China bibliography

Listed below are details of a few books (from my own collection) which feature the textiles of China, especially of the different ethnic groups who live there rather than of the majority Han population. Some books are solely devoted to a particular aspect of culture, including textiles, whilst others include a few pages of information within a wider study.

click for China country page

click bibliographies for more country or region specific bibliographies

	"Clothings and Ornaments of China's Miao People", Cultural Palace of Nationalities originally published by The Nationality Press in1985. Classic volume on Miao costume. Thought to be out of print but then what looks like a reprint of the original English language version appeared around 1999/2000. Good quality photos with English text.
	"A Picture Album of China's Miao Costumes and Ornaments" published by CIP in 2000. ISBN 7-221-05218-2. An important pictorial reference for the collector. It is a thick volume crammed crammed with photos of costumes being worn, with details and attributing the 'styles' to particular locations where the costumes were photographed. Chinese and English text. Unfortunately the quality of the photos - colours and definition - leaves something to be desired but a core volume, nevertheless.
	"Miao Costumes" by Deryn O'Connor published by the James Hockey Gallery, WSCAD, Farnham in 1994 ISBN 1-899817-00. Catalogue to coincide with the 1994 exhibition at the West Surrey College of Art and Design. Most of the costumes illustrated were then in the collection of Gina Corrigan whose location photos illustrate the text plus studio shots of the exhibition costumes. Deryn O'Connor was until 1990 Principal Lecturer in Textiles at WSCAD and was responsible for much of the research. Excellent reference work with beautiful photos both in China and in the studio.
	"Miao Textiles from China" by Gina Corrigan in the Fabric Folios series published by The British Museum Press in 2001 0-7141-2742-6. The costumes are in the British Museum collection and most were collected by Gina Corrigan. Helpful reference work with excellent photos.
	"Miao Embroidery from South West China" by Ruth Smith with Textiles from The Gina Corrigan Collection. Researchers: Margaret Baker, Gina Corrigan, Ros Downing, Marianne Ellis, Cobi Erskine, Deryn O’Connor, Thea Nield, Jeni Pinel, Phyllis Smith, Ruth Smith. Published in 2005 by Occidor Ltd. ISBN 0-9528804-1-5. The impetus for the book arose from the study of the collection of costume and textiles brought back from China by Gina Corrigan. This book is an attempt to record some of the embroidery stitches and techniques before they disappear. Ten researchers, some of whom have visited Miao villages, have analysed and recorded the decorative stitch techniques in the collection and these are illustrated with Gina’s photographs. The focus of the investigation has been the most highly decorated items of Miao clothing, namely the women’s festival jackets, skirts, aprons and baby carriers.
	"Imprints on Cloth: 18 years of Field Research among the Miao People of Guizhou, China" by Sadae Torimaru and Tomoko Torimaru published by The Nishinippon Newspaper Co. in 2004. ISBN 4-8167-0592-9. Excellently illustrated compilation of 18 years of research on the Miao of Guizhou province. Meticulous series of colour photos and explanations of the various techniques of dyeing, waxing, polishing, pleating and other techniques. An excellent resource for collectors.
	"Silver and Silk: Textiles and Jewelry of Guizhou, China - Selections from Mingei International Museum's Collection" by Phila McDaniel published by the Mingei International Museum in 2002 ISBN 0-914155-15-6. Beautiful volume accompanying 2002 exhibition at the Mingei International Museum of textiles and jewelry of 17 nationalities living in Guizhou in the Museum collection. Photos include location shots as well as very fine close-up and full garment/jewelry shots. Includes commentary from collector Phila McDaniel who has been travelling to Guizhou since 1984.
	"Guizhou Province: Costume and Culture in Remote China" by Gina Corrigan in the Odyssey Guides published by Airphoto International Ltd. in 2002 ISBN 962-217-674-7 2nd Edition Updated Odyssey guidebook to Guizhou with a strong focus on the ethnic groups and textiles.
	"Odyssey Illustrated Guide to Guizhou" by Gina Corrigan published by The Guidebook Company Ltd, Hong Kong in 1995 ISBN 962-217-384-5. For a tribal textile collector - how every guide book should be written! Guide book to Guizhou which very much features the tribal groups in Guizhou and includes many of Gina's excellent photos based on her many years of travel in Guizhou.
	"Guizhou's Hidden Civilisation" by Zeng Xianyang, photographer published by CIP in 1999 ISBN 7-102-02045-7. Zeng Xianyang's photographic record of his research on the ethnic minorities of Guizhou between 1978-1984 when he worked as a photographer in Guizhou Pictorial Publishing House. This was a time of resurgence of ethnic cultural rites and customs after the 10-years of suppression during the Cultural Revolution. Text: English and Chinese. A classic volume capturing the costumes just before they were subjected to outside influences as the province began to open up.
	"Miao Zhuang" Photographs by Zeng Xianyang. Published in 1997, possibly reprinted 2001. ISBN 7-102-01125-3. Would seem to be photos from 1978-1984 period when Zeng Xianyang worked as a photographer for Guizhou Pictorial Publishing House. All Chinese text.
	"Ethnic Costume from Guizhou: Clothing, Designs and Decorations from Minority Ethnic Groups in South West China" by The Nationalities Affairs Commission of Guizhou Province, The Folk Art gallery of Guizhou Province and the Provincial Museum of Guizhou. Published by Foreign Languages Press, Beijing in 1987. ISBN 0-8351-1738-3 China various 1987 English text. Attributes photos to major ethnic groups e.g. Miao, Dong but no location information.
	"Textile Arts of Miao People", Arts Collection series published by Kyoto Shoin Co., Ltd in 1997 ISBN 4-7636-1512-2 Japanese, minimal English. Some location photos of costume. Mainly close-up details but with no text information.
	"Mountain Patterns: The survival of Nuosu Culture in China" by Stevan Harrell, Bamo Qubumo and Ma Erzi published by University of Washington Press in 2000 ISBN 0-295-97937-2 Mainly black and white with limited number of colour photos of the material culture of the Nuosu (a branch of the Yi) with explanatory text to accompany and exhibit at the Burke Musuem in Seattle.
	"The Traditional Miao Wax Printing" by Yang Wenbing and Yang Ce published in 2002 ISBN 7-5412-1064-1 Text in Chinese and English. Full of colour photographs of wax resist.
	"Richly Woven Traditions, Costumes of the Miao of Southwest China and Beyond" by Theresa M Reilly published by China House Galley, New York, China Institute in America in 1987. 64 page catalogue of 1988 exhibition at the China House Gallery. Mainly black and white photos with explanatory text plus general outline of Miao people, textile types, costumes and rites.
	"Miao Textile Design" published by Fu Jen Catholic University Textiles and Clothing Graduate Institute: Textiles and Clothing Culture Centre in 1993 ISBN 957-9000-02-6. Good close-up photos of the textile techniques, especially the embroidery but with very few photos showing the embroidery in the context of the overall garment design. Text in Chinese and English which attributes the photos to geographic locations as well as textile close-up to location on garments.
	"Miao Textiles from China, Guizhou Province" article by Eric Boudot & Philippe Fatin in 'Art Tribal: Traditional Arts from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas' in Spring 2003 No 2, p130-149 ISSN 1660-3699-02 Article with excellent photos of costume being worn, particularly at festivals where the shots are particularly atmospheric.
	"Weavers of Ethnic Culture: The Miaos" by Gu Wenfeng in the Women's Culture Series: Nationalities of Yunnan published by Yunnan Education Publishing House in 1995. ISBN 7-5415-0928-0. Some good photos of textile techniques, especially hemp cloth production. The author is a Miao and an assistant researcher with the Ethnology Research Institute of the Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences.
	"Bonding via Baby Carriers: The Art & Soul of the Miao and Dong People" by Yu-Chiao Liu Lan, Christi Lan Lin, Brenda Lin published by Les Enphants Co. in 2001 ISBN 957-744-658-2 Published for the 30th anniversary of Les Enphants Co. Text in Chinese, English and Japanese. Excellent quality photos of Miao and Dong baby carriers
	"The Dong People of China, A Hidden Civilization" by Gail Rossi with photography by Paul Lau published by Hagley & Hoyle Pte Ltd ISBN 981-00-1551-8. A glimpse of lifestyles, customs, history, folk-arts and architecture of the Dong people. Excellent photos.
	"Azeleas in the Woods: The Yaos" by Chen Bin and Li Minghui in the Women's Culture Series: Nationalities of Yunnan published by Yunnan Education Publishing House. ISBN 7-5415-0927-2 China Yao Some location photos of costume and description of costume and culture
	"The Costumes and Adornments of Chinese Yi Nationality Picture Album" Published in 1989 ISBN 7-80526-033-8 Large book of colour photos of Yi costume and adornments with English text.
	"Selected Collections of Yunnan Nationality Museum" compiled by the Yunnan Nationality Museum and published by Yunnan Fine Arts Publishing House in 1995. ISBN 7-80586-171-4 Dress and ornaments. Mostly Chinese text but with some limited English.
	"The Clothes and Ornaments of Yunnan Ethnic Groups" published by CIP in 1989 ISBN 7-5367-1989-2. Fieldwork photos of the 26 nationalities of Yunnan showing clothing, festivals, daily life and textile processes. Unfortunately almost all the text is in Chinese.
	"Life Among the Minority Nationalities of North West Yunnan" by Shen Che in the China Nationalities series. Published by Foreign Languages Press, Beijing in 1989. ISBN 0-8351-2222-0, 7-119-0056. Photographed by Shen Che in the early 1980s when he became fascinated by this region of Yunnan and transversed the remote and difficult countryside taking almost 10,000 photos. English text.
	"Art of Guangxi Minorities Customs: Colorful Costumes" (2 Volumes) - Guangxi Minzhu Fengsu Yishu: Wucai Yishang (2 Volumes) published in 2001. ISBN 7-80674-112-7. One volume full of excellent photos of various minorities in Guangxi weaving their traditional costume;second volume with photos of the costume. All text is in Chinese. Excellent quality photographs.
	"Art of Guangxi Minorities Customs: Embroidered Baby Carrier" - Guangxi Minzhu Fengsu Yishu: Wazai Beidai (2 Volumes) publsihded in 2001 ISBN 7-80674-111-9. One volume full of excellent photos of the baby carriers of various minorities in Guangxi weaving their traditional costume; second volume showing details of embroidery. Considerable text which is all in Chinese. Excellent quality photographs.
	"The Yao: The Mien and Mun Yao in China, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand" by Jess G. Pourret published by River Books Co., Ltd, distributed outside Thailand and USA by Thames & Hudson 2002. ISBN 974-8225-52-6. Full of excellent photographs and a textile collectors' dream when it comes to identification showing very many textile examples both by themselves and being worn. Colour photos from the end of the twentieth century with black and white photos from the 1920s, 1940s and 1950s - unfortunately I have yet to find to background of the earlier (very excellent) photos. The material is not grouped by country but by topic illustrating similarities regardless of geography.
	"The Akha: Guardians of the forest" by Jim Goodman published by Teak House, Asia Film House Pty Ltd in 1997. ISBN 1-876437-02-2. Information on the Akha, history, culture in Thailand, Burma, Laos, Vietnam and China. Full of excellent photographs with very many showing textiles being worn.
	"Traditonal Culture of Li Ethnic Group" by Wang Xueping published by XinHua Publishing House in 2001. ISBN 7-5011-5250-0. Very heavy, hard to find book devoted to the Li. Unusually half the book, including photo capitions, is in English.The book is full of photos, much of it taken in the early 1980s when a research team of Nationality Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences conducted research about the Li traditional culture. In 2000 and editorial board was set up to publish a photo collection of the Li culture. Wang Xueping collected material and checked the manuscript with Li in remote areas. Information on the different Li groups is spit into linguistic groupings.
	"Among the Big Knot Lois of Hainan" by Leonard Clark in the September 1938 edition of The National Geographic Magazine published by the National Geographic Society. Leonard Clark explored the interior of Hainan Island in July and August 1937 or 'the looming mountains of the wild Lois (Li) country' as Clark referred to it. The article includes 29 black and white photos including some of Ba-sa-dung Li - including their clothing and weaving, Ha Li and a Miao group.
	"Costumes of the Minority Peoples of China", Arts Collection series published by Kyoto Shoin Co., Ltd in 1996 ISBN 4-7636-1511-4 A Sino-Japanese collaboration in Japanese, with some English. Pocket sized book with a lot crammed into it. Very good quality colour and black and white photos with some English text on major ethnic groups. There are several pages of photographs of both Li groups and Li costume as well as a few pages of text.
	"Chinese Minority Nationalities' Art Gallery" published by the Shanghai Museum. Slim catalogue of costumes on display in the Museum.
	"China National Costumes and Ornaments Exhibition" published in 2000.
	"Silver Art: Costumes of China's Ethnic Minorities" by Yuan Yang published by the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and the National Costume Museum of Beijing of Clothing Technology in 2001. ISBN 962-7213-43-8 Catalogue of an exhibition at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum 19.112.2001-17.3.2002. Some costume and a lot of jewelry.
	"Costume and Accessories of Chinese Minorities" published by the National Museum of History, Taiwan in 2000. ISBN 957-02-6406-3 Book published to coincide with an exhibition of the same name. 500 items of the 2000 collection of three collectors. Excellent quality photos with English and Chinese text.
	"Ethnic Costumes and Clothing Decorations from China" by Shanghai Theatrical College published by Hai Feng Publishing Co., Ltd - Sichuan People's Publishing House ISBN 962-238-145-6. Large book of colour drawings of costume across the wide range of minorities in China. English text.
	"Hemp & Ramie in Guizhou" by Gina Corrigan in Hali magazine, Issue 113 November-December 2000. Article based on research over many years on the Miao in South West China, especially in Guizhou during which Gina Corrigan has painstakingly gathered together the details of the processing of hemp and ramie from plant to garment. Illustrated by Gina's photos.
	"Indigo" by Jenny Balfour-Paul published by the British Museum Press in 2000 ISBN 0-7141-2550-4. In depth study of indigo including its history, geography with a hugh breadth of beautiful, fine quality photographs of indigo dyed textiles with a wide range of location shots including south west China. A tremendous resource and at the same time and excellent read.
	"The Art of Asian Costume" published by University of Hawaii Art Gallery University of Hawaii in 1989. Exhibition with apparel from 20 Asian countries from the Asian Costume Collection of the Department of Human Resources at the University of Hawaii.
	"Textiles and the Tai Experience in Southeast Asia" by Mattiebelle Gittinger, H Leedom Lefferts Jr published by The Textile Museum, Washington 1992. ISBN 0-87405-030-8. Catalogue from 1992 exhibition at the museum. Mainly black and white photos but 23 colour plates. Detailed chapters from the authors on Tai texile forms, contexts and meanings, textiles in the service of Buddhism, in the service of Kings and in the service of self. Main focus on the Tai as majority populations in Thailand and Laos but also references to the 'strategically situated minorities' in Vietnam and Myanmar and the small minorities in China, India and Cambodia.

click bibliographies for more country or region specific bibliographies

click for China country page