Stomacher, Dong, Guizhou, South China

This stomacher is from the third quarter of the 20th century. Such cloths were worn under jackets. It shows a very typical way of embroidery for the Dong. The yarn is twisted so long that it strikes waves while embroidering. This can be seen in connection with the districts of the Dong, which are close to rivers. The fabric of the cloth is made of the typical, brilliantly satined fabric, that the women in the villages make by hand. The glow of the substance “yan bao” was obtained by rubbing with water buffalo extraxt, egg white, herbs or supposedly also with cattle blood. Important for the process is the subsequent daylong hitting with a very heavy wooden sledge. The cloth is closed at the back with a spiral pendant. Again, a water symbol. On the edges is a hand-woven silk border.

Mid 20 century, handwoven cotton, satined and embroidered by hand, one size

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