Artisan devoted to preserving Lu embroidery in E China's Shandong

Rong Yurui, a third-generation inheritor of Lu embroidery, an art form with a history spanning 2,600 years, works on an embroidery depicting lotus flowers at her workshop in the Baihuazhou historical and cultural district in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province.

Photo shows an embroidered piece featuring horses, created by Rong Yurui, a third-generation inheritor of Lu embroidery, in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Lu embroidery is the earliest recorded style of Chinese embroidery. Known for its thicker silk threads and bold, vigorous stitching, it offers a sharp contrast to the delicate elegance of embroidery skills practiced in Jiangnan, the region located in the coastal area south of the Yangtze River.

Photo shows an embroidered piece created by Rong Yurui, a third-generation inheritor of Lu embroidery, in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Like many traditional crafts, Lu embroidery has struggled to survive in the modern era. In a fast-paced society, few young people are prepared to commit the years of quiet dedication the craft requires. "We can't allow the craft passed down from our ancestors to fade away," Rong said.

Her dedication profoundly influenced her daughter, Zhu Yixuan. A member of the post-1990s generation, she left her job to become a fourth-generation inheritor of Lu embroidery. Together, the mother and daughter are breathing new life into the tradition.

Rong Yurui demonstrates Lu embroidery stitching techniques to her trainees. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

While staying true to traditional techniques, they are reinventing Lu embroidery for modern times by incorporating its designs into brooches, earrings, and other accessories. They also offer one-hour workshops where visitors can create a "Fu" (good fortune) embroidery piece, and develop creative cultural products that feature elements of Lu embroidery.

Photo shows embroidered pendants crafted by Rong Yurui, a third-generation inheritor of Lu embroidery, in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province. (People's Daily Online/Chen Qiutong)