Chongqing Yuzhong national-level inheritors actively inheriting Shu Embroidery culture

Shu Embroidery is an important part of Chongqing intangible cultural heritages. There are two national-level inheritors Kang Ning and Huang Min in Yuzhong District, Chongqing Municipality. They have made many masterpieces, making great contribution to the inheritance of Shu Embroidery culture.

Shu Embroidery was enlisted in the first batch of China Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2006, and Kang Ning was one of the two national-level inheritors of Shu Embroidery at that time. Kang Ning created the double-sided embroidery skill. This embroidery skill has been reputed as “the unique skill of Shu Embroidery”, promoting the inheritance and development of Shu Embroidery.

A double-sided embroidery work of Kang Ning (photo provided by Yuzhong Cultural and Tourism Development Committee)

Kang Ning's double-sided embroidery work, Mi, has attracted wide attention since it came out in 2004. People highly valued this bold innovation. Mi was collected by the National Museum of China in the same year. Three years later, it surprised the world at the World's Industrial Art Exhibition.

In 2018, Huang Min was enlisted as one of the national-level inheritors of Shu Embroidery and became the second national-level inheritor of Shu Embroidery in Yuzhong District. Huang Min was exposed to grass cloth in Rongchang District in 2009, and then she tried to do embroidery on grass cloth. After constant exploration, Huang Min overcame all kinds of difficulties and created a series of Shu Embroidery on grass cloth.

Huang Min's Shu Embroidery work on grass cloth (photo provided by Yuzhong Cultural and Tourism Development Committee)

In order to pass down Shu Embroidery, Huang Min often went to schools and cultural centers to teach Shu Embroidery skills. When he met bright students who were really like Shu Embroidery, Huang Min would train them as apprentices. "I hope that we can carry forward the best skills of Shu Embroidery from generation to generation, and continue to pass on the skills," she said.