Thousands of years of history is sewed in handcrafted Chinese Miao clothing
Who are the Miao?
More than 100 various Miao minority groups live in the mountainous areas of southern and southwestern China. Each group is characterized by its unique clothing, and the colorful women’s garments are especially interesting. Embroidery, batik, and beautiful silver jewelry are all indispensable additions to Miao style.
Clothes for the holidays
During holidays, weddings, and other large ceremonies, Miao women usually wear a short jacket with beautiful, embroidered patterns on the narrow sleeves, shoulders, and collar. In some areas, their jackets are characterized by the sparkling silver pieces sewed everywhere. So it has a name: silver jacket.
Their elegant pleated skirt can have 40 layers with more than 500 pleats. In some areas, women wear long skirt reaching all the way down to their feet. Their short skirt stops at the knees.
In front of the skirts is a colorful embroidered apron, which hangs and gets to the knees too. Four or five long waistbands fly behind the apron, like a peacock’s colorful tail feathers. Some women also like wearing colorful embroidered shoes and leggings.
With extraordinary silver ornaments, like big silver headdress, neckbands, earrings, and silver bracelets to go with these clothes, many Miao women can proudly claim they are the most beautiful women in the world.
Red, blue, yellow, white, and black are the main colors used in Miao clothing. Miao women make many of their clothes themselves by weaving, dying, sewing, and embroidering.
Casual suits
Miao casual suits look simple and light, but they are still very beautiful. Aprons, jackets, and shirts are all characterized by the intricate embroidered designs.
Without a huge silver headdress, Miao women only wear a colorful embroidered handkerchief on their head on informal occasions.
Embroidery
Girls start to learn how to embroider from their mother when they are only seven or eight years old. They will become a proficient embroiderer when they are 14 or 15 years old. To prepare a dowry, a suit of embroidered clothes is need, which will take them 3-5 years to make before they are ready to get married.
Their mysterious culture, religion and long history can be read on the beautiful embroidery. Butterflies, flowers, dragons, mountains, and water waves are eternal motifs throughout their history.
With no historical scripts for thousands of years, the Miao remember their history on their embroidered costume.Many old stories are reflected on the patterns that have been bequeathed for generations. In fact, almost every piece of Miao embroidery holds a fascinating legend.
Batik
Techniques for making batik, a durable cloth with remarkable colors and designs, have been around for more than 1,000 years.
First, a Miao artisan will use a knife dipped in hot wax to draw a pattern on a piece of white cloth. Then they will dye the cloth in a huge vat, sometimes with as many as five different colors. After dyeing, the cloth is rinsed and boiled.
The excellent Miao batik art is very interesting. C. Liu has been devoting herself in studying Miao culture, art, and history for many years. Go to her website to learn more about Miao batick and other fascinating arts like beautiful Miao silver ornaments.
Silver 006 – Bioweapon – Move Your Body (HQ)
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