Embroidery

In Suzhou, the home of embroidery, Shen Linghui, heir to an embroidery house, is an embroiderer in late Qing Jiangnan. Beautiful as a flower, she works tirelessly to keep Yuchunfang afloat. When Empress Dowager Cixi’s birthday approaches, the imperial court selects Shen Linghui’s embroidery as tribute, and awards Yuchunfang the plaque “The Finest Embroidery House Under Heaven.”

During a period of upheaval, bandits and robbers slip in and ransack Yuchunfang. Shen Linghui is killed trying to protect the shop. She leaves behind her adopted daughter, Shen Xuexin, who is taken in by Cui Ma, one of the servants. Shen Xuexin grows up as the feudal dynasty collapses and the Republic is born, caught between disillusionment and ambition. As an adult, she draws on her talent to become a highly skilled embroiderer. She is determined to restore Yuchunfang to its former glory.