tribaltextiles.info

Monique

Are you able to load up images which are larger in screen size than the small photos which you have already posted? Perhaps also some details. It is so very, very hard to identify from such small images. Also I find that it is much harder to differentiate the different groups via children's hats as many groups use similar styles.

Thanks,

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Pamela

http://www.tribaltextiles.info
on-line tribal textiles resource

I agree with Pamela as to the difficulty of identifying these hats with these pics, but I would think it is unlikely they are Yao.

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Pamela

http://www.tribaltextiles.info
on-line tribal textiles resource

I am not sure that this is a Miao hat although it may well be. On p.60 of ‘Hunan min jian mei shu quan ji’ there are a selection of photographs which depict children’s hats from the region and there is one very similar to this piece. The caption for the hats is very general stating only that these are hats of the Hunan minority tribes. The use of the three dimensional leaping carp – a desire for excellence in scholastic examinations in the legend of the carp jumping the dragon gate and the homophonic interplay of ‘yu’ between 'fish' and 'abundance' are possible. The presence of the pompom is more commonly found in several minority groups, including the Miao, than in Han Chinese pieces. Again it is possible that the influences of several groups have come together in this hat. A beautiful piece.
Iain

My initial reaction is that this is a Han piece due to the particular combination of symbols and the embroidery technique employed. I also think that this hat was meant for a boy as the following outlines:
The two deer are common motifs used across China to symbolize longevity and fortune. This perhaps needs a little more explanation as so often we are given this response!
The association of the deer with one of the immortals brings with it the association of longevity in itself. The immortal specifically associated with the auspicious deer is Ho Hsien Ku. She is often depicted in paintings as carrying a holy lotus blossom (a symbol of purity) or a fly whisk (a symbol of power). Sometimes you may see her carrying a peach – a symbol of longevity – given to her by another of the eight immortals – Lu Dong Pin (Lue Tong Pin). In more relaxed surroundings you may see her carrying a lu-sheng (reed pipe) or drinking wine.
The word for deer – lu – is homophonically related to mean ‘luck to serve in the high court’. The associated fish (there are three visible in close proximity to the deer) have the sound ‘yu’ which is similar to the ‘yu’ meaning abundance/wealth. The fish in your example are jumping over waves which brings to mind the story of the carp leaping over the dragon gate of the Yellow River. Once achieved the fish becomes the immortal dragon. This symbolism is used to indicate the desire to do well in the Imperial examinations – examinations from which a woman was excluded.
The lotus indicates the desire for purity whilst the vase containing flowers is a play on the words for peace and harmony. The use of the hat sections in the form of ruyi sceptres may translate as the individuals desires that all of the above may be ‘as you wish’. The mirror is a commonly used form to reflect evil in many cultures including Chinese minority groups and Han Chinese.
Iain

I think this hat is for a young boy as indicated by the pigtail attachment (a pigtail was commonly worn by men in the Qing dynasty). The character on the front reads ‘husband’. This character is very similar to that meaning ‘heaven’ and I wonder whether the placement of this symbol amongst what appear to be cloud formations (several people initially thought that these were the tail of a peacock), is an indication of the desire for the child to be a worthy individual. Furthermore, the combination of the 3D lotus blossom indicates a desire for purity. There are many Han Chinese influences present in the stitching and in combination with the pigtail I do not think that this is definitively a Miao piece but instead a Han Chinese piece. you have mentioned that this hat was collected in Yunnan which probably has one of the most ethnically diverse populations in China and it is quite possible that this is a piece made by a Miao woman influenced by the Han Chinese.
Iain