An 80-year-old Embroiderer and Yangxin Cloth Sewing

Text by Liu Xiaobin Photos by Huang Shifeng

In Yangxin County,southeast of Central China’s Hubei Province,there is a traditional embroidery art named “Yangxin Cloth Sewing.” This craft spanning 200 years is also called “Flower Pasting” by the locals.

In the past,women here sewed the leftover cloth in various patterns on the worn clothes to amend holes or to add colors,which is the origin of “Yangxin Cloth Sewing.” Later on,this craftwork gradually developed into a folk art consisting of over 5 categories including 30 varieties,mainly for kids’ clothing,toys,marriage celebrations,daily uses,and religious decorations.

Cai Yue’e,83 years old,is the inheritor of this national intangible cultural heritage. At the age of 7,she began to learn the skill from her grandma and mother. In 1987,she embroidered the hanging work “Kylin Treading on Eight Treasures” together with other craftswomen,which was exhibited in the first China Art Festival and drew huge attention.

In the past decades,Cai Yue’e had sorted out over 200 embroidery patterns and applied them to her work. Her patterns present both characteristics of the sewing tradition and her own style,and greatly enriched the genre of “Yangxin Cloth Sewing.” After her retirement in 1990,she taught a large number of students in the Cloth Sewing School of Yangxin Cultural Center and inheritance bases in towns and villages. Her elder daughter-inlaw and her younger daughter are also good at this craft. Even today,the grey-haired granny still makes these cloth designs in person with her neighbors and students. Cloth embroidery has played an indispensable role in her life.

(Translation: Tang Lin)

83歲的蔡月娥飛針走線依然很利索 Cai Yue’e,83 years old,is skillful when sewing.

蔡月娥（左二）與徒弟們討論貼布技藝Cai Yue’e (second from the left) is talking with her students about cloth sewing techniques.