Suzhou Embroidery. Gu Wen-Xia Emboridery Studio
Each 80 × 53.5 cm, 1990s
This embroidered series is based on The Nine Songs, a Yuan Dynasty painting by Zhang Wo, which itself draws inspiration from the Songs of Chu attributed to the ancient poet Qu Yuan. Despite the title, the original work contains eleven ritual hymns portraying sacred ceremonies and interactions between humans and deities. These poems express a profound spiritual connection and are often interpreted as symbolic reflections of loyalty and longing. Zhang’s painting vividly captures these divine rituals with delicate brushwork and poetic nuance. The embroidery translates his lines into thread through Long and Short Stitch , creating a flowing rhythm and lending the figures an ethereal and mystical presence.