Festive jacket for a Miao woman, twill-weave cotton; embroidery in silk braids and brass spangles, Taijiang style, east Guizhou, China, 1940-50

This is a woman's festive jacket with central front opening, short sleeves and side slits. The ground fabric is a hand-woven indigo-dyed twill weave cotton with lozenge pattern. There are decorative panels applied on the sleeves, shoulders, collars and front facings. The patterns include flowers, peaches, maple leaves, butterflies, phoenix birds. They are done by stitching hand-made silk braids to rectangular panels of cotton fabric; some braids are laid flat, some are pleated to create a relief effect. Spangles have been added to add shimmer. Rows of intricately folded silk triangles and gilt paper are used to frame the braided designs. An embroidered ribbon with cross-stitches in coloured silks lines the collar and the front openings of the jacket. The jacket is lined with plain weave indigo-dyed cotton.

Taijiang style, east Guizhou

This is possibly a courting jacket worn by a Miao woman in Taijiang, eastern Guizhou. The coat is black, lined with indigo-dyed cotton on the inside. The sleeves are embroidered, and the embroidery on the sleeve is decorated with designs worked in raised silk braid embroidery. An embroidered ribbon lines the collar and the front openings of the jacket.

FE.30-2004