Costumes

Mountains and rivers make Miao areas difficult to access, which has lessened the impact of modern civilization and helped them to maintain old traditions.

Miao girls begin to learn weaving, embroidery and cross stitching from the early age of 6 or 7. A girl often pours great energy into making an embroidered dress. When she finishes the dress for herself, she shows she is ready to marry. The dress reveals the girl’s talent and ingenuity.

In some Miao Areas a tradition of “secret embroidery” has been handed down to current generations. When girls reach the age of 15 they begin to make their “secret embroidery” behind closed doors. These secret works include small caps, shoes and "infant packs," which are prepared for the future when a woman gets married and has babies. This embroidery will be exhibited to the public at the girl’s wedding ceremony. Usually there are around 100 items to display.

Embroidery methods are varied and include “zhouxiu,” “sanxiu” and “duihua”. "Zhouxiu" is embroidery which is done by plaiting silk thread into braids, folding it on cloth and then fixing it with thread. The patterns of this embroidery create a striking decorative effect.

These are mostly made by women through spinning, weaving, cross-stitching, brocading, wax printing, and sewing. They are divided into everyday clothes and holiday best:  For these special occasions, the women all wear silver decorations and present a truly dazzling appearance.

Their men's dresses are simple, while women's are bustling. Men's dresses are divided into two types: symmetrical short gowns and left-buttoned long gowns. Young and mid-aged males mainly wear symmetrical short gowns, while old males wear long gowns.Their heads are wrapped with black long cloth. Trousers are usually of wide bottom.

Women's dresses are divided into right-buttoned short gowns and front-crossed gowns. Each having various kinds of common costumes and holiday best. There are many differences of costumes among the Miao women: in some areas women wear long pleated skirts, in some areas women wear short pleated skirts, in some areas women wrap their head with triangle towels and in some areas women twine their hair with hairpins.