Inheritor of Suzhou embroidery develops new technique

Master Yao Huifen, an inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage called Suzhou embroidery, developed a new embroidery technique that flawlessly integrates traditional stitches with sketch skills.

Born in a family with a long history of Suzhou embroidery, she started practicing embroidery from a very young age. Later she learned from Mou Zhihong, the third-generation heir of Shen Shou, a great master of Suzhou embroidery widely acknowledged as the founder of modern embroidery art. She also learned from Ren Huixian, a master of traditional Chinese arts and crafts.

With more than four decades of efforts, Yao successfully developed her own embroidery technique in 2007, making her embroidery pieces look like paintings. She created 34 Suzhou embroidery pieces for China’s Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2017 with her sister, also a Suzhou embroidery artist.

Yao highly values the responsibility of carrying Suzhou embroidery on and talent training. Cooperating with several universities in Suzhou to offer embroidery classes, she teaches students how to embroider for free regularly.