Beijing embroidery, also known as ghatpot embroidery, is an existing traditional handicraft technique that has been passed down through  generations in history. Each embroidery product is mainly made of cotton, silk and satin. The materials are cut into different shapes, and all these pieces will be put together to form a pattern, then embroidered with colored threads.

[Photo via tuchong]

The craft of Beijing embroidery originated in the Liao and Jin Dynasties, was established in the Yuan Dynasty, and flourished during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It integrates techniques of Dui Ling (i.e. different pieces of silk and fabric piled into a multi-layered pattern) and Tie Juan (i.e. fabric pieces put together into a single-layered pattern) and has made upgrades. It is a decorative art using natural plant fibers (cotton, hemp, silk) as materials and combining various techniques such as silk drawing, embossing, weaving, embroidery, stitching, piling and sticking.

After a hundred years of development, the techniques of Beijing embroidery have broken the limits of Dui Ling and Tie Juan, creating a variety of new techniques such as painting.

There are two main heritage sites of Beijing embroidery, one is in Gongmei Building of Wangfujing (No. 200, Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District), which is regarded as the "#1 store of Chinese arts and crafts",  the most characteristic, authoritative, and highly recognized. The other, is in the Golden Peacock Building in Chaoyang District (No. 13 Dongtuchenglu, Chaoyang District), where the crafts factory Gongmei Group Co., Ltd. is located, as well as a workshop for intangible heritage masters. The factory works as a cultural inheritance and innovative research center for Beijing embroidery.

Golden Peacock Building

Address: Drawnwork research institute, Floor 2, office are of Golden Peacock Building, No. 13, Dongtuchenglu, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Tel: +86-10-64294918

Bus: Take Bus 123 or Bus 130 to Dongtuchenglu Nankou. Then get off and walk 300 meters to the west.

Subway: Take Subway Line 2. Leave at Exit A. Walk 2 km to the east along the moat.

Gongmei Building

Address: No. 200 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Tel: +86-10-65233016

Bus: Take Bus 41, Bus 52, Bus 103, Bus 120, Special Bus 11, or Sightseeing Bus 2. Get off at Wangfujing Station.

Subway: Take Subway Line 1. Get off at Wangfujing Station.

(Source: visitingbeijing.com)