Analysis of the Application of Chao Embroidery Art in Contemporary Design

Research Paper This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17519059 Page 13 Introduction As a core branch of Guangdong embroidery and one of the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage items, Chao embroidery forms a unique aesthetic system characterized by "thickness, brightness, and magnificence" through its three-dimensional "goldnailing and padding" stitching technique, the metallic luster of gold and silver thread embroidery, and the layered texture of composite bead embroidery. In the context of the in-depth integration of the dynamic inheritance of intangible cultural heritage and design innovation, Chao embroidery has transcended the category of traditional embroidered products and transformed into a core cultural resource that empowers the fashion industry, activates cultural and tourism spaces, and connects digital technology. Relying on public information from authoritative sources such as China Daily, Nanfang Daily, and the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, this paper focuses on the practical application of Chao embroidery in contemporary design. It systematically sorts out its application paths and value logic, starting from the industrial evidence of Chaozhou's wedding dress and evening dress industry with an annual output of nearly 2,000 pieces and 90% export rate, to the spatial activation of the "Chao People Embroider the Ancient City" project, and then to the empowerment of craftsmanship by digital technology, so as to provide a verifiable practical paradigm for the integration of intangible cultural heritage and contemporary design. 1. Core Craftsmanship Techniques and Aesthetic Expressions of Chao Embroidery 1.1 Core Craftsmanship Techniques: Systematic Presentation from Materials to Stitching Methods Analysis of the Application of Chao Embroidery Art in Contemporary Design Li Yuhua GRADUATE UNIVERSITY OF MONGOLIA, Graduate School of Language and Culture, Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar Corresponding Author: Li Yuhua GRADUATE UNIVERSITY OF MONGOLIA, Graduate School of Language and Culture, Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar Abbreviated Key Title: UAI J Econ Bus Manag ISSN: 3049-2777 (Online) Journal homepage Volume1 Issue6 (November-December) 2025 Frequency: Bimonthly As a core branch of the Guangdong embroidery system and a national intangible cultural heritage, Chao embroidery, with its unique craftsmanship and visual aesthetics, provides important creative resources for contemporary design. Based on the detailed craftsmanship, aesthetic expressions, and contemporary application practices of Chao embroidery, this paper systematically sorts out its transformation paths in the field of design, analyzes the integration logic between craftsmanship and design by combining specific cases, and clarifies the core value and practical boundaries of Chao embroidery in contemporary design, so as to provide references for the dynamic inheritance of intangible cultural heritage and design innovation. Keywords: Chao Embroidery; Intangible Cultural Heritage Craftsmanship; Contemporary Design; Craft Transformation Research Paper This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17519059 Page 14 Chao embroidery craftsmanship is characterized by "high complexity and strong three-dimensionality". Its core techniques revolve around the properties of materials and shape creation, forming an operable and replicable craftsmanship system. In terms of material application, Chao embroidery mainly uses gold and silver threads, pearls, and bead pieces as core carriers: Gold and silver threads are made into threads of different thicknesses through the "gold-winding" process, presenting a metallic luster under light and laying a "bright" visual foundation for the works; Pearls and bead pieces are arranged through the "nailing" process to form density variations according to the needs of patterns. For example, in the design of dragon and phoenix patterns, bead pieces are often arranged along the outline of the patterns to enhance the recognition of the pattern edges, and at the same time, the size difference of bead pieces is used to create a layered effect. In terms of the stitching system, Chao embroidery covers hundreds of stitching methods, among which "gold-nailing and padding", "heightened padding embroidery", and "composite bead embroidery" are the iconic ones: The "gold-nailing and padding" technique makes the pattern detach from the fabric surface by padding multiple layers of cotton wool and nailing gold and silver threads, forming a raised height of 510mm. For instance, the dragon pattern in Nine-Dragon Screen has its body padded with 3-5 layers of cotton wool, and then the outline is nailed with gold threads, while the dragon scales are carefully filled with the "gold-coiling" stitching method, finally presenting a three-dimensional shape similar to a sculpture; The "heightened padding embroidery" simplifies the number of cotton wool layers, focusing on the local protrusion of the pattern, which is often used to shape the petals and leaves of flower and bird patterns. Through 1-2 layers of cotton wool padding and silk thread embroidery, the petals show a natural curly feeling; The "composite bead embroidery" combines the "nailing" and "flat embroidery" techniques. It first outlines the pattern with flat embroidery, and then nails bead pieces or pearls at key positions. For example, the stamen of a flower and bird pattern takes a pearl as the core, and the surrounding petals are embroidered with silk threads, forming a texture contrast between "soft silk threads and hard bead materials". 1.2 Aesthetic Expressions: Visual Language and Theme Orientation of "Thickness, Brightness, and Magnificence" Chao embroidery forms a unified aesthetic style of "thickness, brightness, and magnificence" through its craftsmanship techniques, and the selection of themes is highly compatible with visual expressions, forming distinct cultural symbol characteristics. "Thickness" is reflected in the three-dimensional thickness of the pattern and the density of layers: On the one hand, the "gold-nailing and padding" and "heightened padding embroidery" techniques make the pattern detach from the fabric surface, forming a physical thickness. For example, in the traditional Chao embroidery dragon and phoenix gowns, the raised height of the dragon and phoenix patterns can reach 8mm, which is far beyond the flat effect of ordinary embroidery; On the other hand, the dense arrangement of stitching methods forms a visual density. For example, the "goldcoiling" stitching method can complete 5-8 circles of gold thread winding within 1cm², making the local part of the pattern present a thick texture and avoiding the thinness caused by sparse threads. "Brightness" relies on the luster of materials and the reflection effect of craftsmanship: Based on the metallic luster of gold and silver threads themselves, the tightness of the threads is adjusted through the "gold-winding" process, making the luster show light and dark changes. Tightly stretched gold threads have a brighter luster, while loose gold threads present a matte texture. The combination of these two types of threads can create the light and shadow layers of the pattern; At the same time, the reflective properties of bead pieces and pearls further enhance the "bright" effect. For example, in the design of evening dresses, bead pieces are often arranged along the edge of the garment pattern pieces, and when walking, the bead pieces reflect light with movements, forming a dynamic luster. "Magnificence" is reflected in the combination of theme selection and craftsmanship decoration: The themes of Chao embroidery mainly include dragons and phoenixes, flowers and birds, and aquatic figures, all of which carry auspicious meanings. For example, dragons and phoenixes symbolize nobility and celebration, flowers and birds represent vitality and beauty, and aquatic figures such as fishing girls, shrimps, and crabs reflect the regional characteristics of Lingnan. These themes further highlight the "magnificent" temperament through craftsmanship decoration: In the dragon and phoenix patterns, for example, the dragon horns are made to have a sharp feeling with the "gold-coiling" stitching method, the phoenix feathers are embroidered in layers with the "thread-collecting" stitching method, and the color of the silk thread in each layer fades from dark red to light pink. Combined with the phoenix tail nailed with pearls, the overall pattern not only conforms to traditional aesthetics but also has a strong decorative nature. 2. Application Paths and Practical Cases of Chao Embroidery in the Field of Contemporary Design 2.1 Fashion Design: Craft Transformation from Ceremonial Clothing to Daily Wear Chao embroidery has formed a "scene-adaptive" transformation logic in fashion design. It adjusts the craft details according to the clothing usage scenarios to balance traditional craftsmanship with modern wearing needs. In the design of high-end wedding dresses and evening dresses, Chao embroidery focuses on "strengthening the sense of ceremony" and mainly applies the "gold-nailing and padding" and "composite bead embroidery" techniques. A certain evening dress enterprise in Chaozhou designed a wedding dress for the high-end European and American wedding market. The upper part of the dress uses the "gold-nailing and padding" technique to embroider dragon and phoenix patterns: The dragon pattern is padded with 5 layers of cotton wool, the outline of the dragon body is nailed with gold threads, the dragon scales are filled with the "gold-coiling" stitching method, the phoenix pattern is matched with pearl nailing, the phoenix crown takes a large pearl as the core, and the surrounding area is densely arranged with small bead pieces; The skirt hem adopts the "composite bead embroidery" technique to embroider peony patterns along the edge of the skirt hem. The petals are embroidered with light pink silk threads using flat embroidery, the stamens are nailed with pearls, and the bead pieces are arranged along the edge of the petals, forming a layered contrast between "three-dimensional dragons and phoenixes and flat flowers". When this wedding dress was exhibited at the international wedding dress exhibition, its three-dimensional dragon and phoenix patterns presented a strong sculptural feeling under the light, which met the "power-sacrifice" narrative needs of ceremonial clothing, and its annual sales accounted for 40% of the enterprise's high-end product line. "Chaozhou's wedding dresses and evening dresses also have unique innovation in design and processing," commented Wang Haotian, Chairman of the Silk Road International Fashion Week Organizing Committee and Chairman of the China Committee of the Asian Model Association. Chaozhou designers integrate modern aesthetic concepts and design elements into traditional Chao embroidery techniques to create more fashionable and personalized Research Paper This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17519059 Page 15 wedding dresses and evening dresses [1]. On January 18, 2025, the JOOOYS "Huashang Embroidery Shadow" intangible cultural heritage series launch conference at the Bay Area Intangible Cultural Heritage Night was grandly held at the Happy Coast Innovation and Exhibition Center in Nanshan District, Shenzhen. This launch conference brought together the essence of traditional intangible cultural heritage techniques and modern fashion design, presenting a grand feast of cultural and aesthetic integration for the on-site audience. The JOOOYS brand innovatively integrated traditional intangible cultural heritage techniques into modern clothing and won the "Intangible Cultural Heritage Innovation Practice Award". Pan Ming, President of the Shenzhen Garment Industry Association, presented the award to the JOOOYS brand. Zhao Yakun, co-founder of the brand and one of China's Top Ten Fashion Designers, has long been committed to the inheritance and innovation of China's traditional textile intangible cultural heritage craftsmanship. She said that this series of clothing takes "Huashang Embroidery Shadow" as the theme, and its inspiration comes from the exquisiteness of embroidery and the profound connotation of Chinese culture. "The bead embroidery, Chao embroidery, and Guangdong embroidery in the Bay Area are the core sources of design inspiration. We combine these crafts with intangible cultural heritage textile fabrics such as Song brocade, Yun brocade, and Xiangyun yarn, and endow the clothing with a new fashion expression through the innovative interpretation of traditional auspicious patterns such as river cliffs and sea water, auspicious clouds and wishful thinking, and fish leaping into dragons." She further emphasized: "To inherit intangible cultural heritage, we must not only retain the core techniques but also deconstruct and reshape them, and combine them with technologically innovative materials such as color-changing fibers and luminous fibers to meet modern aesthetic and wearing needs [2]." On November 19, 2024, at the "Chao Youth Return to Shantou, Haoqing Builds Dreams" Youth Music Carnival in Shantou, Yanzu Milan, as the designated evening dress provider, presented an intangible cultural heritage Chao embroidery cheongsam feast prepared by the team led by intangible cultural heritage inheritor Yan Shuyi. With Chaoshan's historical culture and folk customs as the inspiration, the series of works are divided into two major themes: the eight traditional festivals and the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. A total of 16 sets of evening dresses were created by combining techniques such as Chao embroidery and bead embroidery with modern fashion aesthetics [3]. In addition, Ms. Yan Shuyi introduced that she has brought Chao-style cheongsams to the China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Fair for many times. The Chao-style cheongsams that appeared on the stage of the Guangdong Pavilion at the 19th China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Fair integrated traditional techniques with unique Chaoshan cultural and regional characteristics such as Chao embroidery, drawnwork, bead embroidery, and hook-through embroidery. The cheongsams are exquisite and fashionable, and some styles are also cleverly integrated with cultural symbol elements such as Shantou Small Park. With exquisite craftsmanship and careful thinking, they have won wide praise from guests and the public [4], realizing the integration of traditional craftsmanship and modern design. 2.2 Visual Communication and Brand Packaging: Pattern Reconstruction and Craft Replication In contemporary visual communication and brand packaging design, Chao embroidery elements have been redefined as an identifiable and communicable cultural symbol system. Designers generally adopt the strategy of "symbol extraction + craft simulation" to balance the traditional cultural image and modern packaging language. The symbol extraction process usually focuses on the composition logic and formal characteristics of traditional Chao embroidery patterns, and realizes the contemporary reconstruction through geometrization, linearization, and color rearrangement. For example, the design of combining Chao embroidery with sports shoes is inspired by Nine-Dragon Screen created by the cooperative Chao embroidery master Liu Ruiling. Nine-Dragon Screen is not only the best work representing the peak of Chao embroidery craftsmanship but also one of the representative works of Chao embroidery. The upper design extracts three major elements from the representative Chao embroidery work Nine-Dragon Screen: the rising dragon, walking on waves, and auspicious clouds as the theme forms of the series. This not only forms a series of themes but also does not damage the best representative work of Chao embroidery [5]. In terms of craft replication, digital technology has become the key to the large-scale application of Chao embroidery craftsmanship. As a major domestic exporter of arts and crafts, Guangdong Yinghao Cultural and Creative Co., Ltd. integrates Chaozhou fabric embroidery technology into Western holiday decoration products in its product design and packaging, and restores the texture of Chao embroidery through the composite process of "digital embroidery + gold stamping": Taking Christmas elf dolls for the Western market as an example, it first scans the classic Chao embroidery patterns with digital equipment to extract outline and color data, then reproduces the flat embroidery texture with digital embroidery, and finally uses the gold stamping process to simulate the effect of gold and silver threads at the edge of the patterns. Through parameter adjustment, the replicated patterns maintain a high similarity with hand-made Chao embroidery, which not only retains the visual feeling of "handmade warmth" but also meets the needs of commercial mass production [6]. 2.3 Spatial and Cultural Tourism Design: From Decorative Elements to Scene Construction The application of Chao embroidery in the field of spatial and cultural tourism design is moving from "decorative display" to "scenario-based narrative". In open spaces, the exhibition system of the "Bridge Market" on Guangji Bridge in the ancient city of Chaozhou has become a representative case. Since 2023, Guangji Bridge has set up a regular intangible cultural heritage exhibition area covering six major crafts such as ceramics, wood carving, and Chao embroidery. Inheritors demonstrate their skills on-site and combine dynamic displays with audience interaction links. According to a report by Nanfang Daily, Chao embroidery inheritors demonstrate stitching methods such as "gold-nailing and padding", "gold-coiling", and "composite bead nailing" on-site, allowing tourists to intuitively experience the whole process of embroidery from materials to finished products. This model not only improves the degree of cultural visualization but also reconstructs the public cultural space experience of the ancient city of Chaozhou [7]. At the urban renewal level, the restoration project of the Taiping Road historical and cultural block in Chaozhou has realized "spatial activation" with the strategy of "intangible cultural heritage experience + cultural consumption". A number of intangible cultural heritage-themed stores in the block integrate exhibition, experience, and sales, and adopt a three-stage layout of "material display - skill demonstration - finished product presentation", transforming Chao embroidery from a traditional craft space into an experienceable Research Paper This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17519059 Page 16 cultural scene [8]. According to a 2024 report on the official website of the Guangdong Provincial Government, this block has become one of the cultural nodes with the highest cultural tourism traffic in Chaozhou, and its path of "driving spatial renewal with intangible cultural heritage design" provides a new model for the commercialization of traditional crafts. In the intangible cultural heritage experience space, Chao embroidery realizes the transformation from "static viewing" to "dynamic participation" through "skill demonstration + interactive practice", making the craft culture tangible and perceptible. The intangible cultural heritage experience hall in the opening area of Shantou Small Park, as the first immersive urban intangible cultural heritage experience space in Chaoshan, specially sets up a Chao embroidery experience area. The intangible cultural heritage inheritor Hong Yujing is on-site to personally guide citizens and tourists to experience basic stitching methods. During the experience, the inheritor will carefully explain the various stitching methods of Chao embroidery and the stitching methods and operation logic of bead embroidery, from the basic skills of "needle lifting and falling" to the craft logic of pattern creation, allowing participants to intuitively feel the "accumulation of every stitch and thread" [9]. 2.4 Digital and Intelligent Design Digital technology provides a new path for the modern transformation of Chao embroidery craftsmanship, realizing the "digital preservation" and "functional innovation" of traditional craftsmanship. In terms of process parameterization, researchers from Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering took the traditional color matching of Chao embroidery as the research object, used a digital color difference meter to collect the color data of 100 classic Chao embroidery works, covering the core color values of gold and silver threads and silk threads, and then analyzed the color matching rules through the Apriori algorithm. For example, it was found that "gold thread + bright red" and "silver thread + royal blue" are high-frequency color matching combinations, and the application proportion of these two color combinations in dragon and phoenix pattern works reaches 65%; Based on this data, the team built a "Chao embroidery color matching database", and designers can directly call the color value parameters for modern design [10]. In terms of intelligent design assistance, Shencai PromeAI can generate unique Chao embroidery pattern renderings by integrating modern trend elements according to the needs of inheritors, thereby expanding the design boundaries. Inheritors rely on their own professional knowledge and experience to reorganize and innovate pattern elements, carefully screen and adjust the output of AIGC, and ensure that human-machine collaborative works are more unique and artistic. Zhu Na also mentioned in the research on the extraction of Guangdong embroidery patterns and their application in cheongsam 3D design that extracting the core features of Chao embroidery patterns through digital technology and applying them to the 3D design of clothing can realize the effective integration of traditional craftsmanship and modern design technology [11]. 3. Support System for the Contemporary Application of Chao Embroidery The stable application of Chao embroidery in contemporary design relies on the dual support of "system-industry". At the system level, in 2006, Chao embroidery was included in the national intangible cultural heritage list under the category of "Guangdong Embroidery (Chao Embroidery)", clarifying its cultural status; By 2025, there have been 9 national-level intangible cultural heritage inheritors of "Guangdong Embroidery (Chao Embroidery)" in Chaozhou, who cultivate professional talents through the "mentor-apprentice inheritance" model. For example, the inheritors offer Chao embroidery courses in local vocational colleges, teaching core stitching methods such as "gold-nailing and padding" and "composite bead embroidery", and training 50-80 students annually, providing human resources guarantee for design application. At the industry level, Chaozhou has formed a wedding dress and evening dress industrial cluster with Chao embroidery as the core. According to 2025 data, the annual output of wedding dresses and evening dresses in the local area is nearly 20 million pieces, with more than 90% exported to Europe and the United States. The industry gathers more than 500 enterprises, covering a complete industrial chain including fabric procurement, Chao embroidery processing, and finished product assembly [1]. Some enterprises focus on pattern processing and can provide customers with one-stop services of "stitching method selection - material matching - pattern customization". Designers only need to provide design drafts, and the enterprises can complete the Chao embroidery craft transformation, which greatly reduces the connection cost between design and craftsmanship and transforms Chao embroidery from a "single craft" into a "core link of the industrial chain". Conclusion The core value of Chao embroidery lies in its characteristics of "craft transformability and aesthetic adaptability": Through the detailed decomposition of materials and stitching methods, Chao embroidery can realize the accurate transformation from traditional works to contemporary design; Through the aesthetic extraction of "thickness, brightness, and magnificence", Chao embroidery can adapt to the design needs of various fields such as fashion, packaging, and space. In contemporary design practice, it is necessary to take "craft details as the foundation, scene needs as the orientation, and technological innovation as the support", not only retaining the cultural genes of Chao embroidery but also solving the mass production and functional needs of modern design, so as to truly transform Chao embroidery from an "intangible cultural heritage craft "into an" innovative resource for contemporary design" and provide two-way support for the dynamic inheritance of intangible cultural heritage and the upgrading of the design industry. References 1. Li Zong. (2025, August 29). Chaozhou's Wedding Dresses and Evening Dresses Gain Popularity Overseas. People's Daily. https://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/pc/content/20 2508/29/content_30100935.html 2. Cai Bin. (2025, January 20). JOOOYS "Huashang Embroi dery Shadow" Shines at the Bay Area Intangible Cultural Heritage Night: A Brilliant Integration of Tradition and Fa shion. 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