Folk embroidery (Maliu embroidery)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: folk embroidery (Maliu embroidery)

Applicant: Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province

Project No.: 853

Project No.: Ⅶ - 77

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Sichuan Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province

Protection unit: cultural center of Chaotian District, Guangyuan City

Introduction to folk embroidery (Maliu embroidery)

Applicant: Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province

Folk embroidery, also known as "needle embroidery", "tie flower" and "embroidery", is also known as "needlework" because it is mostly done by women. It is a kind of traditional folk craft, in which a needle is used to pierce the colored thread on the fabric to form a specific pattern or character. Folk embroidery products are indispensable gifts and decorations in folk activities. It has a long history and is closely related to the daily life of ordinary people. Since ancient times, there has been a saying that "whose daughter is skillful depends on the needle and thread". Folk embroidery has a wide range of themes, rich cultural connotation, and spread all over the north and south of the river, inside and outside the Great Wall. In Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan and Beijing, folk embroidery has developed creatively and formed different regional styles.

Maliu embroidery, commonly known as "Zha Hua", is a popular folk embroidery art in Chaotian District, Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province. Maliu embroidery is closely related to life customs. There is a saying in Guangyuan that "whose daughter is skillful depends on the good sewing". Local girls began to learn embroidery when they were six or seven years old, mainly embroidering curtains, pillowcases, aprons, handkerchiefs, flower shoes and other daily necessities. In the past, Maliu embroidery was mainly made of black, white and red earth cloth and colored earth thread. Now it is made of white cloth or other pure color cloth, and the embroidery thread is more diverse. Maliu embroidery has a variety of embroidery methods, such as "full pick", "full stitch", "half pick and half stitch". When embroidery, the size and position of the embroidery pattern are determined by "counting the silk thread of the bottom cloth" instead of the manuscript, which ensures the uniform and neat lines of the embroidery sample. Maliu embroidery has bright colors and rich themes, involving flowers, birds, animals and insects, farming and harvesting, wedding ceremony and many other aspects. Its composition can be divided into two types: coherent and segmented. Whether used alone or alternately, it can be combined skillfully, full of strong local flavor, with a strong sense of decoration and distinctive characteristics of Qiang embroidery.