Butterfly Silver
2011
Homespun Chinese Miao clothes reflects the splendid culture and history
Who are the Miao?
There are over 100 different Miao ethnic minority groups residing in the mountainous area of south and southwestern China. Every group has its own different clothes, and the elaborately designed women’s garments are peculiarly enchanting. 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, they have glistening pieces of silver and silver bells sewn onto the front, back, cuffs, and lap of the jacket. So sometimes it’s called a silver jacket.
Some Miao women also wear pleated skirts that 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. Looking like a bird’s beautiful tail feathers, four or five long waistbands fly behind the apron. 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. Jackets, shirts, aprons, and pants all have beautiful embroidered patterns on them.
Other than wearing a heavy silver headdress, Miao women usually have an 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. By the time they’re 14 or 15, each girl has become a skilled embroiderer. 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.
The fascinating Miao embroidery art reflects their history, religion, and culture. You always can see the design of mountains, water waves, butterflies, flowers, and dragons on their embroidery.
For many generations, the Miao didn’t have a written language, so their embroidered clothes are indeed a history book worn on the body. Many ancient stories and legends can be seen in the patterns that have been passed down over time. Actually almost each embroidered pattern has an interesting story.
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 the cloth will be dyed in a big vat with five different colors. After dyeing, the cloth is ready to be rinsed and boiled.
Chinese Miao batik is an interesting and unique art. C. Liu has published lots of articles on Miao history, art, and culture. Go to her website to learn more about Miao batick and other fascinating arts like beautiful Miao silver ornaments.
ROMA MILORAD CAVIC Serbia Men’s 100m Butterfly Silver Medal FINA World Championships Rome 2009
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