The work is demanding, but the young woman's heart is glowing with an immeasurable joy. In a few days, all the delicate works of embroidery she has produced since childhood-decorative shoes, pouches, handkerchiefs, pillowslips, quilt covers, and clothing-will be presented before the critically admiring yes of relatives and friends, the guests t her wedding. The years of painstaking dedication have been a preparation for a if e of grace and skill in the tasks expected of an ideal wife.

Her embroidery is patterned after traditional motifs. A pair of splendidly-colored mandarin ducks, symbolizing eternal affection between husband and wife; a sinuous, dignified dragon and an elegant phoenix, with gold floss and silver threads strengthening their magnificence; and detailed flower patterns on handkerchiefs. If each item is dainty yet alive with spirit, the guests will praise the taste and demeanor of this bride-to-be. The work of the hands reveals the inner character.

Seen in a broader perspective, every stitch is part of a lengthy tradition that has encouraged generations of Chinese women to become adept at their embroidery frames. A Chinese girl started learning her stitches from the time she was six or seven years old, and much of her work was needed by her family. Almost every textile article in the home, from slippers to bed comforters, was decorated with embroidery. These generations of accumulated creativity and skill eventually transformed Chinese embroidery into a form of exquisite art.

From ancient times, the everyday life of women was linked to needlework. Bone needles and other relics found in the sites of China's Neolithic dwellings suggest embroidery has prehistoric roots in the crude sewing done to stitch clothes together from skins. The rise of decorative stitching is difficult to discover, but Chinese were painting and embroidering intricate patterns on their clothing at least 4,300 ago. Some experts speculate that this might have been an artistic extension of primitive tattooing customs, which may have been used to indicate degrees of social status.

In the Confucian classic, the Book of History (Shang Shu), it is recorded that that the legendary ruler Shun (circa 2200 B.C.) directed his equally legendary successor Yu (reputed founder of the Hsia Dynasty, c. 2205-1782 B.C.) to have "the six insignia" of his exalted position embroidered on his imperial upper garments. These were the sun and moon, and a star, mountain, dragon, and pheasant. Another six insignia were embroidered on the lower garments: the tsung yi (a sacrificial utensil), a waterweed, flame, grain of rice, ax, and fu (a black and blue figure comprising a pair of characters placed back to back). Subordinate nobles and officials wore decreasing numbers of such insignia in accordance with their rank.

This classic history text illustrates the early roots of China's enduring "carriage and clothing ranking system . " While the use of visual indicators of status remained in place throughout the dynastic periods of China, the actual patterns went through many changes. For example, during the Ming (1368-1644) and Ch'ing (1644-1911) Dynasties, symbols were embroidered on heavy square patches of silk-bird insignia for civil officials, and beasts for military officers.

According to another Confucian classic, the Book of Rites (Chou Li), the Chou Dynasty rulers (ca.1122-249 B.C.) maintained artisans in the palace to embroider formal attire for the royal family. In the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.), embroidery was patronized and directly 'supervised by the imperial court. By this time, embroidery techniques were used not only on wearing apparel, but also as ornamentation for many other items such as carriages, banners, and personal belongings.