Ancient Embroidery in Danger
Embroidery（刺绣）is an important art form in Chinese culture. In the past, people embroidered on handkerchiefs, bed covers, tablecloths and dresses. Girls would embroider on a sachet（香囊） as a gift for their lovers. The most famous embroidery styles are Su embroidery from Suzhou, Shu embroidery from Sichuan, Xiang embroidery from Hunan and Yue embroidery from Guangdong.
Shu embroidery is the oldest of the four. It is known for its smooth needlework and beautiful colors. It dates back to the Han Dynasty. People sold it to other countries through the South Silk Road. It used to be a fashion in ancient Rome, according to China Daily.
Embroidery takes time and patience. It might take as long as a whole day to finish just 10 cm of embroidery. By the 1970s, Sichuan had as many as 5,000 embroiderers. But since modern machines can make cheaper embroidery products today, fewer people buy handmade Shu embroidery products. There are also very few young embroiderers, so the skill is in danger of dying out. To protect the skill, Shu embroidery was added to China's intangible cultural heritage list（非物质文化遗产名录） in 2006.
Meng Dezhi has been making Shu embroidery for 40 years. She used to work at Chengdu Shu Embroidery Factory. But in 2005, the factory went broke and Meng lost her job.
Wanting to save the art, Meng decided to rent(租) her own place and teach Shu embroidery to others. It is not an easy job.
The work is hard and the pay is low. Not many people want to learn this skill. But Meng is trying to save it by teaching in different universities and communities. She believes that Shu embroidery stands for thousands of years of Sichuan culture and should be saved.
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