No. 2 Report from the “League of Extraordinary Tainan People” Series - Wang Lan-Cheng Takes Family Embroidery Tradition to the Next Level with the Invention of the “Full Metallic Thread Spiral Technique”
Posted Date:2025-03-14
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Introduce
Tainan has a rich cultural heritage and many talented people. To provide a more in-depth look at the diverse facets of Tainan, Tourism Bureau developed the “League Extraordinary Tainan People” series of articles in partnership with authors Chang Yun-su and Cheng Pei-wen to communicate the spirit and mindset of Tainan’s people through the life stories of master craftsmen. The articles offer the public a glimpse into the beauty of Tainan’s living culture, and provide a different kind of original itinerary in the form of corners and niches these people feel are worth exploring.
Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-che said that embroidery is an important part of traditional crafts in Tainan. Embroidery had many applications. In the past, it was not only used on clothing, footwear, blankets, purses, and curtains but also featured prominently on religious embroidery such as divine raiments, Eight Immortals banners, table skirting, and embroidered banners, as well as opera costumes and headgear. Embroidery was an indispensable part of everyday life. Embroidery in Tainan developed quite early. The industry was renowned for its exquisite needlework and its products were considered the best in Taiwan.
According to Director-General Lin Kuo-hua from the Tourism Bureau, the vibrant development of folk religions in Tainan generated a high demand for embroidery. In the past, Yongfu Road and Minquan Road in Fucheng were lined with embroidery shops and formed a veritable industry cluster. This shared memory among many local Tainan people was proof of the embroidery industry’s golden years in Tainan. Many skilled embroiderers were cultivated during this time and Wang Lan-cheng from Sheng Hua Embroidery Shop was one of the industry's top masters.
Wang Lan-cheng was born into an embroidery family and her ancestors were embroiderers from Fuzhou. Her father Wang Yi-chun was hired during the Japanese Period by an embroidery shop in Tainan and later set up “Sheng Hua Gifts Embroidery Shop” on Minquan Road. Wang Lan-cheng began learning the craft from her father after finishing elementary school. While other apprentices started out with basic tasks such as fabric stretching before moving up to embroidery, she was able to learn and do whatever she fancied because it was her family business. This freedom honed her skills and when she took over Sheng Hua Embroidery Shop, the business grew even bigger and became quite well-known.
Wang Lan-cheng carried on her family’s embroidery tradition but continued to research new techniques as well. To create embroidery that didn’t look just like line on a piece of cloth, she invented the “Fully Metallic Thread Spiral Technique” that combined single and double spiral embroidery techniques with metallic thread. Using different spiral directions, single and double-colored metallic lines can now present varying hues. When used on dragon patterns, this created a sense of depth through the layers of dragon scales and became one of the key selling points of Sheng Hua Embroidery Shop.
According to the Tourism Bureau, the “League of Extraordinary Tainan People” series of articles will be syndicated since March onwards. The reports will feature the life stories of Tainan master craftsmen and also invite the public to experience the unique style of Tainan. At the same time, the “2025 Taiwan International Orchid Show” opened at the Tainan Orchid Plantation in Houbi on March 8 and will run through to March 23. The 2025 White Valentine’s Day and “Teddy Bears in Tainan” will be romancing the Tainan Art Museum Building 2 from March 14 ~ 16. Cute little lanterns will be given away during the event and a lucky draw will be held for a pair of matched diamond rings. Everyone is welcome to find love in Tainan. For more information on the latest tourist attractions and events in Tainan, please continue to follow the “Travel Tainan” website and the “Travel Tainan Facebook Fan Page.”
Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-che said that embroidery is an important part of traditional crafts in Tainan. Embroidery had many applications. In the past, it was not only used on clothing, footwear, blankets, purses, and curtains but also featured prominently on religious embroidery such as divine raiments, Eight Immortals banners, table skirting, and embroidered banners, as well as opera costumes and headgear. Embroidery was an indispensable part of everyday life. Embroidery in Tainan developed quite early. The industry was renowned for its exquisite needlework and its products were considered the best in Taiwan.
According to Director-General Lin Kuo-hua from the Tourism Bureau, the vibrant development of folk religions in Tainan generated a high demand for embroidery. In the past, Yongfu Road and Minquan Road in Fucheng were lined with embroidery shops and formed a veritable industry cluster. This shared memory among many local Tainan people was proof of the embroidery industry’s golden years in Tainan. Many skilled embroiderers were cultivated during this time and Wang Lan-cheng from Sheng Hua Embroidery Shop was one of the industry's top masters.
Wang Lan-cheng was born into an embroidery family and her ancestors were embroiderers from Fuzhou. Her father Wang Yi-chun was hired during the Japanese Period by an embroidery shop in Tainan and later set up “Sheng Hua Gifts Embroidery Shop” on Minquan Road. Wang Lan-cheng began learning the craft from her father after finishing elementary school. While other apprentices started out with basic tasks such as fabric stretching before moving up to embroidery, she was able to learn and do whatever she fancied because it was her family business. This freedom honed her skills and when she took over Sheng Hua Embroidery Shop, the business grew even bigger and became quite well-known.
Wang Lan-cheng carried on her family’s embroidery tradition but continued to research new techniques as well. To create embroidery that didn’t look just like line on a piece of cloth, she invented the “Fully Metallic Thread Spiral Technique” that combined single and double spiral embroidery techniques with metallic thread. Using different spiral directions, single and double-colored metallic lines can now present varying hues. When used on dragon patterns, this created a sense of depth through the layers of dragon scales and became one of the key selling points of Sheng Hua Embroidery Shop.
According to the Tourism Bureau, the “League of Extraordinary Tainan People” series of articles will be syndicated since March onwards. The reports will feature the life stories of Tainan master craftsmen and also invite the public to experience the unique style of Tainan. At the same time, the “2025 Taiwan International Orchid Show” opened at the Tainan Orchid Plantation in Houbi on March 8 and will run through to March 23. The 2025 White Valentine’s Day and “Teddy Bears in Tainan” will be romancing the Tainan Art Museum Building 2 from March 14 ~ 16. Cute little lanterns will be given away during the event and a lucky draw will be held for a pair of matched diamond rings. Everyone is welcome to find love in Tainan. For more information on the latest tourist attractions and events in Tainan, please continue to follow the “Travel Tainan” website and the “Travel Tainan Facebook Fan Page.”
