Hunan Embroidery. Hunan Embroidery Factory
77.5 × 140 cm, 1977
In May 1975, the Chinese mountaineering team reached the summit of Mount Everest for a second time. Among them was Pan Duo, the first Chinese woman to accomplish this feat. Created during the Cultural Revolution, this embroidery reflects a period when visual culture was strongly shaped by themes of national achievement, collective heroism, and political ideology. The ascent of the world’s highest peak became a powerful source of inspiration, transformed into a visual image that could be preserved and remembered. In the composition, climbers are shown both pitching tents mid-slope and celebrating with raised flags at the summit. In both scenes, red flags—symbols of communism—stand out vividly against the snow-covered landscape. The piece employs traditional stitches such as Straight Stitch and Long and Short Stitch.