraits of
people.
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