With delicate prose, this book unfolds a tale of love and hate spanning more than half a century. It portrays a cast of people devoted to preserving and passing on Chinese culture, including Kong Fanqi, Liu Fenglan, and Chen Zihao.
Kong Fanqi represents the older generation of embroidery artisans. From childhood, she learned embroidery from her mother, a master embroiderer, and dreamed of capturing the beautiful scenery of Suzhou and Hangzhou, known as an earthly paradise, through her needlework. But in an era torn apart by war, that dream was destined to remain a fantasy.
After Liberation, the arrival of Liu Fenglan, a gifted student, gave Kong Fanqi hope that her vision might finally come true. Yet for various reasons, it never did. Chen Zihao, the third generation of the Kong family, learns of his grandmother's and teacher's dream by chance. A new-generation entrepreneur with ideals, conviction, and ability, he resolves to make the dream of several generations a reality in his own hands.
Though the road is full of twists and hardships, he holds fast to his goal. Once he has set his sights on something, he gives it everything he has, no matter how much effort and sweat it takes. He embodies the positive spirit of young people today: having ideals and conviction, fearing no hardship, and daring to innovate and forge ahead.
