(Occidental and Oriental: At the entrance of the exhibition, there was a large drape showing many pieces of miniature ethnic clothes of people in China and Taiwan. A western old lady was admiring the needle works.)
I made a visit to an exhibition of embroidery yesterday. Embroidery is considered the finest of Chinese women's needle arts. With a simply needle and coloured silk threads, patterns of flowers, birds, animals, people, geometric patterns, are deftly embroidered onto silk or cotton fabrics, using as many as over a hundred varieties of stitches.
(Embroidered period waist bags)
(The embroidery at right shows a popular theme in the Chinese culture which is fecunity. In the old days, these blankets were doweries that symoblised good wishes to the new couples.)
Embroidery has survived the centuries in China, due to its application in daily life, such as decorations on purses, shoes, bonnets, and other personal items. In addition, owing to the patronage of dynasties of emperors, dragon robes, and other emblems of official rank, have made embroidery an exquisite art form.
This intricate technique was passed from generations of mothers to their dzugthers. Even a small purse contains the love, hopes and pride of a mother or a young maiden. Some interesting themes of the embroidery in the exhibition were tiger and dragon. Photos of the colourful works will be posted later on.
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