Embroidery is a traditional Chinese craft which consists of pulling colored threads through a background material with embroidery needles to stitch colored patterns that have been previously designed on the ground. It reached a high level in the Qin and Han dynasties and silk and embroidery were the main products transported along the ancient Silk Road. The items embroidered include costumes, purses, shoes, banners and many other pieces. The adoption of different needling methods resulted in different embroidery styles and schools.

Chinese embroidery formed the four main groups: Su embroidery of Jiangsu Province, Xiang embroidery of Hunan Province, Yue embroidery of Guangdong Province and Shu embroidery of Sichuan Province. Su embroidery has a history of 2,000 years. It features a strong folk flavor. Shu embroidery is characterized by the closeness of its stitching. Xiang embroidery absorbs the spirit of Chinese paintings. The earliest piece was unearthed at Mawangdui tombs, Changsha City of the Han Dynasty. Yue embroidered pictures are mainly of flowers, birds, phoenixes and deer with strong colors, used as decorations for costumes, halls and crafts for daily use.