Ethnic woman takes Miao embroidery to new level

GUIYANG — Jiao Hongxiu, a Miao ethnic woman, recently won an international art and design award for her work.

"Creating pieces rooted in our ethnic culture that can also foster 'dialogue' with the world gives me greater confidence in preserving and developing intangible cultural heritage," Jiao expressed with pride when discussing her achievement.

At the third FA International Frontier Innovative Art and Design Competition (China division), Jiao submitted two fashion illustrations inspired by Miao embroidery. Her works stood out among over 13,000 entries, earning her the gold and bronze awards in the professional category.

The gold-winning piece, titled Journey of Splendor, creatively reinterprets traditional Miao embroidery patterns of people, flowers and birds into geometric forms.

By integrating modern design aesthetics, Jiao fused Miao embroidery culture with contemporary elements, vividly portraying the current vibrant life of the Miao people.

"Although the entire work incorporates modern design concepts, the color schemes and pattern designs are all inspired by Miao embroidery, which is the soul of the piece," she said.

Guizhou province in the southwestern heartland of China is home to abundant ethnic cultural resources. Miao embroidery has been recognized as part of China's first batch of national intangible cultural heritage.

Jiao, 39, grew up in Luomian village, Lushan township of Kaili city, Guizhou province. Watching her mother dye fabrics, embroider and sew clothes from a young age, she developed a deep interest in Miao embroidery and other intangible cultural heritage.

With a bachelor's degree in art design, Jiao has always maintained a passion for ethnic culture. She has been tirelessly seeking larger platforms to promote Miao embroidery and other intangible cultural heritages, aiming to preserve these traditional handicrafts.

Over the past decade, Jiao has dedicated herself to the cultural heritage preservation and development cause by furthering her professional training at university, visiting multiple ethnic villages to consult with heritage inheritors, running a cultural and creative store and eventually establishing her own company.

"The public's love for ethnic handcrafted products reveals a vast market for these traditional crafts. However, the gap in generational succession among Miao embroidery inheritors also highlights the challenging task of preserving and passing down this ethnic culture," she said.

In 2018, Jiao established a cultural and creative company focused on cultivating talent in traditional ethnic handicrafts and developing related products for sale.

Each year, Jiao hosts numerous study tours and research teams, and she has been invited to conduct training sessions in various regions. To date, she has trained over 700 individuals.

"In addition to teaching everyone how to master embroidery and other skills, I hope to bring new design and creative concepts. While preserving Miao embroidery, we can also better embrace fashion," Jiao added.

In her studio, she not only displays high-end custom ethnic garments but also a variety of daily items incorporating intangible cultural elements such as embroidery and batik. "Miao embroidery is highly versatile; it can serve as a classic decoration for ethnic clothing or as a fashionable touch for everyday items like cushions, bags, shoes and hats," Jiao said.

Liu Rui, head of the Silver Embroidery Office in Kaili city, said: "The preservation of intangible cultural heritages like Miao embroidery requires not only maintaining their original essence but also integrating them with contemporary aesthetics.

"By combining traditional craftsmanship with digital and intelligent production lines, we can better integrate these arts into daily life and fashion trends."

Xinhua