Children Costumes and Baby Carriers of Southwest China

Waistcoat for baby boy with the design of theatric characters, Tujia ethnic group, Longshan, Hunan Province

The mother embroiders beautiful and auspicious patterns on the baby carrier in order to express her best wishes for her child, There are also diverse types of baby costumes with exquisite embroidery. For example, there are two types of baby caps, worn in spring and summer and in autumn and respectively. Their shapes vary, resembling lion, rooster crest, fish, melon skin, lotus leaf, crown and house roof. Patterns on baby caps are also diverse, including designs of dragon, birds, fish, butterfly, fruits and flowers, Miao people living in Shidong and Taijiang in Guizhou Province believes that the lion is the guardian god of their babies. Wearing a lion-shaped cap can keep ghosts and evils away, Some cotton caps are shaped like drum towers or house roofs, which bear symbolic meanings that babies may be freed from hurt by ghosts and spirits.

Children's dresses, skirts and shoulder decorations are tailored like adult costumes, But they are not as sophisticated, The most beautiful children costumes are girl's costumes and shoulder decorations which are just simplified copies of mother costumes, The shoulder decoration is composed of several embroidered round belts. The most outer layer features cloud and hook patterns with tens of colorful silk threads and silver bells, The shoulder decoration is a must object when a girl gets married, Ethnic girls in southwest China wear the shoulder decoration only on festive occasions.