Dingzhen’s popularity made me, a lover of traditional costumes, very excited. I suddenly realized that in addition to Hanfu, the traditional costumes of other ethnic minorities are also very beautiful, but they have been ignored by us until this time Ding Zhen appeared and he brought Tibetan clothes into our field of vision. At first, I followed Ding Zhen because I thought he looked good in Tibetan clothes. I began to slowly learn about Tibetan clothing. Now, I will share my knowledge with you. Traditional clothing is really beautiful.
Regional differences in Tibetan clothing are very large, and the clothing may be different in each county, so in fact, talking about Tibetan clothing cannot be summarized in one word. In addition, it is really difficult to find information on Tibetan clothing. This issue can only take you through some general and basic things. If you are familiar with Tibetan clothing, it can be regarded as an introduction.
This article will introduce Tibetan clothing from eight aspects: style, features, wearing methods, clothing levels, accessories, fabrics, and patterns.
Types of Tibetan clothing
Tibetan areas are widely distributed in our country. There are three main Tibetan areas, namely Uizang (the area around Lhasa and Shigatse, Tibet) and Kham (Chamdo, Tibet). , Ganzi, Sichuan, Yushu, Qinghai, Diqing, Yunnan), Anduo (other areas except Yushu, Qinghai, Gannan, Gansu, and Aba, Sichuan). Litang County, Garze Prefecture, where Ding Zhen is located, belongs to the Kham Tibetan area, so Tibetans are not just in Tibet.
Each Tibetan area has different geographical location, climatic conditions, and lifestyle. In order to adapt to the environment, Tibetans have formed rich and colorful Tibetan costumes that are adapted to local conditions. The costumes in agricultural and pastoral areas have their own characteristics, and some Tibetan areas also have unique costumes. Influenced by other ethnic minorities, Tibetan clothing also incorporates the costumes of other ethnic groups. In fact, Ding Zhen’s Tibetan clothing can only represent the Tibetan clothing in Litang County.
1. Basic styles and overall characteristics of Tibetan clothes
Common styles of Tibetan clothes include: various hats, cross-collar long-sleeved robes, stand-up collared short coats, and large-breasted sleeveless robes Clothing, sleeveless waistcoat, bangdian (apron), long trousers, boots, etc.
The overall characteristics of Tibetan clothing are fat waist, long and wide sleeves, large lapel (stand-up collar and cross-collar collar, relatively few double-breasted clothing), long robes, wide borders, bright colors, thick, and usually Pair with a wide belt and tall leather boots.
The Tibetan cross-collar robe is the most common style of Tibetan clothing. The robe is a one-piece garment with upper and lower parts attached. The Tibetan robe is loose and fat, making it easy to put on and take off during activities, and it can keep out wind and cold, keeping warm and practical. The sleeves are very long, which is an advantage for dancing.
Women's Tibetan robes in the late Qing Dynasty
Sleeveless Tibetan robes are usually worn in summer, and are mostly women's clothing. Sleeveless ones are also more convenient for daily activities, and they are available in cross-collar and slanted lapels. shape.
The stand-up collared short coat is usually worn as an inner layer. The sleeves are short and narrow, the length is short, and the color is relatively simple.
Bangdian is a Tibetan apron, a women's decoration, mostly worn by married women. Bangdian is an apron woven in five colors, usually with a striped pattern of secondary colors. It can be large or small, long or long. short.
Bangdian
Tibetan women wearing Bangdian
The borders of Tibetan clothes are very wide, especially Tibetan robes. The borders are not only wide, but also relatively large in number. , the trimming material can be animal fur, brocade, or embroidery patterns, and the colors are bright, and the trimming patterns are also colorful stripes patterns and traditional Tibetan patterns. When reading the information, I discovered an interesting detail. In some areas, there is a small triangular border at the hem of the Tibetan clothing, usually with a moiré pattern.
Men's Tibetan robes in the late Qing Dynasty
Trimming details
2. Layers of clothing
Women: wear a stand-up collared short jacket - Sleeveless waistcoat (can be worn or not) - cross-collar robe - apron - belt - double-breasted waistcoat (worn in some areas) - shawl (worn in some areas)
Here you can find it A video of clothing worn by Tibetan women in Garze Prefecture, Sichuan Province can be used as a reference for the layers of women’s clothing.
Men: wear a stand-up collared short jacket - trousers - a cross-collar robe - a double-breasted waistcoat (can be worn or not) - hidden boots
Men's Outfit
3. Unique way of dressing
Tibetans also live in plateau areas with large climate and temperature differences, so their way of dressing is also very unique. The most common way of wearing it is to wear only one sleeve of the outer cross-collar robe, and the other sleeve is drooped or pinned at the waist, exposing the right arm.
This is because the climate temperature difference is large. When it is cold, put on two sleeves, and when it is hot, take off one sleeve. When it is hotter, take off both sleeves and tie the sleeves around your waist. Moreover, exposing your arms makes it easier to move. .
Tie the removed sleeves around the waist by wrapping and tying them. Because the waist design is very wide, you need to rely on a belt to tie the clothes when wearing them, but it does not just need to be tied up randomly. It needs to be tidied up until it is smooth, wrinkle-free and beautiful. The outer Tibetan robe has no buttons or pockets. After the belt is tied, there will be a relatively large space on the chest, which can be used to store things. Sometimes there are pockets hidden inside. The waistline of men wearing Tibetan robes will be relatively low. Basically It's on the crotch, which makes it look more burly, and a woman's waistline will be higher than a man's. When men wear robes, they usually lift them above the knees to make it easier to move and appear flexible and tall, while women wear them above the feet to appear graceful and tall.
Tie the Tibetan robe around your waist
4. Clothing fabrics
Tibetan clothing is mostly woolen fabrics, animal skins, brocades, silks and cottons. Due to climate reasons, Tibetan clothing fabrics have a sense of thickness and swelling.
Tibetan characteristic fabric - Pupu. Pupu is woven from wool. It can be made into Tibetan robes or blankets. It is generally handmade by Tibetans themselves. The characteristics of Pupu are Thick and wind-resistant, it can withstand the cold of the plateau and is a commonly used fabric for Tibetan robes. In order to keep out the cold in winter, the inside of the Tibetan robe will be lined with thick lamb wool, which is very warm. But now it seems that there are fewer and fewer clothes made of pure lamb wool. They are basically seen in museums. Many Tibetan robes on the market are now made of artificial wool.
In the summer, when it is slightly hotter, you will wear thinner cotton clothes and robes. The temperature in the plateau areas is not particularly high in summer.
5. Tibetan clothing accessories
Tibetans are a nation that likes to wear accessories. Their accessories are gorgeous, complex, precious and beautiful. Because they are nomadic people and often need to move, they turn their property into gold and silver jewelry and like to wear all the valuable things at home. Many precious jewelry are passed down from generation to generation. It’s not that Tibetans are all rich, but they like to wear wealth on their bodies. Sometimes they carry wealth accumulated over generations.
Tibetans like to use precious materials such as natural turquoise, beeswax, red coral, white jade, gold and silver as accessories, and the shapes of these materials are naturally formed and can be used as accessories without polishing. These accessories are often very bright in color, thick in texture, and gorgeous.
Tibetans like to decorate their heads, chests, and waists. There are often many accessories in these parts. Sometimes there are tall beeswax beads on the top of their heads. Women like to wear them. Beads made of coral agate.
The chest is "Gawu" inlaid with gems and exquisitely carved patterns. Gawu has a profound auspicious meaning. Gawu is a box with a carved Buddha image and a shape like a Buddhist niche, which contains the living Buddha. The items given, such as scriptures and the like, are said to ward off evil spirits, and the Buddha statue hung on the chest is equivalent to an amulet.
Gawu
A thick silver or gold belt is worn around the waist (some belts are really very big). The belt is large and wide, and can be used to hang some daily needs. It is both practical and can be used as decoration, because Tibetan clothes do not have pockets. Sometimes two or three belts are also worn. Women's belts are especially decorated. They are mostly made of engraved silver plates and embellished with many silver bubbles. They are heavy but rich.
Look at this belt
But you don’t wear it so grandly in daily life. You may wear earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets, and full-body attire is generally only worn on festivals. So dressed up.
Rings
Earrings
In addition, Tibetan men also wear earrings, either left or right, while women wear them on both sides. Men like to use turquoise as earrings, while women's earrings are much more gorgeous, made of gemstones and gold and silver.
I heard that these earrings are popular all over the Internet
6. Colors of Tibetan Clothing
Tibetan people are very good at color matching. Their clothes are rich and colorful. The combination is highly contrasting and harmonious. The colors are complex but not confusing, and have a unique beauty. I always feel that they have their own color matching secrets, and it is an innate skill. No matter how you wear them, they will always look beautiful. Just like their aprons, they look colorful and colorful at first glance, but they appear to be patterned and scheming upon closer inspection.
Colorful Bangdian Apron
My favorite combination, it looks great with any combination, the orange scarf paired with the orange-lined jacket is perfect
Tibetans like five colors, white, blue, red, yellow and green, and these five colors have been widely used in clothing. In different regions, the main colors of clothing are also different. In some areas, black is the main color, and in other areas, white is the main color. At different stages of life, the colors of clothes are also different. When you are young, they are bright, but when you are old, they are simple and dull.
Brightly colored Tibetan clothing
7. Tibetan clothing patterns
Tibetan clothing is greatly influenced by religious beliefs. The patterns on clothes often bear traces of folk beliefs. A very common one is the swastika, which symbolizes good fortune and is widely used.
Wanzi pattern
There are also flower and grass patterns and geometric patterns. The Tibetan flower and plant patterns are quite different from the flower and plant patterns in Han traditional clothing. The Tibetan flower and plant patterns are more rough and gorgeous. It is larger in size and pays attention to structural symmetry and balance.
The more common ones are the inter-color stripes pattern. I like to decorate the inter-color stripes on the edges, cuffs, collars, hems, etc., and they are often used in women's Bangdian aprons. These patterns are either woven or embroidered, with strong ethnic characteristics.
The edge of the secondary color stripe pattern
8. Daily life and Tibetan clothing
Daily clothing and festival costumes
Daily life of the Tibetan people Clothes and festival attire must be distinguished. Really no one wears dozens of kilograms of accessories every day. They are usually worn only a few times a year for festivals or weddings. The attire for daily life is actually very simple. .
Women in Litang County dress up
In the eyes of young Tibetan people today, wearing Tibetan clothing means celebrating festivals. Today’s young Tibetan people also wear fashionable clothes in their daily lives, and sometimes even They know how to mix and match, just like Ding Zhen and his brothers, who basically wear Tibetan robes, jeans and modern leather boots. There is no sense of disharmony at all, and they are also very fashionable.
Pair a Tibetan robe with jeans and leather boots
Pair a short coat with jeans and boots
In fact, some people are improving Tibetan clothing and shortening the sleeves , Tibetan robes are modified to be more slim-fitting, or fashion fabrics are used to make Tibetan robes, or decorations are simplified, etc. Improved Tibetan robes are more convenient for life, but we still have to remember the traditional look.
Finally, I would like to say that Ding Zhen is a window for us to understand Tibetan culture. It is also an opportunity for me to understand Tibetan costumes, and it is also an opportunity for me to understand the costumes of ethnic minorities. In the future, I will also learn more about ethnic costumes. If you are interested, I will share my learning results with you.
This article is my original work
Traditional clothing
Tibetan clothing
Ding Zhen
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