Embroidery has a very long history in China. The best silk embroidery artworks, it is generally agreed, come from four Provinces - Jiangsu (Su Embroidery), Hunan(Xiang Embroidery), Sichuan (Shu Embroidery) and Guangdong (Yue Embroidery), each with its distinctive features. Among these 4 types, Su embroidery is most popular that is distinguished by its fine workmanship, beautiful patterns, nimble stitching and delicate style.
Suzhou became renowned worldwide for its embroidery over 1,000 years ago. It originated in Wuxian, Suzhou, and later spread onto neighboring regions within the Jiangsu Province. Due to their abundance of fertile soil and mild temperature, these regions have been well recognized for their high quality silk productions for centuries.
The use of silk embroidery for decorative purposes dates back over 2000 years. It began as basic garment decoration of natural sceneries during the Western Han Dynasty and further developed into Folk embroidery products/accessories that were extremely popular during the Qing Dynasty.
At the turn of the 20th century, under the influence of Western civilization, Su embroidery artists started to seek innovations by integrating the effects of oil-painting portraits into their embroidery works. Despite these transformations, embroidery works maintained its elegant colours and fine quality, and the stitches remained meticulous; hence its name "paintings by needle" or "unmatchable even by the nature". Since then, various styles of Su embroidery have started to emerge, namely "realistic embroidery" of portraits, "random stitchwork" of overlapping layers for better 
effect of tone and depth, brocade-like embroidery, hair embroidery, knot embroidery, etc.
Su Embroidery is now renowned for its "exquisiteness, elegance and cleanliness". Major characteristics that distinguish Su Embroidery from other artworks include its smoothness, uniformity, fine needle work, denseness of lines, and the softness and brightness of colours. Noble and elegant works embroidered in Su Embroidery are very popular amongst international tourists and are well-known as the "Oriental Pearls". It was also once designated as the official gift for foreign head of state by the State Council. As a traditional form of art, Su embroidery is still developing in styles and themes with the effort of contemporary artists. Art lovers are constantly astounded by the beauty and exquisiteness of Su Embroidery.
