Living in Sandu county, Guizhou province, the women of the Shui ethnic group are trained to make horsetail embroidery to keep the intangible cultural heritage alive.
Horsetail embroidery is a traditional embroidery style which uses horse hairs and silk thread as the raw materials for the handicraft. The skill of weaving horse hair into thread and sew traditional patterns has been passed down by Shui women for generations. The art was listed as one of China's first intangible cultural heritages in 2006.
 |
|
Shui women make horsetail embroidery in Sandu county, Guizhou province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] |
It is called the "living fossil" for embroidery because it has existed for thousands of years, reprenting the wisdom of Shui people.
Women often stitch a baby carrier for their newborns, as they believe horse hair will keep their children safe and wealthy in the future.
 |
|
Delicate patterns are stitched onto a baby carrier. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] |
