The Miao embroidery of the Taijiang area is among the most technically complex textile work in China, and this is not just a matter of regional pride. The silk thread work involves cross-stitch, satin stitch, and a distinctive twisted thread technique called "weaving embroidery" (织绣, zhī xiù) in which threads are woven through the backing fabric rather than simply stitched over it. The motifs — phoenixes, fish, dragons, geometric patterns — carry meaning that relates to Miao cosmology and clan history, though the full interpretive system is largely inaccessible to outsiders.
In the county seat, several workshops produce embroidered textiles and silver jewellery for sale. The embroidery sold at the county's cultural centre is reliably genuine; the silverwork ranges from machine-made tourist items to genuine filigree work. A woman's full festival outfit — embroidered jacket, silver headdress and necklaces — can represent years of cumulative work and cost several thousand yuan; small embroidered pieces for sale as souvenirs are considerably more accessible.