TIAOHUA cross-stitch embroidery is a traditional handicraft passed down through generations by the women of Huayao, a branch of the Yao ethnic group in Longhui County, Hunan Province.

Dating back to the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.–220 A.D.), the craft reached maturity during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties. What sets Tiaohua apart is its distinctive “Qingsha” stitching technique — embroiderers work freely with silk threads on blue homespun cloth, creating intricate patterns entirely from memory, without pre-drawn designs. An ordinary embroidered tube skirt may contain hundreds of thousands of stitches, taking several months or even years to complete.

In 2006, the Longhui Huayao Tiaohua embroidery skill was inscribed on the first batch of China’s national intangible cultural heritage list.(Xinhua)