(Photos taken on July 31, 2008 shows 2 parts of the giant handiwork of Panxiu Embroidery gifted as best wishes for the Olympics by the Tu ethnic group in Beijing, capital of China)

What is Panxiu embroidery? Panxiu embroidery is a traditional Chinese hand embroidery – specialised and perfected by the Tu ethnic minority. The Tu ethnic minority, known for their simplicity and industriousness, lives in the northwestern part of China – to the east of Qinghai Lake and south of Qilian Mountain Range and along the banks of the Huangshui and Datong rivers. It is concentrated mainly in the Huzhu Tu Autonomous County in Qinghai Province, and also in the counties of Minhe and Datong. Others are scattered in Ledu, Menyuan and the Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County in Gansu Province.

Embroidery is a technique generally favored by all ethnic minorities in China, usually used in the waistband, the headband, the apron and some rapid-wear parts such as the wristband, edge of the skirt, border of the front, the round shoulder, the swing-down, the bottom of trouser-leg etc. being both decorative and practical. Techniques of embroidery include cross-stitch work, applique, embroidering and so on; the methods of embroidering include pingxiu (flat embroidering), chouxiu, bianxiu(weaving embroidering), jiexiu(knotting embroidering), panxiu(embroidering with a disk), etc.; the patterns include natural scenes, auspicious patterns and geometric patterns and so on.

What is the speciality of Panxiu Embroidery? Panxiu embroidery is used as a decoration on Tu women’s attire. The skill has been passed down from mothers to daughters for 1600 years. Silk threads with seven different colors are used to make Panxiu embroidery. No canopy is used. With cloth in the left hand and a needle in the right hand, an embroiderer only uses one threaded needle to do both sides, front and back, of a single piece of cloth. Although Panxiu embroidery is complicated and time-consuming, it is durable and artistically pleasing. It is also dainty and delicate which portrays the cultural beauty of the Tu dynasty. The commonly embroidered patterns are traditional patterns of the Tu minority, such as cloud patterns, diamond patterns, and Buddhist figures. The 1,600-year-old Tu Panxiu embroidery has great artistic and cultural value. However, this art form is close to extinction because more masters are elderly and young women prefer less complicated ways of embroidering.

Why has it suddenly shot to light in the last few days? 30 year old Huang Lansuo’s efforts during the last fortnight has brought this beautiful embroidery artwork into the global limelight. She came to Beijing all the way from her home in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Huzhu Tu Autonomous County of northwest China’s Qinghai Province, bringing her proud gift to the world, a 10-meter-long handiwork of Panxiu Embroidery of the Tu ethnic group. The delicate work, with lifelike characters of animals and plants on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and dancing scene of China’s 56 ethnic groups, plus with the symbol of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games emblem “Chinese Seal”, mascot “Fuwa” and the Olympic Rings, was embroidered by some 160 women led by Huang Lansuo of the Tu ethnic group to express their best wishes to the Beijing Olympic Games.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites