Has your mother or grandmother ever made embroidered（刺绣的）clothes for you? In the past, Chinese people often embroidered on hats, shoes and dresses to show the beauty of nature or the best wishes to others. Some girls would even embroider on a sachet（香囊）as a gift for their lovers.
Shu embroidery comes from Sichuan. It is said that Shu embroidery is the oldest kind of embroidery in China. People began to make it during the Han Dynasty（206 BC—220 AD）. They sold it to other countries such as ancient Rome.
Shu embroidery takes time. It might take as long as a whole day to finish just 10 cm. Embroidery workers need to divide each silk thread（丝线）into more than 10 or even 30 smaller threads. Each smaller thread is thinner than a human hair.
Meng Dezhi, who used to work at the Chengdu Shu Embroidery Factory, has been making Shu embroidery for 40 years. She loves this form of art and wants more people to try it, so she gives lessons in universities. She said, "Although the work is hard, Shu embroidery stands for thousands of years of Sichuan culture. It is a symbol of Chinese culture as well."
