Interwoven Traditions: Chinese Minority Costume and Jewelry September 4, 2011

The San Diego Chinese Historical Museum is pleased to present a new exhibit, Interwoven Traditions: Chinese Minority Costume and Jewelry.

The intricate embroidery and dazzling silver ornaments in this display are as complex and fascinating as the peoples who created them. The Han majority makes up 92% of China’s population, but 55 officially recognized minority ethnicities lend diversity to a nation that many think of as homogenous. The Miao 苗 people of southwest China, who are closely related to the Hmong of Southeast Asia, craft fantastic garments and elaborate jewelry that have been internationally acclaimed, and are best represented in this collection donated by Dr. James Kemp. The Miao and many other Chinese minorities historically lacked a written language, so their myths, histories and cultures often would be woven into their traditional costumes. This exhibition includes fine embroidery from the Dong 侗, Shui 水, Yi 彝, Li 黎, Gejia/Hakka 客家, and Thai/Dai 傣 minorities, as well as the Han majority to form an exciting panoply of extravagant adornment from the diverse peoples who have been woven together over thousands of years to form the multicultural China of today. The opening reception will feature an introductory lecture by renowned art historian, explorer, collector, photographer, and author Phila McDaniel, MFA.
The exhibit is on display daily, Tue.-Sun. during the museum's operating hours. The museum is closed Mondays. Admission is $2 and free for members and children under 12.
The San Diego Chinese Historical Museum is located at 404 Third Avenue in downtown San Diego. For more information, please visit our website at www.sdchm.org.

Official Website: http://www.sdchm.org