On April 8, international students at ECUST experienced Song Brocade craftsmanship, one of China’s three most famous traditional brocades. Today, Song Brocade continues to embody Eastern aesthetics in everyday items such as handbags, fans, and pendants.
First, the instructor introduced the history and classic patterns of Song Brocade, explaining its role in both traditional attire and modern daily life. Through vivid images and videos, students were captivated by its beauty. After a demonstration of making fans, handbags, and pendants, the students selected their preferred fabrics and began crafting.
Students carefully cut the brocade into shape, glued it onto the fan frame, and used tweezers to add tiny beads and ornaments. Each fan reflected the students’ unique creativity.
Handbag decoration was also popular—plain burlap bags became canvases where Song Brocade blossomed like flowers through cutting, piecing, and gluing. Many proudly showed their finished works with a sense of achievement.
In addition, horse-shaped pendants (symbolizing “immediate success”) and gourd pendants (representing “fortune, health, and peace”) were also favored. Students cut the shapes, secured the brocade with glue, and carefully assembled tassels and beads using tweezers. They shared their intentions to hang the pieces on their bags or give them as gifts to family members.
By the end, each student had created their own Song Brocade handicraft, gaining a deeper understanding of how Chinese people embellish daily life with their own hands and sparking further interest in traditional Chinese culture.
