Inheritor carries forward hair embroidery tradition in E China's Jiangxi

Tao Yonghong, an inheritor of Gan hair embroidery, a special folk embroidery that uses human hair as threads, creates a piece of hair embroidery craft at a Gan hair embroidery demonstration center in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province. (People's Daily Online/Kong Wenjin)

Gan hair embroidery is a form of folk embroidery that utilizes human hair as threads, showcasing the distinctive regional characteristics of Jiangxi Province in east China. This craftsmanship was designated as a provincial intangible cultural heritage in Jiangxi in 2010.

According to Tao Yonghong, a 17th-generation inheritor of Gan hair embroidery, the hair used in this art form undergoes an eight-hour dyeing process in which the hair must match the desired patterns.

The base material for Gan hair embroidery is specially made, with high density and strong fabric to preserve the crafts.

Tao has standardized Gan hair embroidery with 24 processes, 62 procedures, and 24 sets of needlework.

In recent years, Tao has trained over 7,000 unemployed, migrant workers, and disabled people for free, thus, having a positive impact on the community, workforce, and in spreading this tradition to others.

Currently, the annual output of Gan hair embroidery exceeds 60,000 pieces. Tao also collaborates with local vocational colleges to promote this intangible cultural heritage and create job opportunities for students.