Hunan Embroidery. Hunan Embroidery Institute. Design: Lin Xin-Zhong, Luo Zi-Bin, et al.
180 x 250 x 13 cm, 1986
This work combines traditional techniques with a modern design sensibility. Featuring a double-sided composition, it presents two themes: Nine Dragons Ascending on the front while Peaches and Paradisi on the reverse. The front image is embroidered onto Japanese brocade, whose surface is mottled with metallic sheens of red, yellow, and pink. Using fine-line brushwork as the basis for the composition, the embroiderers employed a range of traditional stitches: Fluffy Stitch, Long and Short Stitch, and Straight Stitch, to create a dynamic scene of nine dragons soaring through swirling clouds. The golden dragons, white clouds, and red orbs blend with the shimmering fabric to evoke a sense of grandeur. The reverse side shifts in tone to reflect folk aesthetics. The peaches and tree trunk were built up with padded and layered elements to create a sculptural effect, enhanced by Couching Stitch that traces the leaves and decorative ribbons. The composition is dense and with a playful and deliberate naivety. The screen is edged with cotton from Tujia ethnic group (ethnic minority in Wuling Mountains in Central China). The work reflects a shift in embroidery from singular craft to integrated design—blending pattern, technique, and material into a unified artistic vision.