The Predicament of Suzhou Embroidery: Implications of Intangible Cultural Heritage in China

Suxiu, "Suzhou embroidery," is one of the major styles of traditional Chinese embroidery. In 2006, Suxiu was listed as the National Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of China. Although the official media highlight the glory of Suxiu and its cultural significance as ICH, the industry has e...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inTextile : the journal of cloth and culture Vol. 22; no. 2; pp. 400 - 417
Main Authors Zhou, Yingqing, Liu, Junmin
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Routledge 02.04.2024
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
China
Community involvement
Community participation
Cultural factors
Cultural heritage
Cultural resources
Embroidery
handicraft industry
Handicrafts
Industrialization
intangible cultural heritage
Needlework
Policies
Sociocultural factors
State policies
Suxiu (Suzhou embroidery)
China
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Summary:Suxiu, "Suzhou embroidery," is one of the major styles of traditional Chinese embroidery. In 2006, Suxiu was listed as the National Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of China. Although the official media highlight the glory of Suxiu and its cultural significance as ICH, the industry has encountered great difficulties and challenges for the last 20 years. This paper explores the predicament of Suxiu and the far-reaching impacts of the China's ICH policies on the embroidery industry. It argues that the state policies fail to provide community members with equal participatory opportunities in the heritage industry. Instead, it creates intragroup hierarchy and classification, favoring certain members while excluding others. More specifically, it examines local embroiderers' different attitudes and reactions toward the ICH system, thus illustrating how the top-down policies affect the sociocultural process of recognition. It aims to offer a critical reflection on how China's industrialization and ICH policies have transformed the nation's handicraft industry.
ISSN:1475-9756
1751-8350
DOI:10.1080/14759756.2023.2228024