A Study on Miao Traditional Costume of Guizhou Province in China (I) - Centering Around Women's Costume in Qiandongnan Autonomous Prefecture -

중국(中國) 귀주성(貴州省) 묘족(苗族)의 복식에 관한 연구(I) - 검동남(黔東南)지역의 여성복식을 중심으로 -

The Miao nationality is one of China's major ethnic group. The Miao traditional costume, as an ideographic symbol of the Miao people, have preserved its unique characteristics up to the present time. Historically there were many old names given only for ciothings, still they have reflected the complexities of the ciothings of the Miao people. The southeast Guizhou (Qiandongnan) modal of dress and ornament are fashionable in countries in the valley of Qingshui River such as Taijiang, Kaili, Leishan, Jianhe, Huangping, Shibing, which are densely populated with the Miao nationality. Women's traditional wear for the most part consists of a short coat with straight sleeves and the left lapel of the collar overlaps the right one (In some areas, the right lapel overlaps the left one). For lower garments, they wear long or medium sized pleated skirts, broad waistbands and leggings. Their attire may be of the same style, but there exist marked regional differences and distinctive features in dress materials, workmanship, contents and variety of designs and colour matching, as evolved from tradition. Merely from the embroidering skill and the materials used, one can judge where the dress is made.