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Suzhou or "Su" embroidery is one of the
oldest embroidery techniques in the world, with
origins stretching back more than 2,000 years.
Suzhou embroidery was one of the first embroidery
styles to be developed in China, but its detailed
needlework and intricate images are still produced
today. It is a style characterized by brightly
colored silk embroidered with well-proportioned and
uncluttered representations of almost any pastoral
scene, person, animal, or object. Examples of Suzhou
embroidery were so detailed and intricate that many
people used the pieces as artwork, and some of the
oldest pieces still in existence date back hundreds
of years.
There are records of detailed embroidered pieces
being produced in the Suzhou area around 200 BC, and
of embroidered silk being used as maps in the second
and third century AD. But it was during the Song
Dynasty (960-1279) that the Suzhou style became
prominent. With finely spun silk thread embroiders
from the Suzhou area were able to create images that
were said to have "rivaled nature," and it
became very stylish to have Suzhou embroidery in the
home. Embroidery spread to other provinces
throughout China, and soon embroiderers all over the
country were working were working in the Suzhou
style. Although other techniques of Chinese
embroidery have appeared over the years, it is the
Suzhou style that has set the standard for other
styles.
Suzhou embroidery consists of very detailed
representations of almost any subject embroidered
onto fine silk with silk thread. One of the
distinctive features of Suzhou embroidery is that
some pieces two-sided; that is, the picture is
repeated on both sides of the embroidered piece. The
stitching on Suzhou embroidered pieces is done with
silk threads that have been divided until the actual
thread is almost impossible to see. Through the
repetition of stitches a very dense embroidering
occurs. Suzhou embroidery has been used in clothing,
wall hangings, and even intricate book covers dating
back almost 1,000 years.
Suzhou embroidery as a technique has continued to
grow and develop. In the years since its first
appearance, many crafting schools have taught the
technique, and an entire industry has developed to
produce Suzhou embroidery pieces for sale both in
China and on world markets. However, Suzhou
embroidery is not just a commercial enterprise;
master Suzhou embroiderers have practiced their
craft for hundreds of years, creating some of the
most detailed and beautiful pieces.
Whether you buy a Suzhou embroidered piece made
recently or search for a piece with more history,
Suzhou embroidery remains one of the world's finest
techniques. Many people around the world are now
discovering the beauty and artistry inherent in
these pieces, and it seems clear that the market for
Suzhou embroidery will remain strong for years to
come.
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