Recently, a unique lecture on Chao embroidery culture, presented by Guangdong Province Craft Art Master and Intangible Cultural Heritage inheritor of Chao embroidery Hong Yujing, was held at the South Campus of Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT). The event aimed to promote Chinese traditional handicrafts, and provide a hands-on experience for students, thus fostering their understanding of the artistic charm and cultural values of Chao embroidery.

Chao embroidery, a major branch of Guangdong embroidery, is renowned for its three-dimensional effects and dazzling visual presentation. The lecture provided a detailed introduction to the five key techniques of Chao embroidery, namely nail gold embroidery, gold velvet mixed embroidery, western gold and silver thread embroidery, velvet embroidery, and thread embroidery, and particularly highlighted the representative "Double Needle Qilin Stitch". This stitch is technically complex with a unique aesthetic value and cannot be replaced by machine production.

The lecture also shared two legends related to Chao embroidery, which highly admired Chaozhou people for their diligence, wisdom and courage, and reflected how Chao embroidery techniques had absorbed and integrated local cultural elements. During the lecture, Hong Yujing showcased several award-winning Chao embroidery pieces. Among them, the piece "Safe Voyage" features the Chaozhou red-headed boat as its theme, symbolizing the fighting spirit. Additionally, the work combining a poem with the Great Wall highlights Chao embroidery's vitality to innovate with the times. The vivid explanation enhanced not only the students' understanding of Chaozhou embroidery techniques, but also the cultural value, emotional ties and striving spirit contained therein.

During the practical session, the students received a Chaozhou embroidery "gift bag", which included a fan with the cartoon image of GTIIT's mascot "GTIIT Ant", needle, thread, and scissors. They threaded the needle under the guidance of the mentor amid excitement. Many students who tried embroidery for the first time said, "It looks not that hard, but actually trying it out takes a lot of patience."

Text/Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs, Dai Li