Product Description

Lavishly illustrated with photographs of magnificent dragon and bridal robes, rank badges, kimonos, and other embroidered textiles produced during the last two thousand years, this fascinating study of East Asian embroidery through the ages is not only educational, but also a feast for the eyes. Vintage photography and artwork showing these costumes and textiles in use are also featured, as well as Young's recent research which is sure to settle longstanding debates among textile scholars. Beyond history and style, she presents a wealth of information about the symbolism and meaning of embroidered designs, just as she explains the uses and functions of embroidered textiles.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #494076 in Books
• Published on: 2005-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 464 pages

About the Author
Young Yang Chung, world-renowned master embroiderer, was born and raised in Korea, where in the mid-1960s she founded The International Embroidery School and established Korea's first vocational embroidery centre. Chung is a leading scholar and expert in the field of East Asian textile arts, and her book The Art of Oriental Embroidery (1979) became the first English-language reference devoted exclusively to the origins and development of silk embroidery in East Asia.

Customer Reviews

Silken Threads: A history of Embroidery in China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam
It is what it says on the cover - a comprehensive history of embroidery in these countries. This heavy weight book is not a light read but fasinating and well worth perceivering with. The colour plates alone are worth the price! The information on techniques is invaluable to any one interested in oriental embroidery.

Silken Threads? Simply stunning!
Silken Threads: A History of Embroidery in China,Korea,Japan,and Vietnam
This is one of the most inspiring books on embroidery that I have ever seen. The photographic images are stunning and the detail shots are a designer's dream. What strikes me most is that quite a few of the designs look extremely contemporary and the sources have clearly been an inspiration for many Haute Couture collections in recent years. If you love embroidery it is a joy to own but there is so much more than this - the history of military embroidery that it contains is fascinating and the insight into the culture is very interesting. It is worth every penny.