Works of Youzhou Miao Embroidery (Photo/Youyang Fabu)

Chongqing - On the coat, the "flowers" seem so lifelike; the "butterflies" on the circular-shaped tuanshan appears as if it's about to take flight... Walking into an ancient, serene house in Youyang County, a group of embroiderers are skillfully working on handcrafts. In no time, exquisite accessories like these come before your eyes.

This is the Youzhou Miao embroidery that comes from Youyang County in Chongqing. Many domestic visitors have been mesmerized by its vibrant colors and profound meaning since their first encounter. Now, its overseas fans are growing by the day.

"Up to now, our overseas sales have already exceeded 3 million yuan ($411,000)," said Chen Guotao, the inheritor of Chongqing's intangible cultural heritage of Youshou Miao embroidery.

Chen's connection to Miao embroidery goes back a long way. When she recalls her childhood, she always remembers her grandmother, dressed in traditional Miao clothing, sitting in a stilted house, stitching flowers.

"I also remember that my aunt was an embroidery master. Without any patterns, she could still embroider exquisite designs."

Influenced by this, Miao embroidery naturally became one of Chen's skills. After graduating from university, she stayed in Beijing for work, but her love for Miao embroidery never faded.

In 2007, Chen quit her job and returned to her hometown to devote herself to Miao embroidery. She both copied traditional designs and learned techniques from experienced embroiderers.

While preserving the cultural essence of Miao embroidery, she increasingly began creating functional pieces. Chen's "company+poverty alleviation+rural embroiderers" support model helped thousands of rural women in Youyang earn income.

Exquisite beauty amazes European and American merchants

Chen first took Youzhou Miao Embroidery global in 2013, participating in a European tour exhibition. She brought works, including chest flowers, scarves, bags, and around seven to eight hundred items in total.

"Our chest flowers were sold for 200 yuan each. They sold very well in Milan and London during the exhibition."

"The greatest takeaway from this trip was that we not only saw the demand in the overseas market but also recognized the gaps," Chen said.

After that, she began to consider how to highlight ethnic features while also considering that foreigners tended to prefer more understated, elegant products. After discussing this with the embroiderers, Miao embroidery began to be incorporated into designs for products more popular in international markets, such as decorative hat accessories, brooches, and stud earrings. Today, Youzhou Miao embroidery is sold in more than 80 countries and regions around the world.

Also, After returning to China, Chen and the embroiderers had their new Miao embroidery work, the Blue Series.

Subsequently, at a Canton Fair, the "Blue Series" Miao embroidery jewelry received orders from many foreign merchants. Meanwhile, a merchant from Dubai came to make an all-in-one purchase.

"At the time, to highlight Miao embroidery, we specifically brought dark wood display stands, and all the Miao embroidery jewelry was displayed on these stands," Chen said. The Dubai merchant saw them and exclaimed, "Seeing this touch of blue in the hot desert would surely feel refreshing and cooling!" He then bought the entire set, including the dark wood display stand and the Blue Series jewelry. "He left a message saying, 'I want to sell your products all over the world.'"

Chen explained that the "Blue Series" Miao embroidery works are popular because a special Miao herb helps fix the color during the dyeing process. Each dyeing process results in a slightly different effect, making each piece unique.

Today, Chen's company, which specializes in Miao embroidery, operates seven workshops. Institutions such as the Palace Museum and the Chinese Traditional Culture Museum have ordered some of its products. These works have become popular souvenirs, attracting visitors from all over the world.

More Chongqing cultural creations making waves overseas

While Chen Guotao and the embroiderers from Youyang continue to innovate with Miao embroidery products, Chongqing Hongyi Jiuzhou International Culture and Art Development Co Ltd is also dedicated to bringing more cultural products with Chinese charm and Chongqing flavor to the global stage.

"We have been committed to creating a comprehensive platform that includes the import and export of cultural artworks, warehousing and logistics, bonded exhibitions, museum and art gallery operations, cultural exchanges, cultural and creative product development, and the incubation and operation of cultural, business, and tourism industries," said Zhang Hang, chairman of the company.

In recent years, the company has planned and organized international events with significant results. Through these events, exquisite lacquerware, Rongchang ramie, and other cultural products from Chongqing have become highly sought after by local attendees, Zhang said.

The company has also facilitated collaborations between dozens of Chongqing cultural enterprises and overseas institutions, helping to establish Chongqing's cultural businesses abroad.

Today, Hongyi Jiuzhou is in cooperation with China's national level IP, "China Gift," and has established a "China Gift" regional development center in Chongqing. It is able to provide services such as IP design, marketing, and logistics needed for Chinese cultural enterprises to expand overseas.

According to data from Chongqing Customs, the export value of Chongqing cultural products reached nearly 7 billion yuan ($960 million) in the first ten months of this year.

(Qiu Jinyi, a reporter from Shangyou News, contributed the Chinese version of this report.)