Hang embroidery, also known as palace embroidery, is an ancient art that has been practiced in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province for over 800 years. It has its unique style of soft with hard, and was loved by the nobles of all dynasties.

From the Song Dynasty (960-1279) to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, Hangzhou embroidery has been flourishing. After the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty was set, over 300 skilled embroiderers and painters gathered in Hangzhou to work for the royal family and the inner court.

The 76-year-old master of Hangzhou embroidery, Zhao Yijun, has been working on this traditional art since he was 13 years old, devoting his love to this work for 63 years. Despite his age, Zhao still works eight hours a day. It takes him as short as three months or as long as a year to create a piece of embroidery work. With his creativity and perseverance, Zhao has created masterpieces that deserve to be passed down.