Solving the mystery shrouding costumes of the Miao ethnic group is of great
significance to studies of human development.
We have every reason to choose the Miao ethnic group as sample for our study.
Miao costumes are more diverse in style and design than costumes of any other
ethnic minority group of China’s. They are in so many varieties that a museum
has to be installed to display them all.
In July 2000, a symposium was held in Kunming City, capital of Yunnan Province,
under the auspices of the UNESCO Division of Intangible Cultural Heritage
on costumes of the Miao people in China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. According
to participating experts, traditional costumes of the Miaos, while famous
for their colors, fabric and production skills, are rich in cultural connotation.
These are culturally valuable, highlighting a unique ethnic identity that
points to the need to protect cultural heritage by the entire world. The experts
agreed that Miao costumes are important to studies of history, aesthetics,
folklore, semiology and many other culture-related disciplines.
