SUZHOU CITY

Suzhou embroidery, or Su embroidery for short, is ranked first among the “Four Famous Embroideries” of China. It is the most distinctive and well-known craft from Suzhou. A long history of continuous development has given rise to a comprehensive embroidery system divided into nine categories and consisting of more than 40 stitches. The styles known as “double-faced embroidery” and “double-faced embroidery in three colours and designs” are representative of the genre.

With over 20 years of embroidery experience, Cai is a National Senior Craftswoman who has mastered the comprehensive set of skills required for embroidering human figures, flowers, animals and landscapes. Her works have won numerous gold and silver awards in major competitions and exhibitions such as the Masterpiece Expo of Chinese Arts and Crafts.

SUZHOU CITY

SANDALWOOD FANS
25 / 08 ~ 20 / 09
2009

The sandalwood fan evolved as a natural development of the folding fan. The frame is made of sandalwood and emits the characteristic pleasing odour when waved. Suzhou is the cradle of the sandalwood fan, renowned for its delicate and elegant appearance featuring landscapes with flower-and-bird motifs that require complex techniques including cutting, pyrography, carving and drawing.

Chen Qin is an inheritor of this Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage craft. Since 1982, she has been engaged in the design and production of a variety of fans at the Suzhou Sandalwood Fan Factory. Over the years, her works have received numerous national and provincial awards for excellence and have been included in the collections of the Suzhou Arts and Crafts Museum.

SUZHOU CITY

ENTALHE EM CAROÇO
22 / 09 ~ 18 / 10
2009

For Suzhou seed carving, an art famous for its delicate craftsmanship, the olive pit is the material of choice. Characterised by vivid motifs, a stereoscopic effect and fine craftsmanship, seed carving possesses the unique charms of “precision, delicacy and elegance”. This craft is also considered China’s representative form of miniature sculpture.

Yin Yijun is a Suzhou folk artist and master craftsman from Suzhou City. His works feature harmony between traditional and modern aesthetics and have received numerous awards at the Masterpiece Expo of Chinese Arts and Crafts. Among his most representative works are Nine Sons of the Dragon and Facial Painting, both of which combine the arts of painting, calligraphy and seal engraving.

SUZHOU CITY

STONE CARVINGS
22 / 09 ~ 18 / 10
2009

Jinshan stone is a high-quality carving material quarried in the mountainous Mudu Jinshan area of Western Suzhou. The exquisite, age-old traditional art of Jinshan Stone Carving emerged rapidly alongside development of this region's quarry industry.

Cai Jinxing studied inkstone making and stone carving from an early age. He is currently a senior craftsman and a representative inheritor of Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage. Skilled in the creation and repair of inkstones in the ancient style, he also excels at carving Chengni sculptures and making Chengni clay kettles. His endeavours have driven forward the development of stone carving in the region.

CHANGZHOU

PENTES SHUE BI
20 / 10 ~ 15 / 11
2009

The combs of Changshou fall into two categories. The shu is a wood comb used to comb the hair, while the bi is a very finetoothed comb, serving to clean the hair of debris. Changzhou’ s shu and bi combs are constructed of quality materials using highly demanding techniques. For this reason they were once recognised as articles of tribute in the imperial court, renowned as “imperial shu and famous bi”.

Qi Zhengkang is a representative inheritor of Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage. Successor to the fine traditional craftsmanship of past generations, he has added modern elements to his works which have earned him numerous awards.

CHANGZHOU

ENTALHE EM BAMBU LIUQING
20 / 10 ~ 15 / 11
2009

Changzhou’s liuqing technique for bamboo carving has a long history and boasts remarkable achievements. Liuqing, literally “retaining the green”, uses the green outer layer of the bamboo for the design, removing the surrounding sections to expose a background of underlying light-coloured fibres. In modern times a number of masters in liuqing bamboo carving, based in Changzhou, have been producing many fine works.

A student of the great liuqing master Bai Shifeng, Shao Fengfeng is currently a senior craftsman and has won many awards in provincial and national arts and crafts competitions. His major works include three sets of Art of War by Sun Zi composed of 13 chapters, Orchid Pavilion and the Bodhidharma series.

WUXI CITY

WUXI EMBROIDERY
17 / 11 ~ 13 / 12
2009

Wuxi embroidery, known as Xi embroidery for short, hails from Wuxi City, a major centre of Suzhou embroidery. This superior traditional skill has developed an innovative technique known as “double-faced miniature embroidery”, characterised by its small size, delicate appearance and sophistication. Xi embroidery is more demanding of a practitioner’s skills than normal double-faced embroidery.

As a master craftsman in Jiangsu, Zhao Hongyu acquired the skills of embroidery from a veteran artist in Wuxi. Zhao excels in the “double-faced fine miniature embroidery” unique to this art form. She has won many gold and silver awards in provincial and national competitions and exhibitions, and her hair embroidery work Landscape of the Ancient Canal at Liangxi is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.

WUXI CITY

CLAY FIGURES FROM HUISHAN
17/ 11 ~ 13 / 12
2009

Clay figures from Huishan, in Wuxi, can be divided into two categories. The “coarse” figurines are characterised by their simple, plain modelling and particularly favour themes of joyfulness and auspiciousness. The “fine” figurines are made by hand and are often fashioned as characters from traditional Chinese operas. The Huishan clay figure’s complex craftsmanship features a set of skills known as the “eighteen handmade techniques” and is acclaimed as one of the “Three Treasures of Wuxi”.

Zhou Lu studied the making of Huishan clay figures from several masters including Yu Xianglian and Wang Nanxian. Excelling in handmade clay figures, Zhou has received many awards in provincial and national competitions and exhibitions and has several works in the collections of provincial and national museums and art galleries in China, Germany and France.

YANGZHOU CITY

IVORY AND BAMBOO CARVINGS
15 / 12 ~ 10 / 01
2009          2010

The ivory and bamboo carving of Yangzhou became prevalent in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), and through
successive generations of superior craftsmanship it gradually developed into a unique art form. Imbued with the spirit of the literati and depicting diverse themes, the craft is rich in Yangzhou flavour – being popular in both the Yangtze and Huai river regions – and enjoys a worldwide reputation.

Fond of painting and calligraphy since childhood, Gao Zhiming has accomplished much in calligraphy, painting and seal engraving and has studied ivory carving since the age of 16. Having mastered the traditional skills of Yangzhou ivory and bamboo carving, he also specialises in the harmonious use of cutting and brushwork with a well-trained eye for structure and aesthetics.

YANGZHOU CITY

ARTISANAL GOLD AND SILVER CRAFT
15 / 12 ~ 10 / 01
2009          2010

The traditional gold and silver accessories and handiwork from Jiangdu demand craftsmanship of high intelligence. Having absorbed the traditional crucible melting method used to make gold and silverware in China, together with the pattern engraving and glazing techniques used to make Yangzhou bronze mirrors,
this craft produces gold and silver objects featuring a great variety of themes. These craft items embody the great wisdom and hard work of generations of artisans.

Influenced by the art of seal engraving since childhood, Fang Xuebin has received the China Arts and Crafts Hundred Flowers Award several times. He has been invited to participate in exhibitions in Singapore and has enjoyed wide acclaim from both the media and his peers.

XUZHOU CITY

CLOTH SCULPTURES
12 / 01 ~ 07 / 02
2010

Combining techniques from painting, embroidery and sculpture, cloth sculpture is a reinvented art. It produces a variety of rag dolls based on themes from human life and customs. Evocative of childhood memories, the dolls are vivid and simple, boasting delicate workmanship and widely popular bright coloration.

Known variously as the “Master of Pengcheng”, “Queen of Dolls” and “Skilful Woman”, Wang Zhenxia is a representative inheritor of Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage. Her works have garnered awards in national and provincial competitions and exhibitions, and she has been invited to perform in both the United Kingdom and Germany.

XUZHOU CITY

PERFUMED SACHETS
12 / 01 ~ 07 / 02
2010

The perfumed sachet – also known as xiangnang or xiangying and colloquially known as xiangbudai or liaobudai – can trace its origins to the Warring States Period (476-221 BC). Sachets from Xuzhou, characterised by their innovation, uniqueness, aesthetics and originality, mostly feature themes of joyfulness and auspiciousness. They often contain a natural perfume made of Chinese herbs, which emits a rich fragrance. They also “contain” the attributes of longevity, peace, fortune and prosperity, imparting them to the bearer.

Jing Qiuhong is a third generation inheritor of the Xuzhou sachet tradition. In addition to crafting the item’s beautiful and elegant appearance, she incorporates modern workmanship into the traditional formulas and skills. She is recognised as one of the “Best Ten Masters of Folk Arts” in Xuzhou and is credited as a “Master in Folk Arts and Crafts” by UNESCO.