Jin Xin introduces one of her artwork displayed at an exhibition hall of Beijing Embroidery in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 26, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhu Weixi)

Beijing Embroidery, also called Imperial Embroidery, dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and is one of the Beijing Eight Imperial Handicrafts. Made initially for the extended royal families, the embroidery became famous worldwide for its delicacy during the Guangxu Period (1875-1908) of the Qing Dynasty. It was not until the end of the Qing Dyansty that some folk embroidery workshops appeared in Beijing, making embroideries suitable for common people. Thereafter, Beijing Embroidery is used for calling embroideries made around the city of Beijing.

Beijing Embroidery emphasizes on the auspicious meanings of its patterns, and is usually made with elegant and gorgeous designs and colors. Adopting expensive silks and satins as the fundamental materials, it not only uses threads made with natural silk but also with gold or silver foils to embroider the patterns. The craftsmen still inherit traditional making tools such as embroidery needle, scissor and embroidery stand. The making goes through procedures like selecting materials, drawing patterns, rubbing patterns, selecting threads, embroidering and brushing paste. In 2014, the making craft of Beijing Embroidery was listed as one of the national-level intangible cultural heritages.

Jin Xin, a woman of Yao ethnic group born in 1977 in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, has loved embroidery since her childhood when seeing women in her village embroider on clothes. In 2003, she quit her former job and started to study on Beijing Embroidery after taking part in an event on restoration and replica of cultural relic embroideries in Beijing. Having no basic knowledge on the art, she learned from purchasing materials, copying and rubbing patterns, to stitching in various ways and completing a whole product.

In 2005, Jin started her own business on Beijing Embroidery. In 2008, she set up her company which has been dedicated to the inheritance and innovation of the art and the creation of patterns. In 2010, she became an apprentice of Yu Meiying, an inheritor of Beijing Embroidery. During her study, Jin tried to combine the traditional handicraft with modern art, creating a series of Beijing Embroidery products such as embroidery screens, tea table mats, scarfs and capes, handbags and ties, in a bid to apply the art to modern products and attract young people's attention.

"I hope more people will see the beauty of Beijing Embroidery and our traditional crafts," said Jin Xin, "My ultimate goal is to bring it to the international stages."