Xi Story: Suzhou embroidery epitomizes resilience, patience, perseverance of Chinese people

This aerial photo taken on July 3, 2023 shows a view of a historic and cultural block of Pingjiang Road in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Lu Jianying was using a tiny needle and colorful silk thread to embroider an intricate image of flowers and birds when a special visitor walked into her shop in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province.

The visitor was President Xi Jinping. He traveled to the city, which has a history of over 2,500 years, on an inspection trip on July 6.

Lu's Suzhou embroidery shop is situated among the white-walled and black-tiled buildings in the Pingjiang Historic and Cultural Block. Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, showed interest in the traditional art, which dates back over 2,000 years.

"How long does it take to finish a work like this?" Xi asked.

"Some may take as long as a year," the 52-year-old Suzhou embroidery practitioner replied.

Lu showed Xi two of her works in the shop -- a piece she made with her mother, and another that she made with her daughter.

"Through Suzhou embroidery, we can see how traditional Chinese culture has been passed on from generation to generation," Xi said. "It epitomizes the resilience, patience and perseverance of the Chinese people, which is part of the Chinese national spirit."

Born to a family specializing in the Suzhou embroidery craft, Lu began learning basic embroidery skills from her grandmother when she was eight, and has now been making embroidery for more than 30 years.

Lu brings animals and flowers to life with her exquisite needlework, and she has also made a name for herself by turning ancient Chinese paintings into pieces of embroidery. Many of her works have been included in museum and gallery collections.

According to Lu, her 25-year-old daughter studied design at university and became an embroidery practitioner after her graduation. Lu said she believes the ancient art will be developed further by young generations.

While inspecting the block, Xi also experienced New Year images being printed using woodblocks in a shop selling cultural and creative products, and he watched a Suzhou Pingtan musical performance with local residents and tourists.

Xi hailed the block as a great treasure that promotes socialist cultural-ethical progress, and preserves and carries forward traditional Chinese culture. He urged local officials to do good work in protecting, exploring and utilizing the block.