Chong Heu
Hmong needlework
Renton, WA
Chong Heu practices the Hmong traditional art of paj ntaub embroidery. Sometimes
referred to as “flower cloth” paj ntaub continues to be very popular among Hmong immigrants
to the United States. The symbolic designs often come from forms found in nature and are
applied on traditional clothing as well as mats, wall hangings, and other cloth media.
During and after the Vietnam War, hundreds of thousands of Hmong immigrated to the United
States and Vietnam. After spending time in refugee camps in Thailand, they resettled
in such cities as Seattle, where Heu currently resides.