Inner Mongolia inherits embroidery, improves local livelihoods

Wangfu Embroidery is thriving again after more than 30 years of disruption, said Binbin, director of the handicraft promotion office in Horqin Right Wing Middle Banner, Hinggan League, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

He made the remarks at a press briefing held on June 4 in Beijing for the Inheritance and Innovation of Chinese Handmade Embroidery Conference coming up in August.

Wangfu Embroidery, which originated in the Qing Dynasty (1616-1912), was listed as an intangible cultural heritage in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region in 2009.

The traditional handicraft has been saved thanks to art’s industrialization and now many local residents from 18 to over 80 years of age are able to embroider, said Binbin.

Wangfu Embroidery has already formed an industrial chain, said Bai Jingying, inheritor of the art and head of the embroidery industry-driven poverty alleviation team in Horqin Right Wing Middle Banner.

An embroidery factory was built to train local housewives as craftswomen and inheritors. It cooperates with garment enterprises to design fashion samples and sells semi-finished products, according to Bai.

About 21,000 local residents, including 2,895 registered poverty households and 283 with disabilities are engaged in the embroidery industry, said Bai. The annual income per capita of the registered poverty households increased by 1,809 yuan ($ 262) in 2017, according to Binbin.

Wangfu Embroidery is useful and practical, suitable for various fabrics such as cotton, linen, felt, cashmere and silk, and its stitch patterns can be embroidered on clothing, bags, shoes and suitcases.

In one or two years, Wangfu Embroidery is expected to go global. Mongolia, according to Bai, will be the first target country.

The Inheritance and Innovation of Chinese Handmade Embroidery Conference will be held from August 1 to 2 in Hinggan League, Inner Mongolia autonomous region.