Smooth lines, delicate stitches, traditional embroidery, novel design... In the embroidery workshop, the embroidery ladies concentrate on threading needles and threads, and Pulling Mao Yezhong carefully examines the embroidery ladies' works, and using Tibetan embroidery techniques to tell the story of King Gesar is an innovation.
On January 24, the embroidered lady Shi Yuxiu was making the Tibetan embroidery work "King Gesar". Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhao Yuhe
"The facial expression of this character is very realistic, and we embroidered the layers according to the contours of the facial muscles in one exploration attempt after another to make this effect." Lamao Yezhong, 36, from Demeng Village, Shagou Township, Guinan County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, has been learning Tibetan embroidery with his grandmother and mother since childhood.
"We are most famous for three things in Shagou Township: steamed buns, Tibetan clothes, and Tibetan embroidery. Almost all local Tibetan women embroider, usually based on family inheritance. Lamao Yezhong introduced that as a kind of national folk craft, Guinan Tibetan embroidery has created a variety of Buddha thangkas and traditional patterns with bright colors, smooth lines, vivid characters and exquisite workmanship.
On January 24, the embroidery lady La Mao Ye Zhong observed Tibetan embroidery works in the exhibition hall of the embroidery workshop. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhao Yuhe
Entering the exhibition hall of the embroidery workshop, all kinds of embroidery products are neatly arranged, and Tibetan embroidery works such as Tibetan mastiffs, Tibetan antelopes, backwater maidens, auspicious eight treasures and other contents are waiting for their "masters".
"You see these two paintings are Guinan Tibetan embroidery, one is stiff and rough, the other is flexible and delicate, that is, through learning other embroidery methods, constantly exploring and innovating, so that Tibetan embroidery is more and more exquisite." Lamao Yezhong held these two Tibetan antelope works to explain. As a representative inheritor of the provincial intangible cultural heritage project, Lamao Yezhong has been thinking about how to revitalize traditional Tibetan embroidery.
Lamao Yezhong introduced that in recent years, the local government has often organized folk artists to study the stitching methods of the four major embroideries in China, such as Xiang embroidery, Su embroidery, Cantonese embroidery, and Shu embroidery, so that the Tibetan embroidery techniques can be innovated and the characteristics of Tibetan embroidery itself are more prominent.
On January 24, Tibetan embroidery works in the exhibition hall of an embroidery workshop in Gonghe County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Photo by Yang Xiudazhen, Xinhua News Agency
Under the guidance and support of the local government, many folk artists have gone out of the pastoral areas and begun to break into the market, and the Tibetan embroidery of "raising in the deep boudoir" has been made into clothing, ornaments, thangkas and other products, sold online and offline, and exported to the United States, Nepal, Thailand, Iran and other places. "Can't believe it's handmade." "It's so beautiful." "Tibetan embroidery is really a work of art." ...... Online and offline, customers at home and abroad are amazed by the uniqueness and exquisiteness of Tibetan embroidery.
"Before I learned to embroider, I planted 6 acres of land at home, and my life was very poor." Shi Yuxiu, 41, is a villager in Xiatamai Village, Chabucha Township, Gonghe County, Hainan Prefecture. In 2009, after being introduced by a friend, he came to Lamao Yezhong to learn Tibetan embroidery. "Now I take the bus to and from work on time, with a minimum salary of more than 4,000 yuan a month, I did not expect that one day I would live a happy life with my own craftsmanship." Shi Yuxiu said with a smile.
"Seeing that women in agricultural and pastoral areas live a good life by tibetan embroidery, I think what I have done is very meaningful." Lamao Yezhong said that in the past, men did not believe that making Tibetan embroidery could earn money, but now women use their hands to create a happy life. "Many embroidery girls will buy cosmetics and new clothes for themselves after earning money, and have more say in the family."
"Since many women's families are too heavy to come to the embroidery workshop, we provide raw materials, they take the time to embroider some simple works, and when they are finished, we buy the products at a price that is not lower than the market price. At present, our company has more than 80 embroidery girls who do not leave their homes to 'work from home', and realize the employment of farmers and herdsmen at the 'doorstep'. Lamao Yezhong said. Nowadays, the embroidery industry in Qinghai has formed a development format of "company + farmer", and has become a craft for embroidery artists to work at home and increase their income.
Embroidery ladies Li Xiuying (first from left) and Shi Yuxiu (first from right) make Tibetan embroidery on January 24. Photo by Yang Xiudazhen, Xinhua News Agency
At present, Lamao Yezhong is leading 100 embroidery girls to complete a 268-meter-long Tibetan embroidery work "King Gesar" in 5 years. "In the future, I hope that more women in agricultural and pastoral areas will change their destiny by learning Tibetan embroidery, and we will innovate together in the inheritance and let Tibetan embroidery go to a broader stage." Lamao Yezhong said. (Reporters Yang Xiudazhen and Zhao Yuhe)