In the Huxingshan area of Longhui County, which is more than 1,300 meters above sea level, there are towering mountains, towering ancient trees, and waterfalls and canyons. A branch of the Yao ethnic group lives here. Because of their unique and colorful costumes, they are called "Huayao". According to historical records, the Yao ethnic group's embroidery was already popular before the Han Dynasty. The Yao ethnic group's embroidery relies entirely on the Yao women's sharp eyes and skillful hands to operate the warp and weft of the cloth. Its conception is ingenious, the layout is reasonable, the patterns are simple and complex, and the left and right are symmetrical, reflecting the strong national characteristics and local flavor. In addition, the needlework is fine, and each work is unique and has great collection value. Mr. Shen Congwen, a famous Chinese writer, praised the Yao ethnic group's embroidery as "the world's first-class embroidery". In 1994, the Yao ethnic group's embroidery won the bronze medal in the Chinese Folk Art Exhibition held by the Ministry of Culture. Huayao embroidery is a unique handicraft circulated among the Yao women in Longhui County, Hunan Province. The Longhui Yao people are called "Huayao" because of the gorgeous embroidery on their women's skirts. Huayao people live in Huxingshan Yao Township, Xiaoshajiang Town, Dashuitian Township and Matangshan Township, all of which are located in the north of Longhui County, with an altitude of more than 1,300 meters. Huayao embroidery is said to have originated in the Han Dynasty and matured in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The materials for embroidery are single-color or white homespun cloth and various colored silk yarns. Embroidery women do not use tracing or molds, but only follow the warp and weft of the homespun cloth to embroider by hand, and mostly use the filling-type embroidery technique with 0 patterns in the pattern. The embroidery patterns are widely drawn from more than a thousand kinds, roughly divided into four categories: animals, plants, history, and living customs. Animal patterns are the most common, with ingenious ideas, bold and exaggerated shapes, balanced and symmetrical layouts, and distinct black and white colors, which have a strong visual impact. Mr. Shen Congwen, a famous cultural and museum expert in my country, called it "the world's first-class embroidery". Huayao embroidery clothing is listed as a treasure collection by the National Art Museum of China and the National Museum of Ethnic Studies. In 1994, Huayao Embroidery won the bronze medal in the "China Folk Art Exhibition" held by the Ministry of Culture. In 2003, it won the gold medal in the "China's First Cultural Relics Replica and Folk Crafts Exhibition". Therefore, Huxingshan Yao Ethnic Township in Longhui County was named "Cultural Art Town" by the Hunan Provincial Department of Culture. With the deepening of social changes and changes in living environment, ethnic costumes have been assimilated by the outside world. During this period, many old embroidery artists died, and the inheritance of skills was interrupted. At the same time, the lack of embroidery materials made the production difficult. The Huayao embroidery craft is gradually declining and has reached an endangered state, which urgently needs protection and rescue. Feng Xuemei Feng Xuemei, female, born in April 1959, from Wanguan Village, Yao Ethnic Township, Huxingshan Yao Ethnic Township, Longhui County, is now 53 years old. Feng Xuemei has been learning embroidery skills from her mother since she was eight years old. Because of her talent and special love for Huayao embroidery, she can embroider exquisite authentic embroidery skirts in less than a year. By the age of eleven or twelve, she was already a well-known embroidery expert in Fangyuan Village. At the age of fifteen or sixteen, she began to volunteer to teach Huayao sisters in and outside the village to learn embroidery skills. Especially during the period when she worked as a farmer at home after graduating from high school in 1979, Feng Xuemei had dozens of apprentices. Because Feng Xuemei taught embroidery skills patiently and meticulously, and deeply...more>>>Feng XuemeiFeng Xuemei, female, born in April 1959, from Wanguan Village, Yao Township, Huxingshan Yao Township, Longhui County, now 53 years old. Feng Xuemei started learning embroidery skills from her mother at the age of eight. Because of her natural intelligence and her special love for Huayao embroidery, she could embroider exquisite authentic embroidery skirts in less than a year. By the age of eleven or twelve, she was already a well-known embroidery expert in Fangyuan Village. When she was fifteen or sixteen years old, she began to volunteer to teach the Huayao sisters in and outside the village to learn the art of embroidery. Especially after graduating from high school in 1979, when she was working as a farmer at home, Feng Xuemei had dozens of apprentices. Because Feng Xuemei taught the art of embroidery patiently and meticulously, and deeply...more>>>Feng Xuemei, female, born in April 1959, from Wanguan Village, Yao Township, Huxingshan Yao Township, Longhui County, now 53 years old. Feng Xuemei has been learning the art of embroidery from her mother since she was eight years old. Because of her intelligence and her special love for Huayao embroidery, she could pick out exquisite authentic embroidery skirts in less than a year. By the age of eleven or twelve, she was already a well-known embroidery expert in Fangyuan Village. When she was fifteen or sixteen years old, she began to volunteer to teach the Huayao sisters in and outside the village to learn the art of embroidery. Especially after graduating from high school in 1979, when she was working as a farmer at home, Feng Xuemei had dozens of apprentices. Because Feng Xuemei taught the art of embroidery patiently and meticulously, and deeply...more>>>