The ethnic Miao is a nationality which has a long history, and theirancestors were living in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in the pre-Qinperiod. Throughout its continuous history of thousands of years, Miao’s ownparticular living styles have come into being, and Miao people now resides withpeople of other ethnic groups in various areas mainly in Guizhou, Hunan,Yunnan, Sichuan and Hubei provinces.

Miao’s raiment are famous for its vibrant colors, the complicateddecoration and intriguing cultural connotations. The art of Miao’s raiment isthe bright spot of our national culture. Among all the national costumes, Miao’sraiment are the most colorful one; moreover, the history it undergoes is thelongest one, and it also has the most gorgeous embroideries and silverornaments.

In 2006, Miao’s raiment and itssilver ornaments were listed into the first national intangible culturalheritages. According to the incomplete statistics, there are more than 200styles costumes. The silver ornaments, Miao’s embroidery and batik are the maincharacteristics of the costumes. There are some differences among Miao’sraiment according to their different genders, ages and regions.

The patterns on Miao’sraiment carry the historical tasks to inherit the national cultures, so thatthey have some expressive function as words. The patterns of Miao’s raiment arethe decorative artswhich develop along with it, which are still applied on the daily clothing andliving goods. It combines the utility functionand aesthetic functiontogether and be given the connotations of inheriting national tradition,commemorating ancestors and inheriting ancestors’ wills.

Miao nationality doesn’t have its own national literaturebut has a strong sense of identity.They have incorporated the stories coming down for thousands ofyears, the cities where the ancestors lived andthe path of migration into the costumes cultures. With thedecline of the traditional Miao’s crafts, the elegant Miao’s raiment which arehandmade become less and less. Traditional Miao’s costumes are faced withharder and harder conditions as the older Miao generation who hold thetraditional crafts gradually leave.

Time:2015.3.24

Source:China Net