Peonies & Co.: The Enchanting Power of the Chinese Flower

Written by Maria Giglio

Attention boyfriends of the world, I’m about to tell you the secret to a woman’s heart: if you love her, bring her flowers. That’s right, that’s it. Every woman in the world has a thing with flowers… unless she’s allergic, of course. In any case, no doubt she will fall in your arms. But why? Well, for starters it’s the simplest gesture to show appreciation to your other half. Plus, because there is a mystic, millennial symbolic connection between flowers and women.

Many cultures worship flowers as a universal image of feminine grace, beauty and prosperity. For example, in Christian tradition the Virgin Mary is often associated with the lily, symbol of purity or referred to as “Mystical Rose” without thorn to represent her sinless nature. In Buddhist culture, the lotus is worshipped as a symbol of perfection and fertility; resembling the woman’s uterus with its rounded shape, this flower is known for its incredible beauty and the capacity to stay clean despite flourishing in swamps and wet habitats. The energising power of flowers and spring are immortalised in Botticelli’s eternal masterpiece La Primavera.

In Botticelli’s *La Primavera*, Flora (3rd figure on the right) personifies the rebirth of Spring wearing a floral dress

Naturally, this charming love story between flowers and women reaches one of its highest peeks in Chinese culture, where it has been widely celebrated over millennia by a prosperous artistic tradition.

Chinese blossoms

Since ancient times, the Chinese have cultivated a true passion for flowers, by decorating their public and private spaces with beautiful gardens. Interestingly, the Chinese word for flower is “花” (huā) and visually represents the magic of a flower in bloom. In fact, the character is a compound, growing from the radical for grass “艹” under which the magic joyful metamorphosis of a plant when producing flowers is represented by a cheerful character.

On the twelfth day of the second month of each lunar year, as soon as nature awakens, a Spring Festival is held in honour of百花深 (Bǎihuā shēn), the White Goddess of Flowers, to celebrate fertility. As in other cultures, Chinese people too associate flowers with women and beauty very frequently, although the symbology related to flowers is much richer and varied, as evidenced by traditional and tribal art and poetry production.

King of Flowers

Among the many flowers linked to Chinese culture, peony is certainly the most treasured by Chinese people. The equivalent of the Westerners’ beloved rose, the peony is also known as the king of flowers (花王, Huāwáng), existing in two main varieties, the tree and herbaceous peony. The original Chinese word for the herbaceous peony was 芍药 (sháo yào) to refer to the medical properties of the flower. Shao (芍) means in fact a spoonful (勺) of plant (艹), whereas yao (药) means medicine. After a while, both the tree and herbaceous varieties were known as 牡丹 (mudan). This word consists of two characters. The character 牡 (mu) is composed of the radicals for ox (牛) and and earth (土). The character 丹 (dan) means either pill, probably referring to the healing properties ascribed to the peony in Traditional Chinese Medicine, or the typical colour red, as a typical variety of the flower.

An ancient passion

Up until the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912 A.D.), the peony was renowned as the official national flower of China, as per appointment by Empress Dowager Cixi in 1903. As a matter of fact, Chinese passion for this flower sprang around 1,400 years ago. During the Tang Dynasty (around 600 A.D.) peonies started to be employed to decorate the imperial gardens and soon began to spread everywhere else in China. An imperial emblem of opulence and beauty, peonies were featured in paintings and textiles, as well as used in poetical allegories to celebrate the prosperity of the nation. Among the most valuable, the red ones represent wealth, while white peonies symbolize the beauty and cheerfulness of Chinese young girl.

Cultivating national pride

After the Cultural Revolution, the Peony is not recognised the official status of national flower anymore, though its fame and glorious reputation is unvaried in the heart of the Chinese people as it embodies the national hope for an ever-growing prosperity. Over the last twenty years people already expressed their willing twice by casting a ballot (one in 1994 and one 2003) for a renovated official acknowledgment by the Government of the peony as a national emblem. The proposal is still pending.

Although Chinese peonies can be found almost everywhere in the country, Luoyang (Henan Province, Eastern China) is certainly the best place to admire their beautiful blossoms. Renowned as the city of peonies, Luoyang offers a spectacular Peony garden showcasing over 500 varieties in full bloom. The garden is famous for hosting a peony high over 3 metres and as old as 1,600 years.

Flowers in Chinese traditional fashion: take your pick!

The passion for flowers is vividly featured in the traditional apparel of Chinese people.

Back in the 60s Scott McKenzie used to sing “if you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear flowers in your hair”. If you insteadwant to wear flowers everywhere, check out our exclusive florid collection of handmade Qipaos!

Amongst the 56 minorities in China, Miao people hold pomegranate blossoms 石榴花 (Shíliú huā) particularly at heart. A national cultural heritage as enlisted by UNESCO, Miao embroidery features pomegranate flowers to symbolise the wish for prosperity. If you want a taste of this true textile rarity, check out these handmade bags that our Miao artisan partners have created exclusively for our costumers!

If you smell a nice deal… Discover these and more products on InteractChina.com!

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide!”

Aileen & Norman co-founded Interact China in 2004 with specialization in fine Oriental Aesthetic products handmade by ethnic minorities & Han Chinese. Having direct partnerships with artisans, designers, craft masters and tailors, along with 13 years of solid experience in e-commerce via InteractChina.com, we are well positioned to bridge talented artisans in the East with the rest of the world, and directly bring you finely selected products that are of good quality and aesthetic taste.

So far we carry 3000+ goods covering Ladies Fashion via ChineseFashionStyle.com, Kungfu Fashion, Home Furnishings, Babies & Kids, Painting Arts, Textile Arts, Carving Arts, Tribal Jewelry Art, Wall Masks and Musical Instruments. Our team speak English, French, German, Spanish and Italian, and serve customers worldwide with passion and hearts.

P.S. We Need People with Similar Passion to Join Our Blogging Team!
If you have passion to write about Oriental Aesthetic in Fashion, Home Decor, Art & Crafts, Culture, Music, Books, and Charity, please contact us at bloggers@interactchina.com, we would love to hear from you!

Crying In Their Shoes: The Cruel Myth Of Foot-binding

Written by Maria Giglio

Have you ever seen a foot fitting in the palm of your hand that is not that of a child?

Female foot-binding is a practice as old as a millennium that used to be widespread among Chinese women until earlier 21^st Century and was officially banned in 1912 after the establishment of the Republic of China.

You may wonder why the practice had been around for so long, and the answer is not that easy.

In China, a lotus foot, as small as 3 inches, was considered a symbol of feminine beauty, sensuality and elegance.

Fitting the lotus

As a foot this small was rare to find among adult women, foot-binding had to start as soon as possible in order to prevent its natural growth, usually around the age of 5, and would take about 2 years to complete. The girl’s feet would first be treated with hot water and oil, then all toes, except the big toes, would be broken and bound to the soles to form a triangular shape; finally, the feet were bent double and wrapped in a silk strip that would have been changed every two days to avoid infections.

As a foot this small was rare to find among adult women, foot-binding had to start as soon as possible in order to prevent its natural growth, usually around the age of 5, and took about 2 years to complete. The girl’s feet would first be treated with hot water and oil, then all toes, except the big toes, would be broken and bound to the soles to form a triangular shape; finally, the feet would be bent double and wrapped in a silk strip that would have been changed every two days to avoid infections.

After the treatment, girls had to walk for long periods of time, to facilitate the breaking of their arches so that heal and shoe would crush together to fit in smaller shoes.

Origins of Foot-binding

There are many versions of the origin of foot-binding. What is certain is that this practice was particularly popular during Song dynasty. However, a common belief relates the invention of foot-binding to the period of Tang dynasty, around the 10^th Century, and thus before the Song. Emperor Yu Li asked his concubine Yao Niang to dance on her toes on a six-foot tall golden lotus. Yao Niang binded her feet in white silk so to perform the dance which was so enchanting that every woman in Court had wanted to imitate her ever since.

Historically, the first archeologic evidence about foot-binding in Ancient China dates to 1243, during the Song period, in the tomb of a 17-year-old girl named Huang Sheng.

Meaning and spread of foot-binding

Foot-binding was never imposed to women by any law. On the contrary, it was banned and condemned at times. Then why did it last for so long in first place? As already mentioned, a lotus foot was an aesthetic requirement to marry Chinese women. Soon it became a status symbol. Women with bound feet were typically regarded as particularly attractive and seductive. This is also encouraged by the fact that lotus-feet women walk slowly and gracefully to avoid aggravating the pain and uneasiness caused by the binding.

Among many aspects, one important reason why foot-binding had been widespread until later years is its relation to Han culture. After their invasion of China in 1636 and the establishment of Qing dynasty, the Manchus imposed to the conquered their costumes and traditions and among made several attempts to ban foot-binding. Consequently, Han people, who also represent the majority of Chinese nowadays, kept practicing foot-binding as a way of resistance to the ‘barbaric’ oppressors who, on their side, stopped trying to ban it.

During the Qing Dynasty and up until the 19^th Century, bounded feet increasingly became a mark of beauty and turned into an advantage for finding a wealthy husband.

After the arise of many protests within the Chinese community, in 1912 the Republic of China officially banned foot-binding, but lack of enforcement and resistance didn’t stop it from being diffused until 1990s, when the practice had disappeared with the last generation of lotus feet women. By the end of the 20st Century all shoe factories in China had closed due to the lack of demand. The last factory, Zhiqiang in Harbin, was shut in 1999 with all the unsold stock being donated to the Heilongjiang Museum of Ethnography.

Pleasure and Pain: Lotus Shoes

Because of the pain caused by the broken bones and the awkward position of the feet, women could barely walk and so spent a lot of time home hand-sewing and embroidering to embellish their lotus shoes.

But what did this footwear look like? As the name suggests, the lotus shoes recalled the shape of a lotus blossom with their cone shape. They were usually made of cotton and silk and enriched with fine embroidered or hand-sewn patterns, representing animals, flowers or ‘shou’, the symbol of longevity.

The style and colour of lotus shoes varied according to the occasion. For example, while brides typically wore red shoes, the colour yellow was usually reserved to aristocracy, Imperial members, and in general wealthier classes.

A painful expression of Chinese pride

Nowadays, foot-binding is quickly stigmatised as an unnecessary and cruel practice aimed at perfect female bodies, compared to tight corsets. But the truth is much more complex than that, and the story of foot-binding tells us that there was a time when cultural identity would have been defended at any cost.

Are you curious to see lotus shoes live? Check out the following collections around the globe:

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide!”

CHINESE LADY LINGERIE IN ANCIENT CHINA (6) Time-Travel Dudou

Written by Gioia Zhang

In recent years，oriental beauty has been increasingly favored by designers all over the world. Dudou is considered as one of the most classic elements on both domestic and international fashion show stages.

In 2015, Taiwan’s leading lingerie brand, Wacoal, held a grand 45th Anniversary feast in Taipei (the capital of Taiwan). They made a special display of antique Dudou that have been collected over the years.

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Beginning with six sets of antique Dudous，the event then featured ten sets of creative Dudous. Wacoal used modern technology of papercut, 3D print, and LED to present ancient Dudous to audience.

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In the same year, a fashion designer brought Chinese style to the London Fashion Week. He combined traditional Chinese embroidery with western-style tailoring. This changed westerners’ impression of the Chinese Dudou. Styling it on a western male model showed another interpretation of the Chinese Dudou to the world.

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In the 2015 Shenzhen Fashion Week of Original Design, fashion designer Sun Haitao designed a collection of creative children’s clothing using the element of Dudou.

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https://v.qq.com/x/cover/dsse9apufg03h8x/b017607nki9.html

Not only on the stage, but also in the deep alleys of Beijing there are Dudou brands. One example is Pillowbook, a lingerie brand studio. It differs from the traditional design of the souvenir shop which have large red embroidered pattern. Pillowbook uses simple lines. The use of traditional pane element on the neckline design shows us a different Chinese style. This brand creates their product exclusively with silk cloth. They pack their products with rice paper and there is a handwritten washing label and a rope tie. The Dudou of Pillowbook can be worn both inside and outside. The designer Irene looks forward to adding more modern elements to Dudou and integrating them naturally into daily life.

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Different people have different interpretations of traditional Chinese lingerie. We hope that more and more people would be willing to spend time in appreciating those beautiful handcrafted products and Chinese culture. At the same time, it would be great if more and more designers give Dudou new interpretations to preserve and spread the artistic and skillful design over the world.

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide”

Aileen & Norman co-founded Interact China in 2004 with specialization in fine Oriental Aesthetic products handmade by ethnic minorities & Han Chinese. Having direct partnerships with artisans, designers, craft masters and tailors, along with 10 years solid experience in e-commerce via InteractChina.com, we position well to bridge talented artisans in the East with the rest of the world, and bring you direct finely selected products that are of good quality and aesthetic taste.

So far we carry 3000+ goods covering Ladies Fashion, Kungfu Clothing, Home Furnishings, Babies & Kids, Painting Arts, Textile Arts, Carving Arts, Tribal Jewelry Art, Wall Masks and Musical Instruments. Our team speak English, French, German, Spanish and Italian, and serve customers worldwide with passion and hearts.

P.S. We Need People with Similar Passion to Join Our Blogging Team!

If you have passion to write about Oriental Aesthetic in Fashion, Home Decor, Art & Crafts, Culture, Music, Books, and Charity, please contact us at bloggers@interactchina.com, we would love to hear from you!

CHINESE LADY LINGERIE IN ANCIENT CHINA (4) – Exquisite Techniques

Written by Gioia Zhang

A variety of techniques are used in the decoration of traditional Chinese women’s lingerie such as embroidery, inlay, appliqué, patch and more. Those techniques have distinctive processes and fine degree.

“Embroidery” is divided into four major categories, satin stitch, coil stitch, hand sewn stitch, and braid stitch.

Satin stitch is also called painting embroidery. The embroidery patterns are mainly in small size, and the stitches are parallel and arranged neatly. It was used more common in the Song and Yuan dynasties.

Part Dudou: Period – The Late Qing Dynasty

Among all kinds of coil stitches, seed stitch is the most distinctive one. Though the stitching process is simple, it produces a solid aesthetic effect.

Part Dudou: Period – The Late Qing Dynasty

Hand sewn stitches are hand sewn sequins and appliqués used to decorate lady lingerie.

Part Dudou: Period – The Republic of China Era

Braid stitch was not used very much in traditional Chinese lingerie. In general, the ancient people in China used “cross-stitch embroidery”.

Part Corset: Period – The Republic of China Era

The ancient people of China were good at decorating lingerie with golden line embroidery.

Part Dudou: Period – The Middle Qing Dynasty

Part Dudou: Period – The Republic of China Era

“Inlay” refers to the use of a decorative strip of cloth ／lace ／embroidery sewn on the edge of underwear to form a decoration. This brocade (a type of tightly woven fabric) shows the idea of trimming the edge with exquisite silk.

Part Corset: Period – The Middle Qing Dynasty

Part Corset: Period – The Republic of China Era ·

Part Corset: Period – The Early Qing Dynasty

“Trimming”/ “rolling off” is the process of wrapping the edges with cloth.

Part Corset: Period – The Middle Qing Dynasty

“Appliqué” is a quick stitching decoration technique, an integration of embroidery and other processes to form a flat or semi perspective effect.

Dudou: Period – The Late Qing Dynasty

This Dudou is appliquéd with pre-cut patterns and decorated with satin stitch.

The “patching” is a process of sewing different pieces of cloth together. It has the meaning of “mending the deficiency” and is the icing on the cake for the Dudou.

Paddy Field Dudou: Period – The Late Qing Dynasty

Exquisite craftsmanship is also reflected in the arrangement of layers and the refinement of the decorations. Decorating the connected parts with frog buttons make the underwear more attractive.

Dudou: Period – The Late Qing Dynasty

The garment technique of Chinese traditional underwear is in line with the concept of “harmony between man and nature” and, in particular, the “round sky and square earth” theory. The lower part of the garment is “the circle shape in the front and the square shape in the back”. Putting the pattern of the Ruyi and butterfly in front of the chest is a metaphor of “lucky arrival ”.

Part Nashao: Period – The Late Qing Dynasty

The ancient Chinese people also use batik, hand-painting and other techniques to enrich the style and effect of women lingerie.

Underwear Cloth: Period – The Republic of China era

They not only use silk, brocade and other premium quality fabric, they also use homespun cotton, cambric and fine bamboo to create lingerie.

Hollowed Out Clothes: Period – The Late Qing Dynasty

To connect each part with bead is also one of the most ingenious techniques.

Dudou: Period – Late Qing Dynasty

The spinning technique weaves and wraps fabric into different kinds of tassels. This is very imaginative.

Part Dudou: Period – The Late Qing Dynasty

Dudou: Period – The Late Qing Dynasty

The beautiful lingerie was made simply by a small piece of cloth and with different stitching methods. The lingerie had infinite possibilities of design, full of imagination and creativity. The wisdom of ancient people in China has amazed the world!

This article refers to 《Fantasy Beyond Body： The Civilization of Chinese Underwear in Ancient Times》

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide”

Aileen & Norman co-founded Interact China in 2004 with specialization in fine Oriental Aesthetic products handmade by ethnic minorities & Han Chinese. Having direct partnerships with artisans, designers, craft masters and tailors, along with 10 years solid experience in e-commerce via InteractChina.com, we position well to bridge talented artisans in the East with the rest of the world, and bring you direct finely selected products that are of good quality and aesthetic taste.

P.S. We Need People with Similar Passion to Join Our Blogging Team!

Chinese Shoe Culture（IV）The Multi-Layer Sole

Written by Gioia Zhang

The craft of multi-layer-sole cloth shoes was a remarkable achievement in Chinese shoe making history, carrying tremendous history, culture and craft value. It has been listed on China’s second intangible cultural heritage list since 2008. The shoe sole is made of many layers of cloth stitched together under fine processes.

The earliest shoes with sewn soles began in the Zhou dynasty. According to archeological research, these stitched soles were first used in the army because of the requirement for abrasion-resistant shoes. Then, these shoes with sewn soles become popular among the public. This was the first time that friction theory was used in shoe design in China.

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In the Qing dynasty, sewn sole shoes evolved into multi-layer-sole shoes which is famous around the world. There is a set of strict procedures for the making of multi-layer-sole shoes. The shoes are good at heat releasing in summer, and can keep feet warm in winter. The modern multi-layer-sole shoes are quite different from the traditional ones. Whether in design or in material, modern multi-layer shoes align with the current aesthetic trend of returning to nature.

4 内联升大鱼海棠系列女鞋.jpg NeiLianSheng Women’s Shoes Series with Big Fish and Begonia Design

(NeiLianSheng is a brand)

4 内联升西瓜圆口布鞋.png NeiLianSheng’s Watermelon Round-Opening Sewn Shoes

4 内联升千彩女鞋.jpg NeiLianSheng’s Colorful Women’s Shoes

4 内联升织锦婚鞋.png NeiLianSheng’s Brocade Wedding Shoes

4 内联升蓝印花布方口女鞋.jpg NeiLianSheng’s Indigo Printed Square-Opening Women’s Shoes

4 内联升花卉女鞋.jpg NeiLianSheng’s Floral Women’s Shoes

4 内联升纯手工僧侣凉鞋.jpg NeiLianSheng’s Handmade Monk Sandals

4 内联升锦衣卫手绘工作鞋.jpg NeiLianSheng’s Imperial Guards’ Working Shoes

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide”

Aileen & Norman co-founded Interact China in 2004 with specialization in fine Oriental Aesthetic products handmade by ethnic minorities & Han Chinese. Having direct partnerships with artisans, designers, craft masters and tailors, along with 10 years solid experience in e-commerce via InteractChina.com, we position well to bridge talented artisans in the East with the rest of the world, and bring you direct finely selected products that are of good quality and aesthetic taste.

P.S. We Need People with Similar Passion to Join Our Blogging Team!

Chinese Shoe Culture（V）Colorful Tribal Shoes

Written by Gioia Zhang

The vast and fertile land of China gives birth to multi-ethnic cultures. Footwear also shows astonishing changes with civilizations from different geographical circumstances.

5满族黑贡呢云纹双梁花鞋.jpg Manchu Black Tribute Flower Shoes with Double Beams · The Late Qing Dynasty and Early Period of the Republic of China

Manchu women wore flag shoes, and Manchu men wore boots. Most of the flag shoes were embedded with double beams, but some were sewed in cloud patterns with brocade, called “cloud shoes”. Manchu women’s shoes were divided into flat sole types and high sole types. Some of the high-sole shoes had the design of a “horse hoof”.

5藏族红黑毛呢绣花长靴.jpg Tibetan Thigh Wool Boots with Red and Black Embroidery · Contemporary

There are many kinds of Tibetan boots, which can be roughly divided into 3 types: cow leather boots, corduroy boots, and woolen cotton boots. However, there is no difference between men and women’s boots. They were only different in height and thickness.

5侗族挽针绣翘头绣花鞋.jpg Dong Tribe’s Warped Head Shoes with Double Chain Stitch Embroidery · Contemporary.

5侗族马尾绣翘头绣花鞋.jpg Dong Tribe’s Warped Head Shoes with Horsetail Embroidery · Contemporary

The Dong tribe’s embroidered warped head shoes, also called “hook shoes,” had a pointed end like a ship’s bow or an ox’s horn, a symbol that payed respect to nature and animals. Many Chinese ethnic groups make symmetrical shoes. This simplifies the shoe-making process, and also reduces the difference in abrasion between the two sides caused by constant wearing.

5鄂温克族犴皮靴.jpg Ewenki Tribe’s Dog Skin Boots · Contemporary

Before the late Qing dynasty, the Ewenki people made all their clothes from animal skin, as they lived in a cold region and made use of animal husbandry. Their hide boots were warm, portable, and resilient. Walking with Ewenkian hide boots in snow and in mountains made only tiny sounds, which was helpful for hunting.

5鄂温克族犴腿皮靴.jpg Ewenki Tribe’s Dog Skin Boots · Contemporary

Ewenki people wear dog skin boots all year round. Generally the summer’s boots are hairless. In winter, people put wula grass, one of the three treasures of Dongbei province, in their shoes to keep their feet warm.

5青海互助土族绣花鞋.jpg Embroidered Shoes of Tu Ethnic Group in Qinghai Province · Contemporary

5青海互助土族腰鞋.jpg Thigh Boots of Tu Ethnic Group in Qinghai Province · Contemporary

Tu embroidery features delicate stitches, vibrant colors, compact woven structures, and is easy to preserve. Patterns on these shoes are mainly made by simple stiches using bright colors, and show the unique artistic attraction of the Tu people’s embroidery. Rainbow-patterned decoration is usually on Tu women’s clothing, and therefore the ethnic area in Qinghai province is known as the “rainbow town”.

5四川茂汶羌族花鞋.jpg Embroidered Shoes and Hand-sewn Soles of Maowen Qiang Ethnic Group in Sichuan Province · Contemporary

The cloud shoes, often with embroidered soles, are homemade cotton shoes which the Qiang people wear on holidays. The shoes represent love in Qiang’s traditions.

5赫哲族鱼皮鞋.jpg Fish Leather Shoes of the Hezhen Ethnic Group · Contemporary

The Hezhen ethnic group lives along the Songhua River, earning their livelihoods by fishing and hunting. Using fish skin to make clothing, including jackets, pants, bags, and shoes, is the Hezhen ethnic group’s distinct traditional skill.

5白族女花鞋.jpg Embroidered Shoes of Bai Ethnic Group · Contemporary

Ladies from the Bai tribe also have handmade shoe traditions.

5保安族黑贡缎刺绣女夹袜.jpg Black Sateen Embroidered Women’s Socks from Baoan Ethnic Group · Contemporary

The Baoan ethnic group’s traditional “shoe-socks,” also known as “worship shoes,” are usually taken off in mosques. Since the bottom of the socks are the hells are shown during worship service, the Baoan people sewed exquisite flower patterns to the bottom of the heel of the “shoe-socks.”

As we can see, there are countless achievements of Chinese handcrafted art.

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide”

Aileen & Norman co-founded Interact China in 2004 with specialization in fine Oriental Aesthetic products handmade by ethnic minorities & Han Chinese. Having direct partnerships with artisans, designers, craft masters and tailors, along with 10 years solid experience in e-commerce via InteractChina.com, we position well to bridge talented artisans in the East with the rest of the world, and bring you direct finely selected products that are of good quality and aesthetic taste.

P.S. We Need People with Similar Passion to Join Our Blogging Team!

Chinese Shoe Culture (VI) The Spirit Under Foot

Written by Gioia Zhang

In northern China, children often wear animal shoes. These animal shoes are a traditional type of embroidery made using the applique technique, where cotton, linen, and other materials are stitched into a variety of patterns.

Women found that children’s shoes were particularly vulnerable to breaking, so they cut clothes into many animal prints and sewed them on the shoes. This not only increased the wear resistance of children’s shoes but also made them have a very interesting aesthetic.

6虎纹婴儿靴民国.jpg Tiger Head Baby Boots · Republic of China

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6虎纹婴儿鞋民国2.jpg Tiger Head Baby Shoes · Republic of China

Chinese people devote a particular care to wearing shoes. They traditionally believed that wearing tiger head or lion head shoes could dispel evil spirits and bring peace, as tigers and lions are the kings of animals.

6狮子纹童鞋民国.png Children’s Lion Shoes · Republic of China

6狮子纹婴儿鞋民国.jpg Baby’s Lion Shoes · Republic of China

6平针绣狮子纹婴儿连脚裤民国.jpg Baby’s Plain-stitched Lion Pattern Pantyhose · Republic of China

6猪纹婴儿鞋民国.jpg Baby’s Pig Shoes · Republic of China

These pig shoes carry parents’ best wishes for their babies to be healthy and grow strong, as pigs both eat well and sleep well.

6龙纹带须婴儿靴民国.jpg Baby’s Dragon Boots · Republic of China

The dragon, an auspicious totem in Chinese culture, is a popular design in Chinese clothing and adornments.

6猫头鞋民国.jpg Baby’s Cat Shoes · Republic of China

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6兔紋婴儿鞋民国.jpg Baby’s Rabbit Shoes · Republic of China

Sewing animals on her children’s shoes not only shows a women’s gratitude for nature, but also expresses good wishes for her children’s feature, hoping they grow up to resemble these lovely spiritual animals.

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide”

Aileen & Norman co-founded Interact China in 2004 with specialization in fine Oriental Aesthetic products handmade by ethnic minorities & Han Chinese. Having direct partnerships with artisans, designers, craft masters and tailors, along with 10 years solid experience in e-commerce via InteractChina.com, we position well to bridge talented artisans in the East with the rest of the world, and bring you direct finely selected products that are of good quality and aesthetic taste.

P.S. We Need People with Similar Passion to Join Our Blogging Team!

Chinese Shoe Culture (III) Amazing Women’s Shoes of the Qing Dynasty

Written by Gioia Zhang

Handcrafted embroidery is one of China’s finest skills. It has a long history, and has become a respected tradition. This skill was significantly developed in the Qing dynasty. There were a number of traditional methods of stitching. The Suzhou, Hunan, Shu, and Yue types of stitches were known as the four most famous Chinese stitches. These four embroidery methods had a great influence on the embroidered shoes in the Qing dynasty.

3 19世纪橙色地福寿纹绣花鞋关键词-清代弓鞋;小脚鞋;三寸金.jpg Orange Embroidered Shoes for Bithday Celebration

3 标题-清代粉地绣花小脚鞋关键词-清代弓鞋;小脚鞋;三寸金莲;.jpg Pink Embroidered Bow Shoes

3 标题-清代黑色绣花底鞋关键词-清代弓鞋;.jpg Black Sole Embroidered Shoes

According to historical research, the Chinese foot binding tradition began at the end of the Five Dynasties period. It became popular during the Ming dynasty, the Qing dynasty, and the period of the Republic of China. The foot binding practice reached its peak in the Qing dynasty. Han Chinese women from every social class were expected to bind their feet. Little feet were widely appreciated in that time.

3 标题-清代花卉纹三寸金莲小脚鞋关键词-清代弓鞋;小脚鞋;三寸金莲;花卉纹;.jpg Flower Embroidered Bow Shoes

3 标题-清代粉地绣花鞋关键词-清代弓鞋;.jpg Pink Embroidered Shoes

3 标题-19世纪紫地花卉纹绣花鞋关键词-清代弓鞋;小脚鞋;.jpg Purple Flower Embroidered Shoes

3 标题-19世纪黑地花卉蝙蝠纹刺绣弓鞋关键词-清代弓鞋;小脚鞋;三寸金莲;花卉纹;蝙蝠纹; 通用描述-清代弓鞋；.jpg Black Bats and Flowers Embroidered Bow Shoes

3 标题-19世纪红地蝴蝶纹绣花弓鞋关键词-清代弓鞋;.jpg Red Butterflies Embroidered Bow Shoes

The history of bound-feet shoes, also called “bow shoes”, is said to be a history of blood and tears for the Han Chinese women. These fancy looking shoes reflected the harsh foot binding ideology that was prevalent in China’s feudal society.

3 清末粉地花卉纹“三寸金莲”高跟，一般见客时套在小脚鞋上，以增加鞋的高度，该类脚跟的使用不太普遍。面料是粉红刺绣花卉纹缎.jpg Pink floral high heels

3 清代蓝地花草纹弓靴标题-清代蓝地花草纹弓靴关键词-清代弓鞋;小脚鞋;三寸金莲;花草纹.jpg Blue Bottom Floral Bow Shoes

3 标题-19世纪红地盘金绣弓鞋关键词-清代弓鞋;小脚鞋;三寸金.jpg Red and Gold Thread Embroidered Bow Shoes

3 标题-19世纪花卉纹刺绣高跟小脚鞋关键词-清代弓鞋;高跟小脚鞋;三寸金莲;花卉纹; 通用描述-清代弓鞋；.jpg Floral Embroidered High-Heeled Bow Shoes

Manchu women, however, didn’t have the foot-binding habit. Therefore their shoes were much larger than the Han Chinese women’s shoes.

3 清代满族蓝缎地梅花纹绣花鞋.jpg Blue Satin Manchu Embroidered Shoes with Plum Blossoms

3 清代满族浅粉地暗八仙.jpg Manchu Women’s Light Pink Embroidered Shoes with Eight Immortals Design

3 清光绪红色缎绣金鱼纹元宝底女棉鞋.jpg Red Silk Cotton-Padded Shoes with Golden Fish Design

Because of the weather and other geographical causes, Manchu women wore shoes with thick soles, commonly known as “horse hoof shoes”. However, as they became older the height of their soles reduced gradually, and sometimes they even wore flat shoes.

3 标题-清乾隆黄缎彩绣皮里马蹄底鞋关键词-清代旗鞋.jpg Yellow Silk Embroidered “Horse Hoof Shoes”

3 标题-清代满族紫地花蝶动物纹刺绣高底鞋关键词-清代旗鞋;.jpg Manchu Purple Embroidered High Heeled Shoes with Animal Design

3 标题-清康熙绿色缎缉米珠珊瑚珠凤纹头尖底鞋关键词-清代旗鞋.jpg Greensilk Satin Crested Thick-Soled Shoes

3 清代湖色缎绣盘长纹花盆底鞋.jpg Embroidered “Horse Hoof Shoes” with Lake Blue Silk Strings of Beads

3 清代黄色缎绣花卉纹花盆底鞋.jpg Yellow Satin Floral Embroidered “Horse Hoof Shoes”

3 清代蓝缎彩绣暗八仙钉.jpg Blue Satin Embroidered Horse Hoof Shoes with Design of Covert Eight Immortals

3 清代蓝地绣花元宝底棉鞋.jpg Blue Satin Ingot-Shaped Cotton Padded Shoes

3 清代满族白缎地马蹄底鞋.jpg Manchu Women’s White Satin Horse Hoof Shoes

3 清代湖色缎绣人物纹元宝底鞋.jpg Lake Blue Satin Embroidered Ingot-Shaped Shoes with Character Designs

3 清代蓝地金鱼荷花纹刺绣高底鞋.jpg Blue Satin Ingot-Shaped Cotton Padded Shoes

3 清光绪红色缎緝线绣花卉纹元宝底棉鞋副本.jpg Red Floral Ingot-Shaped Cotton Padded Shoes

The Manchu women’s shoes became more exquisite and luxurious after hundreds of years of development. These shoes are a landmark of the Qing dynasty’s footwear. People from all over the world have been amazed at the extraordinariness of Qing footwear.

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide”

Aileen & Norman co-founded Interact China in 2004 with specialization in fine Oriental Aesthetic products handmade by ethnic minorities & Han Chinese. Having direct partnerships with artisans, designers, craft masters and tailors, along with 10 years solid experience in e-commerce via InteractChina.com, we position well to bridge talented artisans in the East with the rest of the world, and bring you direct finely selected products that are of good quality and aesthetic taste.

P.S. We Need People with Similar Passion to Join Our Blogging Team!

Chinese Shoe Culture (II) Why Were Toes Upturned?

Written by Gioia Zhang

Upturned toecap shoes are the most typical kind of ancient Chinese shoe. Yet if we look at the global history of shoes, we find that an upturned toecap is a common feature of ancient shoes from many different cultures. Shoes with upturned toecaps began in the Qin Dynasty. During the Spring and Autumn Period, these shoes were highly valued by people. In the Tang dynasty, people made many colorful upturned toecap shoes.

2 唐赤舄.jpg Red Shoes · The Shang Dynasty

2 宝相花锦履唐.jpg Flower Brocade Shoes · The Tang Dynasty

2 翘头兰绢鞋.png Upturned Blue Silk Shoes

2 翘头绮鞋.png Upturned Damask Shoes

2 唐代履头款式.jpg Upturned Toecap Style in the Tang Dynasty

Pointed shoes and “three-inch lotus” shoes originated in the Five Dynasties period and developed into “tip of the small feet” shoes in the Song dynasty.

2 江西明墓出土的明代翘尖弓鞋(三寸金莲裹脚女性用鞋).jpg Upturned Pointed Shoes · The Ming Dynasty

After the Qing dynasty, women generally wore shoes with thick soles, which were called “lotus” shoes and round head shoes. Except for boots, Men wore similar styles of shoes to what people wear today. A new trend of “flat shoes” was formed in the Qing dynasty. However, ethnic groups in southwest and northwest China still make and wear beautiful upturned toecap shoes.

2 翘尖绣花布鞋彝族传统布鞋，翘尖，绣彩色花纹，适宜在山区穿着行走.png Upturned Embroidered Shoes · The Yi Ethic Group in China

2 旧时西藏僧官所穿长筒船形靴。靴面为金丝花缎料，靴帮用多层白布纳制而成，厚实坚硬。靴尖呈船形，靴底为双层皮革，靴筒用紫红色氆氇制成。孜忠鞋.png Zi Zhong shoes, a pair of knee high boat boots from a Tibetan monk in old days

2 Jin_Wu_Di.jpg

Why were ancient shoes upturned? There are 4 reasons:

Ancient Chinese wore long coats and long dresses. These upturned toecap shoes could provide some support for those long clothes to prevent people from slipping and falling.
Upturned toecap shoes could better prevent people from accidentally hitting dangerous objects, and protect them from some acute injuries.
The upturned part is made with soles that are resilient. This design could extend the useful life of the shoes.
Upturned toecap shoes share the same features as the apexes of ancient buildings. It could be explained that this design was to show respect to gods and supernatural beings.

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide”

Aileen & Norman co-founded Interact China in 2004 with specialization in fine Oriental Aesthetic products handmade by ethnic minorities & Han Chinese. Having direct partnerships with artisans, designers, craft masters and tailors, along with 10 years solid experience in e-commerce via InteractChina.com, we position well to bridge talented artisans in the East with the rest of the world, and bring you direct finely selected products that are of good quality and aesthetic taste.

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Chinese Shoe Culture (I) Learning from Nature

Written by Gioia Zhang

It has been deduced that the earliest Chinese footwear was made of a hide called “foot-binding skin” or “hide socks”. Chinese ancestors learned not only to use animal skin to keep their feet warm, but also to use small leather straps and hairy hide to wrap their feet in for protection during their struggles against nature.

1 烧卖皮鞋

After a long time, the hide socks shaped like “Baozi” (a type of steamed, filled bun or bread-like item in various Chinese cuisines), evolved into leather shoes shaped like “Shao Mai” (a type of traditional Chinese dumpling), and are still popular today.

1 乌拉鞋和乌拉草

In modern times, the wula shoes of Northern China also retain the shape of the original Chinese shoes.

1 鱼皮鞋

The present-day fish shoes of the Nanai people from Northern China are also inspired by the original Chinese shoes.

It was a great leap for the original hide shoes when they evolved into more complicated straw shows. China has at least seven thousand years of history using the leaves and stems of plants as raw materials to weave clothing and accessories.

1 芦编童鞋3.jpg

1 草鞋.jpg

Straw sandals were popular in every region of ancient China. This is because it was extremely convenient to obtain the raw materials in order to make them, and they felt light and comfortable to wear.

1 芦编童鞋.jpg

Children’s Reed Woven Sandals

1 麻线鞋.jpg Linen Shoes

Linen can be made into thread by weaving and by spinning. As social production systems advanced, people found that clothes could be made more delicate, softer, and more resilient with the use of wild linens. The Chinese made a variety of woven shoes and shoe accessories.

1 东晋编织履.jpg Woven Shoes · The Eastern Jin Dynasty

1 东晋织成履.jpg Woven Shoes · The Eastern Jin Dynasty

1 蒲草鞋唐.jpg Bulrush Shoes· Tang Dynasty

In this chapter, from hide shoes and woven straw shoes, to textile shoes, we see how Chinese people have presented the world with their splendid shoe culture, using only materials from nature.

About Interact China

“A Social Enterprise in E-commerce Promoting Oriental Aesthetic Worldwide”

Aileen & Norman co-founded Interact China in 2004 with specialization in fine Oriental Aesthetic products handmade by ethnic minorities & Han Chinese. Having direct partnerships with artisans, designers, craft masters and tailors, along with 10 years solid experience in e-commerce via InteractChina.com, we position well to bridge talented artisans in the East with the rest of the world, and bring you direct finely selected products that are of good quality and aesthetic taste.

P.S. We Need People with Similar Passion to Join Our Blogging Team!