History

 

Tang: The Legend of Lu Meiniang
 

The earliest Cantonese embroidery artisan to enter the imperial palace was Lu Meiniang 盧眉娘 (Gong 2010). It was recorded in Duyang Zabian 《杜陽雜編》that Lu Meiniang, a folk artisan from Nanhai (the old name of Guangzhou), entered the Tang palace to work on embroidery in 805 (Su and Feng, 1985). Here is a more detailed record from Taiping Guangji《太平廣記》:

 

“唐永貞年間南海貢奇女盧眉娘，年十四歲…幼而慧悟，工巧無比，能於一尺絹上，繡《法華經》七卷。字之大小，不逾粟粒，而點畫分明，細如毛髮。其品題章句，無不具矣。更善作飛仙蓋（按：“蓋”應是帷幕一類），以絲一縷分為三縷，染成五色，結為傘蓋五重。其中有十洲、三島、天人、玉女、台殿、麟鳳之象，而外列執幢奉節童子，亦不啻千數。其蓋闊一丈，秤無三數兩，自煎靈香膏傅（按：通“敷”）之，則虯硬不斷。唐順宗皇帝嘉其工，謂之“神姑”，因令止於宮中。” (Quoted Gong 2010, p.11)

 

In this text, it is recorded that Lu Meiniang had refined embroidery skills that pleased Emperor Tang Shunzong 唐順宗 and gained her the title Shen Gu (Goddess). Lu may be just a special case that cannot reflect the entire development and status of Cantonese embroidery in the Tang dynasty, but it shows that Nanhai (Guangzhou) had brilliant artisans who knew how to split and dye silk, as well as other skills that were important at that time.

 

 

 

 

Song: Skills Input and Thriving Festivals

In the southern Song dynasty, due to the regime change, a massive southward migration from central China brought many embroidery artisans and their skills to the Lingnan area. As a result, a unique Lingnan embroidery style was gradually developed.

 

On the other hand, thriving festival activities also enhanced the development of Cantonese embroidery. Wen Tianxiang 文天祥 wrote a poem about the Lantern Festival (Yuan Xi, 元夕): “南海觀元夕，茲游古未曾。人間大競渡，水上小橈燈”; Another poet, Liu Kezhuang 劉克莊, wrote about the Qiqiao Festival: “粵人重巧夕，燈火到天明”. These two poems describe the lively festival atmosphere and show the importance of celebrating festivals to ancient Cantonese. Some types of embroidery, like dragon boat streamers, were used to increase the festival atmosphere that helped the development of Cantonese embroidery.
 

 

Ming: Prosperous Export Port

Before the Ming dynasty, Cantonese embroidery was mainly sold in the domestic market. After Mid-Ming, Cantonese embroidery was in large demand in the overseas market as well, which rapidly accelerated its development.

 

In 1514, a Portuguese merchant bought an imperial robe in Guangzhou (Gong 2010). He dedicated it to his king and received a generous reward. After that, Portuguese merchants exported more and more Cantonese embroidery and it became the fashion of Western aristocracy. According to Jiang and Fan (1993), after Emperor Muzong cancelled the prohibition of sea trade, a trade market was held in Guangzhou twice a year, in spring and in summer. The market was held for a period of up to two months, but it was often extended. Cantonese embroidery was one of the most popular products in this market.

 

As an export port, Guangzhou became more prosperous, while the skills in relation to Cantonese embroidery also grew widely and quickly. Zhu Qiqian described Cantonese embroidery in Records of Silk Embroidery in Cun Su Tang 《存素堂絲繡錄》by saying:
 

 

“鋪針細於毫芒，下針不忘規矩，器之弇侈，紋之隱顯，以馬尾纏作勒線，從而勾勒之，輪廓花紋自然，工整明顯，針眼掩藏，天衣無縫”。由此可見明代廣繡的工藝水準已獨樹一幟。” (Quoted Gong 2010, p.15)

 

The text states that Cantonese embroidery is refined, skilled and flawless. Therefore, we can know that Cantonese embroidery had been well-developed and perceived as unique in the Ming dynasty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

Su, E. and Feng, Y. (1985). Du yang za bian (杜陽雜編). 1st ed. Beijing: Zhong hua, p.11.

 

Jiang, Z. and Fang, Z. (1993). Jian ming Guangdong shi (Concise History of Guangdong). 1st ed. [Guangzhou]: Guangdong peoples publishing house, pp.238-240.Gong, B. (2010).

 

Wan lü jin si (thousands wisps of golden silk). 1st ed. Guangzhou: Guangdong Education Publishing House, pp.11-19.