Shu embroidery is a relatively recent (by Chinese standards) Chinese embroidery style, having been developed around the middle of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911).  One of the four great Chinese embroidery styles, Shu embroidery was developed in and around the city of Shengdu in Sichuan province.  Although what we now think of as the Shu style matured in the Qing dynasty the Sichuan area has a history of producing embroidery that dates back several hundred years, and  Shu embroidery is considered to be one of the end products of the evolution of this long history.  With many natural subjects depicted in colorful threads, Shu embroidery is mostly concerned with showing the joys of life, and has been used in many different pieces, both practical and decorative. 

Examples of embroidery have been discovered in the Sichuan province dating from more than 2,000 years ago.  Fish have been among the most popular subjects for embroiderers from Sichuan; one account from the Western Han dynasty (202 B.C. – 9 A.D.) tells of the intricate detailing of a carp taking more than a month for an embroiderer to complete.  The production of embroidery was first done by males, but over the years it has passed to young women.  The Shu embroidery which matured during the Qing dynasty, which is also called Chuan embroidery, is still produced in China today and has been widely exported to countries all over the world.