IN WENZHOU
总第 6 期
COSTUMES: The typical upper garment of She women
and girls in Wenzhou features a large and right-buttoned
placket with a round and low collar. On the garment, there
are pattern like “golden seal” on both cuffs, brilliant pattern
on the chest panel, and also red ribbons. All those make it
unique. The garment is usually made of high-quality twill in
black, dark blue, and dark green.
Based on textual research, the pattern on the cuffs is
formed by embroidering with red and yellow peony flowers
in the shape of half a square which is about 10cm wide. It
is said that this is the golden seal mark bestowed by the
empress of Emperor Gao Xin to her daughter, the third
princess, upon her marriage to Panhu, also know as the Lord
of Loyalty and Bravery, the ancestor of the She ethnic group.
On the chest panel, there are intricately embroidered
patterns of flowers, birds, animals, and words with gold
thread, such as “百年好合” implying blissful marriage, “五谷丰登”
signifying abundant harvests, or “ 五 世 其 昌 ” representing
prosperity for generations to come. These vibrant and
exquisite patterns not only showcase the creativity of She
girls, but also serve as a reminder for couples to cherish
each other, strive diligently, and fulfill the aspirations of a
harmonious and prosperous family.
Two red ribbons on the upper garment, each about
3.3cm wide, extending all the way to the hem, are used to
adorn the right edge of the coat. As one walks, they flutter
elegantly resembling the tails of phoenixes. It is also said
that they were also bestowed by the empress upon her
daughter’s marriage. Serving as talismans of everlasting joy
and good fortune, they symbolize the emperor’s and the
empress’ nostalgia for their married daughter.
The She ethnic group’s headdresses and costumes
are a reflection of their cultural heritage, as depicted in
its historical song “Gao Huang Ge”, which mentions the
beautiful phoenix costumes worn by the She people from
Phoenix Mountain in Guangdong Province.
SHE TROUSERS: The She trousers in Wenzhou are designed
for practicality, with a focus on comfort and durability. The
waistband is embellished with a white cloth about 10cm to
16.7cm wide. Both men and women wear similar styles, with
a few females’ trousers stand out with embroidered flower
patterns, reflecting the shared labor responsibilities within
the community.
SHOES: Traditional She footwear includes cloth shoes with
round or flat mouths, typically made of cyan or blue cloth.
Women wear embroidered bridal shoes on their wedding
day.
APRON: The She people’s apron is worn by both genders
while working, serving as a kind of protection to shield
clothing from stains and tears. In the past, during the cold
winter, when the She family faced financial hardships and
lack of clothing, the apron doubled as an extra layer of
warmth.
On June 7, 2008, with an approval by the State Council,
the costumes of the She people were included in the second
batch of the National ICH List.
On November 12, 2019, the She costume project was
included in the list of national ICH representative project
protection units.
The headdress and costumes of the She ethnic group
are important symbols and represent one of the key
characteristics that distinguish them from other ethnic
minorities. Since the She culture was included in the
national ICH protection catalogue, the She people have
been more self-confident. In today’s society, it is all the
more necessary to design headdresses and costumes with
outstanding She symbols that are relatively uniform and
deeply cherished by the She people in this new era.
(The author Zhong Bingwen is a scholar of She culture in
Wenzhou, Zhejiang, who has published several works on She
culture and minorities.)
57
