The Four Gems of Chinese Embroidery: Su, Xiang, Yue, and Shu
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In China's millennia-long history of silk culture, embroidery—an art form that uses the needle as a brush and thread as ink—has long transcended mere utility to become a treasure embodying history and culture. Among them, Su Xiu, Xiang Xiu, Yue Xiu, and Shu Xiu are collectively known as the "Four Great Embroideries", each renowned for its unique regional style and exquisite craftsmanship. Today, let's step into this artistic world on the tip of a needle and appreciate their extraordinary charm.
The Four Gems of Chinese Embroidery: Su, Xiang, Yue, and Shu
1、Su Xiu - The Elegance and Liveliness of Jiangnan
- Origin: Suzhou, Jiangsu province and surrounding areas.
- Characteristics: Su Xiu is famous for its eight key features: flatness, neatness, fineness, density, evenness, smoothness, harmony, and brightness. Its most astounding technique is "Double-Sided Embroidery," where both sides of a single piece of fabric display equally exquisite patterns, sometimes even with completely different themes and colors. Common motifs include cats, goldfish, and flowers. With delicate stitches and elegant colors, it perfectly captures the gentle and lively spirit of the Jiangnan water towns.
- Masterpiece: Double-Sided Embroidery "Cat." The embroidered kittens have lively eyes and finely detailed fur, making them remarkably lifelike.
2、Xiang Xiu - The Realism and Boldness of Hunan
- Origin: The Changsha area of Hunan province.
- Characteristics: Xiang Xiu emphasizes realism and features vibrant colors. It is particularly skilled in using the "Loose Hair Stitch" to depict the texture of fur on animals like lions and tigers. This technique makes the embroidered beasts appear mighty and vigorous, with piercing eyes and robust, three-dimensional fur, as if they could leap off the fabric. The threads used are specially treated for a "velvety" effect, giving the works a better sheen and stronger three-dimensionality.
- Masterpiece: Embroidered Tigers and Lions. The Xiang Xiu tiger is iconic, capturing the majesty and power of the king of beasts with profound skill.
3、Yue Xiu - The Opulence and Splendor of Lingnan
- Origin: Guangzhou, Chaozhou in Guangdong province.
- Characteristics: Yue Xiu features饱满 (bǎo mǎn, full and balanced) compositions, strong color contrasts, and an overall opulent and magnificent style, full of the rich flavors of Lingnan culture. Its most distinctive trait is the extensive use of gold thread to outline patterns, creating a brilliant, golden effect. Themes are often drawn from auspicious folk patterns, such as "A Hundred Birds Worshipping the Phoenix," dragons, phoenixes, and peonies. With diverse stitches and a wide range of products, it adorns everything from clothing and opera costumes to wall hangings and daily decorations.
- Masterpiece: "A Hundred Birds Worshipping the Phoenix." The scene is complex yet orderly, with dazzling colors, fully expressing an aura of wealth and good fortune.
4、Shu Xiu - The Precision and Delicacy of Bashu
- Origin: Chengdu, Sichuan province and surrounding areas.
- Characteristics: Shu Xiu is known for its extremely rigorous stitching, boasting over 120 distinct needle techniques. Its technical standards of "even stitches, bright sheen, and precise twisting" ensure the fine quality of the embroidery. It excels at depicting local subjects like carp and pandas. Particularly, its embroidered carp perfectly render the texture of the fish and the movement of water through meticulous stitches and color gradations.
- Masterpiece: Embroidered Carp. This is a specialty of Shu Xiu; the fish seem to be swimming in water, vivid and lifelike.
Conclusion
The elegance of Su Xiu, the boldness of Xiang Xiu, the splendor of Yue Xiu, and the precision of Shu Xiu together form a magnificent tapestry of Chinese embroidery art. They are not only representatives of exquisite craftsmanship but also crystals of local culture, aesthetics, and wisdom. Every stitch and every thread tells a story of the ancient East, worthy of our careful appreciation and continued preservation.
