Guangdong embroidery, also known as Canton embroidery, is a unique type of embroidery from southern China. It originated in Guangzhou and has a history of more than one thousand years. It is famous for its delicate craftsmanship, gorgeous patterns and rich colors.  

Xu Chiguang, who is over 90 years old, has been engaged in Canton embroidery for nearly 80 years. He is the only man who still has Canton embroidery skills. 

He began to study this at the age of 13. At that time, only male workers could learn this profession officially, while female embroiders were just allowed to do some simple patterns or lace works.  

Time passes by. Nowadays, the rule has been broken, and more and more people have started to inherit this cultural legacy.

A Canton embroidery work needs to go through several steps, such as embroidery design, shelving, embroidering, removal and mounting. One of the most crucial steps is embroidering, which requires skilled embroiders to embroider the design of the pattern on the silk thread. 

The needlework of embroidery is varied, including more than 40 kinds of needlework, such as straight needle, continuous
needle, bind needle, twist needle, etc. 

Choosing and matching colors of the lines are important, too, which will directly affect the color and texture of the work.

There are a variety of vivid patterns on the Canton embroidery works, with lychee, Kapok, flowers, birds and other patterns with Lingnan characteristics as the main subject.The works are of high cultural aesthetic value and look three-dimensional with the hope of well-being, from which you can feel the love of life.

The artistic value of Canton embroidery lies not only in its gorgeous appearance but also in the cultural and historical information it reveals.  

Each Canton embroidery can be the carrier of a story, leading us to understand China's history and culture. 

探访广绣传承人许炽光 | 南粤名匠

粤绣，又称广绣，是一项来自中国南方的独特绣种。起源于广州，距今已有一千多年的历史。以其细腻的工艺、华丽的图案和丰富的色彩而闻名。

年过九旬的许炽光老师从事广绣已近80年，是广绣技艺仅存的一位花佬。他13岁拜师学艺，那时只有男工才能入行，女绣工只是负责一些简单的图案或者花边。现在这个规矩已经打破，更多的人开始传承这项技艺。 

一件广绣作品需要经过绣稿设计、上架、刺绣、下架、装裱等多个步骤。其中最关键的步骤就是刺绣，需要技巧高超的绣工用丝线将设计好的图案刺绣在绸缎上。

刺绣的针法多变，包括直针、续针、捆咬针、勒针、扭针等四十多种针法。同时，广绣在绣线颜色的选择和搭配很重要，直接影响到作品的色彩和质感。

广绣的图案非常丰富，以荔枝、红棉、花鸟等岭南特色的图案为主要题材，作品看起来极富立体感和观赏性，又善于把寓意吉祥和美好的愿望融入其中，表达了对生活的热爱，具有较高的文化审美价值。

广绣的艺术价值不仅在于其华丽的外观，更在于其蕴含的文化和历史信息。每一幅作品都可能是一个故事的载体，让我们了解中国的历史和文化。

策划｜夏世焱
文案｜高镛舒
翻译｜梁美琪
审核｜白心怡
出镜｜苏菲 高镛舒
拍摄｜郭思杰 龚吉林 夏世焱
剪辑｜郭思杰
出品｜新快报 ╳ 羊城晚报对外传播部
鸣谢｜广东外语外贸大学留学生教育学院
责编 | 王瑜瑛