This is an embroidery copy of a famous Chinese brush painting -- Plum Blossom, Orchid, Bamboo and Chrysanthemum. These are the four gentlemen in plants and they were endowed with lofty symbolizing by poets, scholars and painters from history, so they were part of Chinese culture.

Plum trees can live for thousands of years and plum blossoms are opened in the early spring with severe coldness. Paintings about plum blossom manifested their unyielding and delicate image. They were highly praised for their strong-willed power. TheOrchids used to grow in wild valleys without bright colors but they are quietly fragrant. Orchid paintings manifest the charming leaves, flowers, the refined character and the lofty symbolizing of human dignity. Bamboo is hollow but jointed in their stems. They are amiable and settle casually everywhere. They do not wither in the cold and grow green in all seasons. The Bamboo paintings manifested the lofty symbolizing of the modest, resolute and steadfast characters.Chrysanthemums are opened in the late autumn when all other flowers are falling. They are beautiful but not fragile; they are coquettish but unyielding; they are fragrant and do not wither in the coldness. Chrysanthemum paintings manifested the lofty symbolizing of the courage facing difficulties.This is a well stitched embroidery set and the whole image looks serene, simple and beautiful. All the Chinese characters and stamps were embroidered too.