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Su Embroidery
 Suzhou or "Su" embroidery is one of the oldest
embroidery techniques in the world, with origins stretching back more than 2,000
years. Suzhou embroidery was one of the first embroidery styles to be developed
in China, but its detailed needlework and intricate images are still produced
today. It is a style characterized by brightly colored silk embroidered with
well-proportioned and uncluttered representations of almost any pastoral scene,
person, animal, or object. Examples of Suzhou embroidery were so detailed and
intricate that many people used the pieces as artwork, and some of the oldest
pieces still in existence date back hundreds of years.
There are records of detailed embroidered pieces being
produced in the Suzhou area around 200 BC, and of embroidered silk being used as
maps in the second and third century AD. But it was during the Song Dynasty
(960-1279) that the Suzhou style became prominent. With finely spun silk thread
embroiders from the Suzhou area were able to create images that were said to
have "rivaled nature," and it became very stylish to have Suzhou embroidery in
the home. Embroidery spread to other provinces throughout China, and soon
embroiderers all over the country were working were working in the Suzhou style.
Although other techniques of Chinese
embroidery
have appeared over the years, it is the Suzhou style that has
set the standard for other styles.
Suzhou embroidery consists of very detailed representations of almost any
subject embroidered onto fine silk  with silk thread. One of the distinctive features of
Suzhou embroidery is that some pieces two-sided; that is, the picture is
repeated on both sides of the embroidered piece. The stitching on Suzhou
embroidered pieces is done with silk threads that have been divided until the
actual thread is almost impossible to see. Through the repetition of stitches a
very dense embroidering occurs. Suzhou embroidery has been used in clothing,
wall hangings, and even intricate book covers dating back almost 1,000 years.
Suzhou embroidery as a technique has continued to grow and develop. In the
years since its first appearance, many crafting schools have taught the
technique, and an entire industry has developed to produce Suzhou embroidery
pieces for sale both in China and on world markets. However, Suzhou embroidery
is not just a commercial enterprise; master Suzhou embroiderers have practiced
their craft for hundreds of years, creating some of the most detailed and
beautiful pieces.
Whether you buy a Suzhou embroidered piece made recently or search for a
piece with more history, Suzhou embroidery remains one of the world's finest
techniques. Many people around the world are now discovering the beauty and
artistry inherent in these pieces, and it seems clear that the market for Suzhou
embroidery will remain strong for years to come.
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