Amazing Taizhou Embroidery 神奇的台州刺绣

徐芳芳

台州刺绣是中国优秀的民族传统工艺，在中国刺绣工艺上独树一帜。与中国四大名绣相比，台州刺绣以独有的“雕平绣”而称誉海外，其绣品不但立体感强，且镂空部分更是玲珑剔透、独具风格。

Tai Xiu is a folk embroidery that integrated Chinese and Western cultures in the early 20th century. In 1906， some Frenchmen went to Haimen （now Taizhou） where they passed on Western embroidery techniques， such as carving and drawnwork， to the local people. Eventually， these techniques were mixed into traditional Chinese embroidery and a unique product appeared. But TAISILK， a boutique company，  is more than a replication （復制品） of old?time handicraft.

“I think Im greedy，” said Lin Xia， an inheritor of Tai Xiu and a founder of TAISILK. “I want to commercialize the production of Tai Xiu， and stick to its artistic nature.” She believes theres a way to balance art and business. Such as， the company has been experimenting with innovative techniques to enrich the cultural content of Tai Xiu since 1998. Also， through the boutique industry， the traditional cultural heritage has become accessible to the general public.

Still， Lin wasnt satisfied with that. She wanted to distinguish Tai Xiu from other Chinese embroidery. “Theres a homogenization trend among todays embroidery products， a lack of individuality，” Lin said. Shes been trying to put modern and abstract thoughts into the pattern designs and “jump out of the bounds of traditional embroidery”.

Lins work “Web World” won the gold award of “Bai Hua” Grand Award for Chinese Arts and Crafts， one of the highest awards in the field in China. In this piece of art， Lin moved away from the conventional patterns of flowers， birds， fish and insects. Her insights into life and art were demonstrated through dense bone pinholes and the cobweb （蜘蛛网） embroidery technique.

Over the past two decades， Lin and her team have brought Tai Xiu to a bigger world. Nowadays， TAISILK has more than 150 brick?and?mortar stores across the country and is available on e?commerce platforms.

[Reading][Check]

1. What did the Frenchmen do to Tai Xiu in the early 1900s？

A. They introduced it to the West.

B. They contributed new skills to it.

C. They tried to copy it in every way.

D. They began to produce it by machine.

2. Which word can best describe Lin Xias attitude to Tai Xiu according to paragraph 2？

A. Worried. B. Puzzled.

C. Doubtful. D. Ambitious.

3. Whats the problem with embroidery products at present according to Lin Xia？

A. They mostly carry no cultural meanings.

B. They are more or less the same in nature.

C. They are not affordable for the general public.

D. They are not accessible to the general public.

4. What can you see in Lins award?winning artwork “Web World”？

A. Modern painting skills.

B. Very abstract fish designs.

C. Traditional flower patterns.

D. Special embroidery techniques.

[Language][Study]

Ⅰ. Theme?centered chunks

integrate v. 融合;合并

pass on...to 传给

greedy adj. 贪吃的;渴望的;贪婪的

commercialize v. 商业化

stick to 坚持;维持

boutique n. 精品店

distinguish...from 把……同……区分开来

brick?and?mortar stores 实体店

Ⅱ. Text?centered sentence patterns

1. where引导的定语从句

In 1906， some Frenchmen went to Haimen （now Taizhou） where they passed on Western embroidery techniques， such as carving and drawnwork， to the local people. 1906年，一些法國人到海门（今台州），将雕绣、抽纱等西方刺绣技术传授给当地人。

2. 当since表示“自从”时，不管它是用作介词、连词或副词，它通常都要与现在完成时连用

Such as， the company has been experimenting with innovative techniques to enrich the cultural content of Tai Xiu since 1998. 比如，该公司自1998年以来一直在试验创新技术来丰富台州刺绣的文化内涵。