Traditional Crafts and Cultural Regeneration -- Series on History and Society of Southern Jiangsu

Author: Ye Jihong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features:
"Alone by the silk window, stitching slowly,
Under the purple Bauhinia, orioles sing sweetly.
To know the endless sorrow of spring,
Lies in the moment the needle stops and speechless."
This is the scene of a noblewoman embroidering on a in the poem "Spring Maiden's Lament" by the Tang Dynasty poet Zhu Jiong: flowers and needles weaving, colorful threads, delicate hands, and a lingering spring atmosphere, forming a rich poetic landscape. Today, in the western suburbs of Suzhou, by the shores of Taihu Lake, there is an unassuming small town called "Zhenhu." Among its 20,000 residents, about 8,000 are embroiderers, using their delicate hands to create a renowned embroidery art town. "Every household in the village hangs embroidery frames, and mothers and daughters all practice needlework" truly reflects the life of the rural people here. This book takes you to Zhenhu, to listen to the stories of the embroiderers themselves, understand the entrepreneurial journey of these 8,000 embroiderers who emerged from the land after the reform and opening-up, showcase their production and social life, and trace the changes in their thoughts and actions, recording this history of struggle and entrepreneurship. The embroidery activities of the embroiderers and related groups are the carriers of a vibrant embroidery culture. The activities centered around embroidery not only reflect their autonomous development but also showcase an ever-renewing embroidery culture through these activities, serving as a rebirth of traditional folk culture.