Dong embroidery gains nationwide recognition

Photo shows exquisite Dong embroidery works. (People's Daily Online/Fu Huazhou)

In Qinghua Embroidery Studio in Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 61-year-old Wei Qinghua and her daughter Qin Guizhen sit side by side by the window, showcasing a remarkable skill—without any preliminary sketching, a gentle turn of the wrist brings a butterfly motif to life.

Dong embroidery is a combination of weaving, printing and dyeing, paper-cutting and embroidery skills. Wei is a representative inheritor of this intangible cultural heritage.

"In recent years, more young people in the village have chosen to work elsewhere, but when they return home, they still want to wear traditional ethnic clothing. Many people come to me to buy finished embroidered garments, which makes me feel this craft still has market potential," Wei said.

Delicate patterns are stitched into life. (People's Daily Online/Fu Huazhou)

Qin Guizhen weaves brocade in Qinghua Embroidery Studio in Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Fu Huazhou)

Wei Qinghua (second from left) guides embroiderers to refine their techniques. (Photo/Gong Pukang)

Wei Qinghua (left) and her daughter Qin Guizhen (right) work on Dong embroidery pieces. (People's Daily Online/Fu Huazhou)

Wei Qinghua (right) and her daughter Qin Guizhen (left) discuss embroidery techniques. (Photo/Yang Xiaolei)

In 2018, Wei established Qinghua Embroidery Studio and introduced an innovative model that brings together enterprises, bases, inheritors, embroiderers and orders, helping local rural women find employment and increase their income close to home.

Together, the mother and daughter have trained over 3,000 embroiderers and helped nearly 300 left-behind women secure employment.

Yang Huaying is one of the beneficiaries. "I used to work outside, and my children became left-behind kids. Now I can do embroidery at home and earn an extra 4,000 to 5,000 yuan (about $590-$737) a year while still taking care of my family," she said.

Embroiderer Yang Huaying works on embroidery orders at home in Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Fu Huazhou)

Models present Dong embroidery. (People's Daily Online/Fu Huazhou)

Photo shows Dong embroidery bracelets. (People's Daily Online/Fu Huazhou)

Photo shows Dong embroidery creative cultural products. (People's Daily Online/Fu Huazhou)

Photo shows a piece of Dong embroidery work incorporating Suzhou embroidery techniques. (People's Daily Online/Fu Huazhou)

Qin Guizhen presents a piece of Dong embroidery work. (People's Daily Online/Fu Huazhou)