He Juan, the inheritor of the provincial intangible heritage Dabujiang embroidered patchwork, was born in a small mountain village. When she was a child, she often saw that villagers were punished by law for causing bushfire by accident. Therefore, in 2017, she began to serve as a fire protection ambassador, using her influence to spread and popularize fire safety knowledge.

 

Dabujiang embroidered patchwork is an ecological original formative art originating from the Han Dynasty and flourishing in the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the period of the Republic of China. 

 

Modern Dabujiang embroidered patchwork adopts the concept of modern art design, adding elements of modern life on the basis of inheriting the traditional techniques, which has high artistic values. In 2012, Dabujiang embroidered patchwork was included in Hunan’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection List.

 

 

On March 30, 2020, a passenger train derailed in Yongxing County. When He Juan saw firefighters rush to rescue passengers regardless of personal safety, she came up with the idea of creating an embroidered patchwork to show their heroic deeds.

 

To describe the real rescue scene in the form of embroidered patchwork is still a big challenge for a master like He Juan, for it is difficult to show disaster scenes like dense smoke and blaze due to the impressionist style of embroidered patchwork.

 

 

He Juan watched a number of rescue videos to find the best scenes and made an artistic creation based on the scenes. It took her a year and a half to prepare, create, and finish the work.

 

“November is Fire Prevention Month. And my work was also finished in November. It is a result of serendipity,” said He Juan.