Suzhou: a Double-sided Embroidery of Tradition and Modernity

2023-09-08 15:11:00

Suzhou is like a double-sided embroidery, one side being traditional and the other modern.

JICC reporter visits the Embroidery Culture Salon. The exquisite beauty of traditional Suzhou embroidery is dizzying. From a distance, it is a piece of braised meat. But when one gets closer, he will realize it's actually embroidered! It's amazing how realistic the colors and textures are. Flowers, stars... it seems that everything can be recreated through Suzhou embroidery. Look at the traditional Suzhou embroidery on boxes, cloth bags, and modern Chinese-style clothing. They are cultural and creative products that keep pace with the times. Suzhou embroidery even collaborates with BMW. For car interior decoration, the sleek, delicate textures with Chinese tradition blends with BMW's sense of power and technology, creating a creative and luxurious fusion. Suzhou embroidery also adds a layer of texture and sophistication to the watch dial.

When portraying Peking HuaDan, Suzhou embroidery's delicate stitches precisely portray the smooth faces, while French embroidery makes the intricate headpieces more vivid. Then, the east meets the west in a marvelous way.

Walking along Pingjiang Road in Suzhou feels like stepping back in time with its classic black, white, and gray colors. Pingjiang Road retains the urban planning of ancient Suzhou 800 years ago, that is, the "double chessboard" pattern in which rivers and streets were adjacent to each other. The Grand Canal still serves as a vital waterway now. Boarding a boat, the melodious songs of boatmen enchant passengers a lot.

Inside the Pingtan Museum on Pingjiang Road, the guide shows her authentic Suzhou dialect and sings elegant Kunqu opera. Pingtan is the collective name of two forms of folk art, Pinghua and Tanci. These are perfromed with Suzhou dialect and are popular around Southern Yangtze region. Pinghua tends to be forceful, and most performers are male. It is performed by talking rather than singing, and centers around historical heroes, chivalrous tales, and the rise and fall of Chinese dynasties. Tanci features a gentler style. It's usually done by a pair—one person plays the three-stringed Chinese instrument called sanxian, while the other plays the pipa. There are also solo performances or three-person groups, both singing and dancing. Stories are usually about family and love. The guide's Suzhou dialect is gentle and pleasant. Pingtan and chrysanthemum tea are a good match for a leisurely afternoon.

The Innovation Technology Museum shows the technological and modern side of Suzhou. Here are robots that can clean, dance, cook, and even paint! The cool technologies are very impressive. The food cooked by the robot is surprisingly delicious. Yu Jiayi, a visitor of the museum and a social media manager, was impressed by Suzhou's high technology. "I think these robots are amazing and Suzhou is very beautiful."

When night falls, the "Meet Jiangnan" market is open. Traditional artforms like Pingtan can find their place on contemporary stages and be revitalized via cultural and creative products. Suzhou is true a blend of tradtion and modernity.