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Embroidery (刺绣) is an important art form in Chinese culture. People often embroider handkerchiefs, bed covers, tablecloths and dresses. Shu embroidery (蜀绣) is one of the most famous embroidery styles in China. It has i1． the whole world with its strong expression and smooth needlework.

The characteristics are g2． affected (影响) by geographical environment, customs and cultures. Called the “Land of Abundance (富足)”, Sichuan province is rich in grain production. The people of this area also enjoy a slow lifestyle. So when embroidering, they are usually p3． enough to spend much time on the form’s intricacy (复杂精致) and elegance (优雅). This could also be a reason why Shu embroidery was added to the l4． of a national-level intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) in 2006.

Making beautiful Shu embroidery products is never easy. It r5． superb workmanship (卓越的工艺). Meng Dezhi, 59, was born to a family of embroiderers. She was one of the most talented workers at the Chengdu Shu embroidery factory. Even so, the long and boring nature of the process is a c6． to her. And in winter, when her hands and feet are freezing, things become even more difficult. But her l7． for the work has encouraged Meng to continue. Even for an experienced master like Meng, it s8． takes several days or even a few months to finish a piece.

Meng has also popularized the culture of Shu embroidery s9． the tradition was at a risk of waning (衰落). Many cheap products are made by modern machines. In 2005, the factory Meng worked in was f10． to close. To make a living, Meng rented (租) a small space of 10 square meters, teaching young people embroidery skills. “In the early days, I set up the company just for survival, but now I really feel that I have the duty to pass on the traditional skill, to let it run from generation to generation,” she told China Daily.