Thread of modernity

"In 2016, I held an exhibition in Taiwan for 12 days. The orders I received during those days took embroiderers in my company three years to complete," says Jiang.

She never dropped her needles, and has continued to create a number of popular works. One of them, Chenwu Hehua ("morning mist around lotus"), won the top prize at the 2008 Hundred Flowers Awards, an important event in China's arts and crafts circle.

She used a number of stitches to make the work, and applied a technique that normally imitates the visual effects of oil paintings, by overlaying it like a Chinese ink painting. That gave the embroidery a balanced effect of light and shade.

Born in Shaping subdistrict, Changsha, which is known as the hometown of Xiang embroidery, it's not surprising that Jiang is the seventh generation in her family working as a craftswoman, since almost every family there has a long history of embroidery. Jiang and many of her female counterparts had a similar childhood. They learned embroidery as children from older family members, and made money by selling their embroidered bedsheets and pillowcases even as teenagers.

"Almost all local women were able to do embroidery, except for newcomers," recalls Jiang.

Many local men, on the other hand, took part in the industry by painting patterns for embroidery. Jiang's grandfather was a painter, and such a family combination, with a male painter and a female embroiderer was common in the local area.

Jiang also grew interested in designing clothes when she was young, and considered learning it, but after working in embroidery, she inherited and developed the family craft.

Influenced by Jiang, her son, Chang Jiang, has learned the craft, and is working to promote it. "Although my mother has gained fame in Xiang embroidery with her efforts, she is still improving on her skills," says Chang.

"She has demonstrated that living is simply not for money. Finding something you love and devoting time to it will help you contribute to society," he adds.

Contact the writers at wangru1@chinadaily.com.cn