Chinese Embroidery

A Young Woman Devoted to An Ancient Art: Mudu, a water town on the western outskirts of Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, is famous for its numerous gardens. More than 30 private gardens were built here during the Ming and Qing dynasties, forming a tranquil and graceful environment that embraces many historic legends. In recent years, many sites have been restored including the Yan Clan Garden, Hongyin Mountain Villa, Former Residence of Feng Guifen and the Ancient Pine Garden.

The Ancient Pine Garden, aside from the beauty of its landscaping, possesses a very special charm that stems from the art studio tucked into the rear of the garden.

Yao Jianping's Embroidery Art Studio, named after the curator and chief artist herself, covers just under half a hectare of land and its design combines both Chinese and Western styles. With an investment of 3 million yuan (US$360,000) by the Mudu town government, it was completed last October and opened to visitors on March 28 this year.

You can visit the website of the Embroidery Research Institute of Yaojianping here.