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　　ChineseEmbroidery（中国刺绣）

　　DevelopmentofChineseEmbroidery

　　EmbroideryisabrilliantpearlinChineseart.FromthemagnificentDragonRobewornbyEmperorstothepopularembroideryseenintoday'sfashions,embroideryaddssomuchpleasuretoourlifeandourculture.

　　TheoldestembroideredproductinChinaonrecorddatesfromtheShangDynasty.Embroideryinthisperiodsymbolizedsocialstatus.Itwasnotuntillateron,asthenationaleconomydeveloped,thatembroideryenteredthelivesofthecommonpeople.

　　ThroughprogressoverZhouDynasty,theHanDynastywitnessedaleapinembroideryinbothtechniqueandartstyle.Courtembroiderywassetandspecializationcameintobeing.Thepatternsofembroiderycoveredalargerrange,fromsun,moon,stars,mountains,dragons,andphoenixtotiger,flowerandgrass,cloudsandgeometricpatterns.Auspiciouswordswerealsofashionable.Bothhistoricrecordsandproductsofthetimeprovedthis.Accordingtotherecords,allthewomeninthecapitalofQi(today'sLinzi,Shandong)wereabletoembroider,eventhestupidwereadeptatit!Theysawandpracticediteverydaysonaturallytheybecamegoodatit.Theroyalfamilyandaristocratshadeverythingcoveredwithembroidery-eventheirroomsweredecoratedwithsomuchembroiderythatthewallscouldnotbeseen!Embroideryfloodedtheirhomes,frommattressestobeddings,fromclothesworninlifetimetoburialarticles.

　　TheauthenticembroideriesfoundinMawangduiHanTombarebestevidenceofthisunprecedentedproliferationofembroidery.Meanwhile,unearthedembroideriesfromMogaoCavesinDunhuang,theAstana-KarakhojaAncientTombsinTurpanandnorthernInnerMongoliafurtherstrengthenthisobservation.

　　DuringthefollowingThreeKingdomsPeriod,onenotablefigureinthedevelopmentofembroiderywasthewifeofSunQuan,KingofWu.ShewasalsothefirstfemalepainterrecordedinChinesepaintinghistory.Shewasgoodatcalligraphy,paintingandembroidery.SunQuanwantedamapofChinaandshedrewoneforhimandevenpresentedhimembroideredmapofChina.ShewasreputedastheMasterofWeaving,NeedleandSilk.Portraitsalsoappearedonembroideryduringthistime.

　　AsBuddhismboomedinChinaduringtheWei,Jin,SuiandTangDynasties,embroiderywaswidelyusedtoshowhonortoBuddhastatues.LuMeiniang,acourtmaidenintheTangDynasty,embroideredsevenchaptersofBuddhistsutraonatinypieceofsilk!Newskillinstitchingemergedduringthisperiod.

　　BesidesBuddhistfigures,thesubjectsofChinesepaintingsuchasmountains,waters,flowers,birds,pavilionsandpeopleallbecamethemesofembroidery,makingitintoauniqueart.

　　TheSongDynastysawapeakofdevelopmentofembroideryinbothquantityandquality.Embroiderydevelopedintoanartbycombiningcalligraphyandpainting.Newtoolsandskillswereinvented.TheWenxiuDepartmentwasinchargeofembroideryintheSongcourt.DuringthereignofEmperorHuiZong,theydividedembroideryintofourcategories:mountainsandwaters,pavilions,people,andflowerandbirds.Duringthisperiod,theartofembroiderycametoitszenithandreputedworkerspoppedup.Evenintellectsjoinedthisactivity,andembroiderywasdividedintotwofunctions:artfordailyuseandartforart'ssake.

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