Qiang Embroidery In Qiang Costume Culture

Embroidery, a traditional handicraft in China, is a picture embroidered on fabric by threading various colored threads. Qiang nationality Clothes & Accessories All kinds of embroidery patterns on the wall belong to the traditional folk arts and crafts of the Qiang people, with a long history. In terms of production mode, Qiang embroidery is produced and inherited in the individual way of the family. It is an art created by Qiang people and embodies their wisdom and ingenuity. Qiang embroidery works are stylized, standardized and full of free imagination. It is an art creation with spontaneity, amateurism and self entertainment. In the long history, Qiang embroidery has naturally formed its unique aesthetic shape, color standard and functional form, which is also a folk law of folk art with its own aesthetic value.

By the Ming and Qing Dynasties, embroidery had become very popular in Qiang areas. The needling techniques of Qiang embroidery mainly include pick embroidery, accept embroidery, fiber embroidery, chain buckle, tie embroidery, jacquard, patchwork, hook embroidery and hand embroidery. Among them, embroidery is the most popular expression technique of Qiang women. Embroidery is based on natural scenes in real life, such as flowers and plants, birds, fish, birds and animals that people see everyday. These natural beings, full of biological intelligence, are created into colorful patterns through clever embroidery techniques, which symbolize good luck and good wishes for the future. Such as "Tuanhua like brocade", "fish and water harmony", "phoenix wears peony" and so on. Cross stitch, also known as cross stitch, is a visual form of various patterns made by embroidering cross shaped patterns of equal distance and length through a set of tight stitches, which is strictly in accordance with the warp and weft lines of the cloth, and has the characteristics of regularity, symmetry, and sharp edges and corners. In this way, all natural objects are formed according to a cross shaped right angle straight line, forming a unique geometric deformation style, which is unique. When women of Qiang nationality embroider, they mostly use cotton thread, sometimes color silk thread. The color is mostly black and white, so as to achieve a bright, simple and generous visual effect. The Qiang embroidery pattern is delicate and rich in connotation. For example, the color of nano pattern and fiber pattern has great contrast; The design of the ribbon is also very decorative. In addition to the chain button embroidery and other techniques, it shows the Qiang people's rough, bold and exquisite character.

In terms of function, Qiang embroidery is mainly used to decorate dresses, shoes, headscarves, belts, streamers, straps, braces, sleeves, pants, trouser legs, uppers, insoles, pillow napkins, handkerchiefs, hem, cuffs, sachets, etc., which reflects the history of Qiang costumes. A little statistics shows that there are more than 100 kinds of embroidery patterns used in Qiang costumes, which are really colorful. These embroideries embellishing their wishes for a better life are exquisite, simple and rigorous, ingenious and reasonable in layout, and moderate in depth, so that the aesthetic form and functional form are naturally combined: first, for the sake of beautiful wear, and second, to increase wear resistance and extend their service life. {page_break}

In fact, when we discuss the relationship between aesthetic function and strength function, we once again find that aesthetic function and practical function cannot be completely separated in Qiang embroidery. As far as practical functions are concerned, the enhancement of wear resistance is only for the surface layer; On a deeper level, the colorful patterns on the Qiang embroidery actually reflect the prayers and blessings of the Qiang people for life and their dreams beyond reality. Such as the patterns they chose: insects, fish, flowers and birds, birds and beasts, people, fruits, flowers, auspicious (chicken and sheep) Ruyi, gold and jade (fish) everywhere, birds and phoenix, with profound and vivid meanings. Although they have made geometric or other forms of pattern processing, they are always closely related to their real environment, and their ideal starting point for a better life lies in this sense of reality of existence.

On the other hand, we can also see that embroidery is a skill that Qiang women are good at, a necessary skill for them, and a major measure of their diligence, intelligence and dexterity. They often have to learn hard to embroider under the guidance of their elders. The mother began to teach her daughter embroidery when she was six or seven years old. When their daughters get married, most of them are already experts at stabbing the dragon and embroidering the phoenix. The first thing a man says about a blind date is whether a woman can embroider. If he can't embroider, a man will not like it. Therefore, no Qiang women can't embroider. Qiang women choose the images of embroidery patterns according to the practical objects of objects. If it is used for the elderly, it should be decorated with patterns such as fortune, wealth and longevity to wish the elderly health and longevity; For children, they should use exorcism to protect their healthy growth, or use flower patterns to symbolize healthy growth. The cigarette pouch embroidered by the young Ah Mei Zi is a gift for her brother in love. There are two patterns embroidered on the cigarette pouch, one is mandarin ducks playing in the water, the other is swallows flying together in winter and spring. These two kinds of embroidery patterns mean that men and women love each other and grow old together. It is the so-called love in the purse.

"Cloud shoes" of Qiang nationality,

The "Cloud Shoes" of the Qiang nationality are the most distinctive embroidered shoes. They are made of cloth, shaped like boats, with slightly cocked toe tips, thick soles, and cloud patterns embroidered on the uppers, which are strong and durable. It can be said that it is a typical embroidery of borrowing things to express feelings. This kind of craft form, which has both spiritual appeal and material practicality, has its meaning gathered in the simple desire to wish good luck and a better life, thus extending its cultural character. This character belongs to both the Qiang nationality and all the working people.