Ancient Yi embroidery stitches new life into rural revitalization

With delicate patterns and 枣庄新闻网食品intricate stitching, Yi embroidery has been passed down for more than a millennium among the Yi ethnic group in southwest China's Yunnan province. Recognized as a national-level intangible cultural heritage, the craft has long served as an important carrier of Yi culture.

Today, that ancient tradition is finding new vitality, transforming from household needlework into a thriving cultural industry.

Jin Ruirui, a deputy to the National People's Congress and president of the Chuxiong Yi Embroidery Association, presents a Yi embroidery work at a Yunnan delegation deliberation during the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing, March 7, 2026. [Photo by Xu Xiaoxuan/China.org.cn]

For Jin Ruirui, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) and president of the Chuxiong Yi Embroidery Association, the craft is deeply personal.

"My mother never went to school," Jin recalled. "But with every stitch she made, she supported my sister and me through college."

Growing up in Anali village of Chuxiong Yi autonomous prefecture, Jin learned embroidery from her mother at an early age. As she grew older, however, she noticed that fewer young people were willing to devote time to mastering the craft.

"I worried that if we didn't bring people back to it, the skill might gradually disappear," she said.

Driven by that concern, Jin made a bold decision. In 2014, she quit her job in the city and returned to her hometown to start an embroidery business.

The early days were difficult. Many embroidery products were highly traditional in style and struggled to find a market, leaving local embroiderers earning only 500 to 600 yuan ($70 to $85) a month.

Jin herself had neither workspace nor startup funds.

Local government support proved crucial. Authorities helped set up workshops and introduced special financial policies, including loans and insurance services tailored for Yi embroidery businesses.

Jin also traveled across Yi villages in Chuxiong, visiting veteran embroiderers to collect traditional patterns and preserve classic stitching techniques.

While maintaining the traditional color palette of black, red and yellow, she began introducing modern design elements and developing new products such as jewelry and decorative goods.

At this year's national legislative session in Beijing, Jin wore a green Yi embroidered outfit.

"Green symbolizes hope and renewal," she said. "I hope more young people will join us in preserving and promoting intangible cultural heritage."

The business has grown rapidly. In 2025, Jin's company reported revenue exceeding 17 million yuan.

Yet her goal was never personal wealth.

"One person getting rich doesn't mean much. True prosperity comes when everyone prospers together," she said.

Over the years, she has helped establish more than 20 embroidery workshops and trained more than 2,000 local women, while helping 32 of them start their own businesses.

Many embroiderers say the craft allows them to earn an income close to home while caring for their families.

The company also provides free training for people with disabilities, and nearly 100 disabled embroiderers have received customized training programs.

The development of Yi embroidery has boosted the regional economy.

Government support has helped build the Yi embroidery brand. In 2025, the industry in Chuxiong generated 344 million yuan in output value, with about 62,000 embroiderers each earning an additional 20,000 to 40,000 yuan a year through the craft.

Beyond Chuxiong, Yi embroidery is stepping onto the global stage. Jin has showcased her designs at fashion weeks in Milan, New York and Paris, while more than 30 Yi embroidery promotion centers have been established overseas.

In 2023, a British clothing company discovered Yi traditional costumes through short videos on social media and soon placed Jin's first international order: 6,500 sets of Yi garments worth nearly 3 million yuan.

That same year, Jin was elected an NPC deputy. Since then, she has been bringing the voices of embroiderers to the national stage while advocating greater collaboration among different ethnic heritage crafts, including Bai tie-dye and Dulong blankets.

"Different ethnic cultures complement one another," she said. "Together they form the rich diversity of Chinese culture."

Experts say the development of Yi embroidery reflects a broader trend in China's cultural sector.

Bamo Qubuomo, a National People's Congress deputy and head of the expert committee of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Research Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, speaks with China.org.cn at a Yunnan delegation deliberation during the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing, March 7, 2026. [Photo by Xu Xiaoxuan/China.org.cn]

"Yi embroidery represents a combination of cultural programs and industries," said Bamo Qubuomo, an NPC deputy and head of the expert committee of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Research Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"Today it is evolving from a traditional handicraft into a cultural and creative industry," she added.

She noted that digital technologies are also playing a growing role in promoting intangible cultural heritage, particularly among younger generations.

"Digital tools mainly help expand communication and visibility," she said. "They offer broad potential for heritage preservation."

For Jin, the mission remains simple.

"I hope more people around the world can learn about the beauty of China's ethnic cultures through Yi embroidery," she said.

Back in her hometown, she plans to help more local women build better lives while passing on the centuries-old craft.

"On the path of rural revitalization, we will keep stitching new scenes of happiness," she said.