Shu Embroidery

Shu is the short term for Sichuan. Like Guangdong, Sichuan embroidery was also once known for its male needle workers, although women have largely taken over and now few men are in the trade.

Shu embroidery is typically done on the soft satin fabric produced in Sichuan province. A Shu embroidered piece may include hundreds of thousands of stitches in a single figure or animal, and may take many days or even weeks to complete. One of the most popular subjects for Shu embroiderers is the panda bear, but scenes of nature of any kind are also common.

A piece of Shu embroidery is created at the Sichuan Museum, September 11, 2013.[Photo/IC]

Sichuan in stitches	Shu brocade weaved in China's Chengdu	Cross-stitch work of 'Riverside Scene at the Qingming Festival'