Hunanese Embroidery

　　Hunanese embroidery, also called Xiang embroidery, is one of the four great schools of embroidery of China. Xiang embroidery originated from Hunan province, where samples of embroidery dating back to more than 2,100 years ago were found in the tomb of the wife of a well-known Han Dynasty Marquis in 1972. Hunanese embroidery has evolved considerably in the following centuries. However, the Xiang embroidery that is most familiar to modern audiences came about during Qing dynasty (1644-1911). By then, Xiang embroidery had incorporated stylistic elements from the Su and Yue embroidery into its own development. Nevertheless, in spite of this cross pollination of styles, Xiang embroidery possesses many distinctive characteristics of its own. Xiang embroidery is stitched on transparent silk fabric. The silk threads used are dyed and then boiled in water containing pod nuts ?the oil in these nuts prevents the threads from pilling. Many unique needling techniques are applied in Hunanese embroidery, and the lack of precision in the methods used is by design ?allowing the artist to embroider the way her creativity takes her. The result is a picture comprised of different shades of colors and textures which brings to life what the artist exactly had in mind. The most famous examples of Xiang embroidery use tigers as subject. Birds, flowers, landscape scenes, and people can also be used as themes. One of the characteristics of Xiang embroidery is that animals and people depicted in it seem to be breathing, thanks to the vibrant colors and often almost three dimensional effect created by the thick knots and stitching. Xiang embroidery pieces are often double-sided, with the same or different images on each side of the transparent silk fabric. Our stunning hand-embroidered items overflow with beauty and elegance. They make great coporate and personal gifts. They will make a fine addition to your home or office. Their sturdy and versatile nature allows them to be placed just about anywhere. If you have a specific design in mind, we can also customize your order to meet your home decor needs.