Five "embroidery girls" (from left to right) in the embroidery restoration team of the Palace Museum Cultural Relics Hospital are Librarian Li Lu (joined in 2013), Librarian Cui Zheng (joined in 2014), Research Librarian Chen Yang (joined in 2004), Associate Research Librarian Qu Tingting (joined in 2013), and Associate Research Librarian Wang Xu (joined in 2001).
In the cultural relics hospital within the wall of the courtyard on the west side of the Forbidden City, there is a restoration team composed entirely of women, the weaving and embroidery restoration team. At present, there are 5 members of the embroidery restoration team, all of whom are women. They must not only master the knowledge of cultural relics restoration, but also be familiar with various weaving and embroidery techniques, and the embroidery cultural relics in the palace are restored by these professional "embroidery girls" and have a new life.
On the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8, a reporter from the Beijing News visited this low-key embroidery restoration team to see how these ingenious "embroidery ladies" worked.
On March 7, in the embroidery restoration room of the Palace Museum Cultural Relics Hospital, 5 embroidery restorers were working.
In the weaving and embroidery restoration room of the Cultural Security Science and Technology Department of the Palace Museum, five or six large workbenches are placed on the embroidery cultural relics to be repaired: Qing Dynasty silk flower and bird figure fan heart, embroidered flower mountain stone figure Kang cover fan heart, Qingdao light yellow silk gou lotus Qing pattern square stool cushion, Qing Kangxi blue satin embroidery seed embroidery gold-rimmed peacock pattern gourd-style purse... Restorers stand or sit, quietly using instruments to "treat" the embroidered artifacts in front of them.
Chen Yang, a weaving and embroidery restorer, used a vacuum high-pressure liquid filter vacuum cleaner to remove dust from the Qing Dynasty silk flower and bird figure fan core.
The Qing Dynasty silk flowers and birds are displayed in the western part of the Cuiyun Hall of Chonghua Palace, and the lower half is clearly different from the upper half after dust removal.
Before the formal restoration of each embroidered cultural relic, it must be "consulted" by various experts to analyze the material, dye, etc., so as to determine the restoration plan.
Embroidery cultural relics due to the special environment affected, winter air dry, the room can not open air conditioning, but also need to be covered with a film to maintain the temperature and humidity inside, and use instruments to monitor at any time.
The restoration process of embroidered cultural relics is long, not only need to be carefully repaired, but also undergo cumbersome maintenance and shaping. Qu Tingting, deputy research librarian after the 90s, said: "This may be boring to outsiders, but my personality is relatively slow, I like to do this thing, I don't feel bored for me, otherwise I can't stay for 8 years." ”
Qu Tingting observed and photographed the appearance of the Qing Kangxi blue satin embroidered seed embroidered gold-rimmed peacock pattern gourd-style purse before the restoration with a portable microscope, and compared it for later restoration.
Wang Xu, deputy research librarian, was admitted to the hospital in 2001 and went to the weaving and embroidery restoration team in 2007, "These embroidered cultural relics are so beautiful, I am really proud to do my part to restore them." Wang Xu said frankly that due to the fragile and difficult to preserve characteristics of woven embroidery, every touch in the process of cultural relics restoration must be extremely careful. Clean up the dust little by little, smooth the folds one by one. She said, "To do this job well, we must have patience, a sense of awe, and a 'benevolent heart of a doctor.'" ”
Wang Xu was dusting the Qing Daoguang yellow silk Gou Lian Qing pattern square stool cushion.
A special needle for the restoration of embroidered cultural relics.
In the workshop there is a traditional wooden loom used to make supplementary materials for cultural relics. Research librarian Chen Yang is the first batch of "embroidery girls" in the restoration group, she came to the Forbidden City after graduating from college in 2004 to start the restoration of embroidery cultural relics, and specially went to Nanjing to learn the use of looms, "At present, we can only do some small, if it is too big, we do not have to do anything else for several years." She smiled and introduced.
Chen Yang makes a patchwork on a traditional wooden loom.
Post-90s restorers Li Lu and Cui Zheng joined in 2013 and 2014 respectively, and they are also "embroidery girls" with 8 years of experience.
Because of the requirements of the restoration work, the "embroidery ladies" usually wear masks at work. Take a group photo for them before leaving, the moment the mask is removed from their faces, a clear, gentle and restrained smile instantly illuminates the whole room, perhaps, only such girls can endure loneliness, day after day, year after year to protect these embroidered cultural relics.
Beijing News reporter Pu Feng photographic report
Edited by Zhang Ying to proofread Jia Ning