Zhang Meijuan works on her latest embroidery work. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

It will take one more month for Nantong embroiderer Zhang Meijuan to finish her latest embroidery work, which is based on the legendary painting Court Ladies Wearing Flowered Headdresses.

Created by Zhou Fang, a painter in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the painting portrays six dressed-up noblewomen and their maids enjoying blossoms in a garden.

An embroidery work by Zhang Meijuan. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

The embroiderer noted that she used various kinds of stitches to create the embroidery work over the past three years and ensure smooth turns and neat stitches. On first viewing, it is hard to tell it is an embroidery work.

"After 51 years of embroidering, this is my proudest work," said Zhang, who learned Shen embroidery theory and techniques at the Nantong Institute of Arts and Crafts.

An embroidery work by Zhang Meijuan. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

The embroiderer noted that a peaceful mind is crucial to embroidery. She loves a quiet environment and did embroidery for more than 10 hours a day when she was young, Zhang added.

Although Zhang is not as famous as other embroiderers in Nantong, her techniques are just as good and she has trained nearly 200 embroiderers over the past several years.

Zhang is currently applying for the title of inheritor of intangible cultural heritage in Nantong.