Su Wenying – Master of Folk Embroidery in Huaning County, Yuxi 

Personal Background

Su Wenying (苏文英), female, of Han ethnicity, was born in 1918 in Hexi Town (河西镇), Tonghai County (通海县), as the eighth child in a poor family. From an early age, she learned embroidery from her sister-in-law and began practicing at the age of six. At thirteen, she entered an arranged marriage and moved to her husband’s home in Huaning (华宁).

After marriage, she supported her family through small business activities and took on the responsibility of making clothing for more than ten family members. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, as small business opportunities dwindled, she began working for labor points during the day and doing embroidery at night—making door curtains, pillowcases, quilt covers, and embroidered shoes to help support the household.

Her embroidery skills gradually became well-known in the surrounding areas, and more and more people came to her for commissions. Through perseverance, she raised four children. Now in her eighties, she still uses fabric scraps to create small handcrafted items, including cloth figurines for rituals and pig-head, tiger-head, and rabbit-shaped shoes for children. She remains a respected local expert in both embroidery and cloth art.

Embroidery Techniques and Characteristics

Inheritance of Traditional Skills

Su Wenying’s embroidery retains the essence of traditional craftsmanship. Her needlework is delicate, the patterns intricate, and the colors vibrant, all showcasing strong ethnic characteristics and everyday life themes.

Practicality and Aesthetic Beauty

Her creations are not only beautiful but also practical. Items such as door curtains, pillowcases, quilt covers, and embroidered shoes are widely loved by local residents for their utility and visual appeal.

Innovation and Personal Style

Building upon tradition, Su Wenying incorporates her own creativity and personalized designs. For example, her ritual cloth figurines and children’s animal-shaped shoes (pig-head, tiger-head, rabbit shoes) are vivid in form and rich in color, expressing her unique artistic flair.

Social and Cultural Influence

Su Wenying’s embroidery skills have not only earned her the praise of local communities but also significantly contributed to the preservation and promotion of embroidery culture in Huaning County (华宁县). Her techniques and works serve as an important cultural representation of Ningzhou Town (宁洲镇), inspiring others and enhancing cultural awareness.

Through her dedication, Su Wenying has passed down the traditional embroidery techniques of the Huaning area (华宁地区) and brought wider attention and appreciation to this art form.

The Transmission of Embroidery Techniques

Family-Based Inheritance

Su Wenying began learning embroidery from her sister-in-law at a young age, exemplifying the traditional method of passing down skills within the family. She not only mastered the craft herself but also passed it on to the next generation, ensuring its continuation within her family.

Community-Based Transmission

Well-respected in her community, Su Wenying’s embroidery extends beyond her family to serve local residents. She often creates ritual cloth figurines and various types of children’s animal shoes for the villagers, earning their admiration and contributing to the spread of embroidery within the community.

Oral Transmission and Hands-On Teaching

Su Wenying mainly teaches her skills through oral instruction and hands-on demonstration. Drawing from years of experience, she shares her expertise with anyone interested in learning. Although this traditional method is less efficient, it guarantees the authenticity and depth of the craft’s inheritance.

Cultural Activities and Public Showcases

Her works have been showcased in various local cultural performances and celebrations, increasing her visibility and introducing more people to her embroidery artistry. These cultural platforms have helped her skills reach a broader audience.

Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection

As a designated provincial-level intangible cultural heritage inheritor, Su Wenying’s embroidery skills have attracted support from local governments and cultural departments. Through these heritage protection initiatives, her techniques have been documented and preserved, laying a foundation for future transmission and development.

Through these channels, Su Wenying has not only passed on traditional embroidery but also made significant contributions to the cultural heritage of Ningzhou Town (宁洲镇) in Huaning County (华宁县).

Su Wenying’s Role in Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection

Recognized as a Provincial-Level Inheritor

Su Wenying was recognized as a provincial-level inheritor of intangible cultural heritage due to her exceptional embroidery skills and her contributions to the preservation of local embroidery culture. This recognition has expanded the platform for her teaching and promotional work.

Skill Documentation and Preservation

As a recognized heritage bearer, her embroidery techniques have been officially documented by cultural authorities. These records include both her personal story and her unique embroidery methods and design characteristics.

Cultural Promotion and Demonstration

Through active participation in cultural events and exhibitions, Su Wenying has shared her embroidery with wider audiences. Her works have been featured in numerous local celebrations and performances, raising her profile and fostering greater appreciation for traditional embroidery.

Community and Family-Based Teaching

Highly esteemed in her community, she continues to serve others through her embroidery. Her ritual items and children’s shoes remain popular, and her craft is widely recognized and transmitted through community channels.

Oral and Experiential Teaching

Her embroidery is primarily taught through oral transmission and practical demonstration, a method that preserves the authenticity and artistry of her craft while instilling deep understanding in her students.

Through these efforts, Su Wenying has ensured the continuity of traditional embroidery while playing a pivotal role in preserving and promoting the embroidery culture of Ningzhou Town (宁洲镇), Huaning County (华宁县).

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