Peking Embroidery craftsman worries about future of this heritage

When retiring from the embroidery factory in 1995, Yao found that the golden time for embroidery has passed, and fake Peking Embroidery was appearing on the market. Some people usually embroidered pattern on common material and then put the flawed embroideries into dye vats. The traditional techniques of Peking Embroidery were being completely abandoned.

During this period of time, this retired worker opened a Peking Embroidery store at the Hongqiao Flower Market because he is unwilling to abandon his craft. He used traditional techniques, and it took him ten days to embroider a single item of clothing. He elaborately chose the necessary materials and spent one month in making a “Guanbu” pattern which he only sold at the price of 500 yuan. It even took him 4 months in creating another “Phoenixes in Peonies” pattern. He used genuine pearls, corals and peacock feathers in his embroideries and he never used inferior materials.

However, business was still bad and in half a day he often had only one customer. He would be satisfied if his monthly income enabled him to pay the rent. Some people treated his embroideries as fake goods and usually asked if he would sell his goods at the unit price of ten yuan.

In the past, Yao had eleven apprentices. He was strict with his apprentices and often talked about old rules such as “every pattern must imply something and every thread must reflect good fortune.” He urged his apprentices to be serious about needlework, threading, design and color. However, all of his apprentices finally left him, and they are now selling insurance, health products and apartments. Lonely Yao Fuying packed his teaching material and said, “The times are different now.”

Some of his colleagues have migrated to Hong Kong or even the United States. Later, some old friends came to encourage him to go abroad but he was never tempted. He decided to stay in his embroidery store because it is the home of Peking Embroidery. He also forced his son to quit from a job at a foreign company which offered a high salary, to pass on the craft.

In his sickbed, the old embroiderer heard that Peking Embroidery has been named a “unique Beijing intangible cultural heritage.” He was not willing to question his accomplishments despite his wife’s complaint that he had devoted all his life into Peking Embroidery and failed to receive a suitable societal status. Occasionally, Yao would mention his unsatisfied ambitions. He would like to visit Mozart’s hometown. “His life was full of miserable sufferings but he never put negative things into his music.”

Several days ago, Yao Fuying underwent a major operation. The “mandarin squares” beside his bed is his biggest comfort. Looking at one of the “mandarin squares” which has blue background color and was embroidered with pattern of dragons and phoenixes, the old man gently touches it with his hands. It is said this thing came from a royal palace and was obtained by Yao’s ancestors several hundred years ago. Suddenly, Yao raised his head and asked: “please, tell me how long will these things survive in the future?”

Translated by LOTO