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Tube Skirt, 20th Century
Li culture; Hainan Province, China
Cotton and silk; 15 × 21 in.
201…
Skirt
Tube Skirt, 20th Century
Li culture; Hainan Province, China
Cotton and silk; 15 × 21 in.
201…
Tube Skirt, 20th Century Li culture; Hainan Province, China Cotton and silk; 15 × 21 in. 2019.23.34 Gift of Anne and Long Shung Shih

Skirt

ClassificationsClothing and Adornments-principal attire (lower body)
Culture Li
Made AtHainan Province, China, Asia
MediumCotton and silk
Dimensions15 × 21 in. (38.1 × 53.3 cm)
Credit LineGift of Anne and Long Shung Shih
Object number2019.23.34
DescriptionSkirts are among the finest textiles produced by the Li culture of southern China, as they showcase the traditional techniques of Li weaving, dying and embroidery. The skirts, sometimes referred to by scholars as run-li skirts, are tight fitted with panels of varying motifs and patterns created from the weaver’s imagination and knowledge of traditional patterns, often bearing religious or historical significance. The skirts are either short, medium or long and made of dyed cotton, hemp and silk. They are usually created by techniques passed down from mother to daughter, such as warp ikat weaving, double-face embroidery, and single-face jacquard weaving. Patterns and motifs are unique to the different Li subgroups of the Hainan Province.
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