Splendid life embroidered on satin

Zhou Fen, an inheritor of embroidery on satin in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, has embroidered a beautiful life with her skilled hands.

Zhou took a fancy to embroidery on satin the minute she learned of the handicraft after she was admitted to the Nantong Institute of Arts and Crafts. Guided by embroidery experts, Zhou's embroidery skills have now reached a high level.

During her learning period, Zhou participated in the making of a large-scale embroidery piece on satin entitled Prince Nezha's Triumph Against Dragon King, which helped Zhou and her coworkers secure the top embroidery award in China.

"The stitches of Nantong's embroidery on satin are exquisite and the embroidery works boast a strong stereoscopic effect," noted the embroiderer.

In the 1990s, the Nantong Institute of Arts and Crafts disbanded and Zhou decided to set up her own studio to preserve the art form.

"As far back as I can remember mom has always been embroidering," said Shi Ranfei, daughter of Zhou. "Mom does her work both at home and at her studio and it seems like she has endless energy."

To help young generations learn more about embroidery on satin, the Nantong Vocational University set up an embroidery course for Zhou to teach interested students online.

Zhou also teaches embroidery to students at Nanjing Normal University of Special Education at the Momei Embroidery Workshop in Nantong each year.

Zhou said that she hopes she will get more people interested in embroidery and improve upon the art form to revive it.