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Last week Steven Frost prised me away from my desk in Beijing (where I have been spending far too long) and persuaded me to join him in Guizhou (and i am glad i did). Here are a few photos. We visited (at Steven's suggestion) a White Trouser Yao (Bai Ku Yao) area in the far south of Guizhou. Some of the costumes from this group are on the forum in previous posts.

This area is Yao Shan and the villages around (not touristy, have to hike to get to them though). Yao Shan is not touristy, but it would like to be. Lots of empty hotels waiting for the coaches to arrive. The remoter villages seem untouched. Costumes are worn daily by women and (amazingly) by men too.

There are more photos from this trip on this album on Facebook (hope this link works):
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 068&type=1

Steven - care to add more?

Chris

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www.toranatribal.com

and another photo that didn't fit on the previous post. Returning from the market. Note the trousers.

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www.toranatribal.com

Chris, as ever, your photographs are simply delicious.

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Sandra Niessen

www.bataktextiles.com
http://bataktextiles.blogspot.com/

Really nice photos- gives a good sense of what it was like to be there- such a scenic village.

I'm curious- the fellow holding a batiked skirt, yet none are in evidence in the women's costumes- or am I just not seeing it?

Thanks giving us a glimpse of a little-known group.

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Susan Stem

http://www.tribaltrappings.com
http://tribaltrappings.blogspot.com/

Thanks both for the kind comments on the photos.

The batik is in two shades of darkish blue, so it is difficult to see. I have attached a detail of the part-finished skirt in the village that we saw, also a detail from an old skirt that I sold last year (now with a sense of mild regret!).

The jackets also have some batik, but this sometimes gets covered up with embroidery.

Chris

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www.toranatribal.com

Hi Chris

Many thanks for sharing and yes, great photos. Glad you and Steven had a good time. He had mentioned that he was hoping to get you out on a trip this summer and it looks to have been a good one.

I have seen this woman's costume around in galleries but not known where it originated. Just so excellent seeing it being worn and very naturally, day-to-day. A privilege. I love the men's knickerbockers (sort of!) I liked on your FB gallery the shot of the white ones with red embroidery - you thought with an ecclesiastical flavour. Hope you don't mind but I am adding the photo here of the close up as well as one with the man wearing them with the two of you (gives the thread a bit more 'flavour' of the trip as it shows both protagonists!)

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Pamela

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

They were a lovely bunch. The photo with Steven in the red shirt on the left and myself on the right is with our landlady and her family, who normally hang out in "Addidas", but offered to dress up for this photo. Getting the younger members lined up was something of a feat.

The Yao are justly famous for their trousers.

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www.toranatribal.com

Contrary to the impression left by our nice group photo, Chris and I are not giants. My wife saw this group image and commented that Chris must be huge.

I was very lazy about documenting this particular trip. Chris was taking plenty of beautiful images so I felt it unnecessary to also lug around my camera in the heat. Here are two additional images I took on our first day at Yaoshan.

The first shows women doing embroidery in Dongshu (about a one hour walk from the town). The second is of the Yao houses built for foodstuffs. Note the ceramic pots to keep rodents from climbing the poles.

Steven

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steven frost-arts of southwest china
www.stevenqfrost.net/gallery

Many thanks Chris for clarifying the use of batik and for the additional photos. I have to wonder how they apply the wax- those patterns look extremely precise!

I, too thought you two were giants- guess those folks were tiny!

And thanks Pamela for posting a close-up of those amazing trouser embroideries- where did that kind of pattern come from??? Very much 'the bees knees'!

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Susan Stem

http://www.tribaltrappings.com
http://tribaltrappings.blogspot.com/

Chris and I also visited Pu An Township, located in northeast Sandu county. There are several groups of Miao people there, one of whom have interesting head dresses incorporating beads and embroidery.

Here are a couple of photos. Chris took some beautiful images which I am sure this post will inspire him to share.

Steven

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steven frost-arts of southwest china
www.stevenqfrost.net/gallery

Another image from Puan.

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steven frost-arts of southwest china
www.stevenqfrost.net/gallery

The back of the Pu An Miao head dress. The way the Pu An Miao tie the head dress is nearly identical to the White Trouser Yao further south. I assume this is a type of head dress rooted in Chinese antiquity, perhaps one of our forum members with more knowledge of historical costumes can elaborate?

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steven frost-arts of southwest china
www.stevenqfrost.net/gallery

The headdress is (also) worn by the 'Bailing (or white collar) Miao' who do excellent wax resist work. Here is a photo I took on 3 November 2001 at Wong Jian village, Ji Chang township, Duyun city, Guizhou province. The village is a Shui village where Bailing Miao also lived. It is 80km (two and a half hours driving time) south of Duyun. A similar headdress was being worn in Ma Guang village, a Miao village very close by - you will, no doubt, recognise the style of the festival jacket.

I attach a couple of photos from these villages.

You may remember that Andrew Dudley has posted many photos of Bailing Miao wax resist bed covers as well as their other textiles.

Is the coloured thread work in the headdress embroidery or weaving? The Bailing Miao are also good weavers.

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Pamela

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