The story behind the Queen of Embroidery (4)

All she needs are a needle and a few silk threads, then with her magic hands, anything can happen. She had been awarded the title of "Crafts and Folk Arts Artist" by UNESCO — She is Yao Jianping. National gifts for Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the President of South Korea Park Geun-hye were all Yao's embroidery works. Some of the first ladies attending the Youth Olympic Games even studied Suzhou embroidery with her. Recently, journalists from People's Daily Online interviewed Yao Jianping and explored the story of this "Embroidery Queen."

Peng Liyuan invites other first ladies to do Suzhou embroidery with Yao Jianping

During the Youth Olympic Games this year, first lady Peng Liyuan invited first ladies of other countries who attended the opening ceremony to a tour of the Nanjing Museum. Looking at the masterpieces of Suzhou embroidery by Yao Jianping, Peng Liyuan started to tell the history of Suzhou embroidery to her guests. She took them to the exhibition of Suzhou embroidery where Yao and her group were working on the large "Silk Road" and "Chinese Dream" embroidery pieces. Recalling the experience with the first ladies that day, Yao Jianping is still very excited as she tells it to the journalist.

"Some of the first ladies were very shy in the beginning, and would not try it. But later, with the help of our experts, they all happily started embroidering," she says. "It meant a lot to have so many first ladies embroider the 'Silk Road' piece."

"Blossom of Hibiscus" became a national present for South Korea

July 4th, 2014, President Xi Jinping gave President Park Geun-hye a hibiscus embroidery made by Yao Jianping as a national gift during his visit to South Korea. Speaking of the "Blossom of Hibiscus", Yao tells journalists that when they learned that the national flower of South Korean is hibiscus, and there is a character in the President’s name that means hibiscus, they decide to use hibiscus as the theme of the embroidery. Then later, President Xi settled the name — "Blossom of Hibiscus". Antique in style but with modern touch, this work has become one of her most famous pieces.

The Queen of the United Kingdom... Prince Andrew: You understand her better than I do!

Yao Jianping is particularly good at portraits, the most difficult theme in Suzhou embroidery. On entering her studio, the most eye-catching piece is a copy of a protrait of Britain's Queen. Through 14 months of hard work, this piece became China's gift for the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation. "From a large selection, we chose a photo that best represents the Queen's loving, wise, and resolute personality. We wanted to show her elegant temperament as accurately as we could," says Yao. The work is now in Buckingham Palace. When Prince Andrew saw her masterpiece, he kept saying "You understand her better than I do" to Yao Jianping.

Mindset is more important than technique, and innovation is the key to Suzhou embroidery

Speaking of the future of Suzhou embroidery, Yao Jianping say she thinks that innovation of mind is much more important than embroidering techniques. "If people want to have a vital Suzhou embroidery in today's society, innovation is the key. If we restrict ourselves to the ancient themes and skills, Suzhou embroidery can never develop in modern society."

When journalists ask about the succession of Suzhou embroidery, Yao says she is quite concerned about the future. "Today fewer and fewer people will settle for a quiet career like embroidery. Though many people study Suzhou embroidery, very few of them stick with it and actually achieve something. As a matter of fact, Suzhou embroidery is a very interesting art. For those who can stick to it and finish a piece of work, the sense of gratification is very fulfilling."

Recently, the Tsinghua Academy of Fine Arts and Yao Jianping Chinese Embroidery Teaching Practice Base was founded. With the help of Yao Jianping and other masters of Suzhou embroidery, it is to be hoped that more young people will start to appreciate and study this ancient Chinese art. 

This article is edited and translated from 《刺绣皇后”姚建萍揭国礼刺绣背后的故事》，source: People's Daily Online, author: Che Kemeng