Pinning hopes on needlework

Shi also includes elements from Guizhou culture into her embroidery collections－from flowers and landscapes to dance and folklore－making products both for everyday use and ornamental purposes.

Speaking about her scented sachets, Shi says: "We not only used Miao embroidery techniques, but also Guizhou's Yazhou pottery for the beads, and Miao herbal medicine for the filling. The flower embroidered is camellia, known in our region as the flower of happiness".

In 2011, her "flower drum" collection, which depicts Miao folk dancing, was selected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an official gift. And her "dove flower" collection was selected as an official gift by the United Nations in 2013.

Also, after continued efforts by Shi, "Songtao Miao Embroidery" was accredited with a geographical indication in 2015, marking this regional craft as a representative of Guizhou culture.