Embroidery as Chinese outstanding traditional handicraft, has a long history, born with the jade, pottery and fabrics. It is the art of decorating fabric or other materials with needle, thread or yarn. It also include other materials such as beads, quills, pearls and sequins. In Chinese five thousand years of civilization, series human wisdom inventions, like the strings of precious stones, won praise around the world. Embroidery is in the forefront, which is based on the discovery and use of the "silk" and develop. It not only enrichs people's material life, but also reflects a high level of spiritual development. According to the painting and embroidery unearthed from various ancient tombs, as far as the Yin and Zhou era about 3, 000 years ago, China already had beautiful silk and colorful embroidery. Currently embroidery found in Henan province from the Shang Dynasty, is Chinese earliest handicraft embroidery. The pattern are diamond pattern and angular wave pattern, whose process had reached a very high level.
This silk embroidery handicrafts, not only played an important role in Chinese society, but also in the international cultural life. To the Han Dynasty(221BC~AD220), embroidery had been developed to a higher level. It became major exporting commodities. In Qing Dynasty(AD1644~1911), the folk embroidery all had traditional flavor, forming the four famous embroidery, that is, the Su embroidery in Suzhou, Xiang embroidery in Hunan, Shu embroidery in Sichuan and Yue embroidery in Guangdong. Embroidery stitch has chain stitch, buttonhole or blanket stitch, running stitch, satin stitch, cross stitch, etc. Embroidered flowers and birds are likely alive. After liberation, China uses oil paintings, Chinese paintings, photographs and other art forms in embroidery, reaching wonderful effect. Use of embroidery also further expand, from drama costume to everyday pillowslip, table cloth, screen, wall hanging, life clothing and so on. In addition, embroidery is traditional Chinese foreign trade products, and of high economic value.
