Chinese Suzhou Embroidery in Qing Dynasty

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Suzhou embroidery reached its peak, with the prevalence of various styles and master embroiders. The embroidered products used by the royal family were almost exclusively from Suzhou. Folk embroidery products were even more diverse, including decorations on garments, theater costumes, quilt covers, cushions, shoes, perfume bags and fan bags. They were extremely popular among common people.

In the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty, Shen Shou absorbed Western fine arts and combined them with traditional Chinese embroidery skills to create the simulated embroidery with ray effects. 


Suzhou embroidery products were sent to participate in the Panama World Fair in 1915. Since then, the style has become increasingly famous throughout the world. 


In the 1930s, the irregular embroidery technique was created in the Zhengze Girl's Vocationa1 School in Danyang. In 1957, the Embroidery Research Institute was established in Suzhou.