palestinian embroidery obi project

Mesmerizing needlework for this modern summer obi with ayame (iris) and hagi (bushclover) embroidered in metallic threads.

The embroidery is so beautifully textured it actually look like beadwork from afar:

Antique summer outfit featuring a blue stripes kimono patterned with shirasagi (white heron) flying alongside karasu (crow). It's paired an obi depicting huge yatsude (paperplant) leaves.

“Sagi to karasu” (to call a heron a crow) is a parable meaning bending the reason of something, even though it is clearly incorrect (=insisting that something that is clearly white is black). A synonym is “yuki to sumi” (snow and charcoal).

Fun retro-modern furisode mixing auspicious cranes and pine, in katamigawari style patterns placement.

In old Japan, katamigawari was a way to recycle fabrics and make new clothes when you didn’t have the full tanmono (kimono fabric roll) required. It became a true fashion statement in Late Azuchi Momoyama/early Edo periods.

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【Historical Reference Artifacts】:

China Ming Dynasty Hanfu Relics<大红色四兽朝麒麟纹妆花纱女袍>,Collection of Shandong Museum,China

Ming Dynasty Emperor Wanli bestowed Japan Toyotomi Hideyoshi's robe(赐服)<赤地云龙纹斗牛袍>

China Ming Dynasty Hanfu Relics<大紅雲肩通袖麒麟圓領>

China Ming Dynasty Hanfu Relics：<红色妆花纱云肩通袖膝襕蟒袍>,Confucius Museum,China

China Ming Dynasty Portrait of Kong Hongxu/孔弘绪, the 61st generation of Yansheng Gong (descendant of Confucius)

[Hanfu・漢服]Chinese Ming Dynasty(1368-1644 AD)Traditional Clothing Hanfu Photoshoot

亦男亦女 ​​​

【About 赐服/Cì fú in Ming Dynasty】

<赐服/Cì fú> is a kind of clothing system. The imperial court rewarded meritorious men or woman with crowns and clothes to show their favor. Its system is complicated and diverse, there are “four-season clothes/四時衣", five-season clothes/五時衣” or Gesha/葛纱 and mink according to the seasons; there are Gongfu/公服 and flowers according to the seasons; etc. The clothes bestowed are usually higher than the rank of the recipient.

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Five-season clothes/五時衣：Attire of five different colors worn in five seasons in ancient times.

Four-season clothes/四時衣:Different Attire worn in four different seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter

Gesha/葛纱:Gauze woven from kudzu fiber.

Gongfu/公服:one of the official attire

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Clothing is a daily need, but because it is the emperor's reward that endows the meaning of class, it has become a symbol of the imperial class and the emperor's favor. Use highly recognizable patterns on the clothing to show status and class, making clothing a channel for "showing off wealth". Anyone who can wears <赐服/Cì fú>is a courtier who is valued by the emperor.

The <赐服/Cì fú> of the Ming Dynasty are divided into four levels：Qilin robe(麒麟服),DouNiu robe(斗牛服), Feiyu robe(飛魚服), python robe(蟒服)

The Fourth-Class is Qilin robe(麒麟服):

The qilin (Chinese: 麒麟) is a legendary hooved chimerical creature that appears in Chinese mythology, and is said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a sage or illustrious ruler.Qilin are a specific type of the lin mythological family of one-horned beasts. The qilin also appears in the mythologies of other Chinese-influenced cultures.

Because the Qilin is a beast of benevolence and righteousness in the legend, the emperor of the Ming Dynasty regarded the Qilin robe as a gift and rewarded meritorious officials of the fourth and fifth ranks. Although Embroidered Uniform Guard(錦衣衛)on-duty guards are not high-ranking officials, they are also allowed to wear Qilin robe(麒麟服) because of their special positions.

The Third-Class is DouNiu robe(斗牛服):

DouNiu(斗牛) is not an ordinary bull(公牛), but a legendary horned dragon(虬龙). The DouNiu(斗牛) is like a dragon with sharp horns, a python-shaped fish tail, and two horns bent like ox horns.Those who can be awarded DouNiu robe(斗牛服) include officials of the third rank and above, generals who have made meritorious service in guarding the frontier, and people who have received special rewards. There are also examples of officials or celebrity families being rewarded with DouNiu robe(斗牛服), but these are exceptional and rare. DouNiu(斗牛) was originally a star in the sky, so the recipient thinks that he has received great glory.

The Second-Class is Feiyu robe(飛魚服):

The prototype of the Feiyu(飛魚/Flying fish) is the 文鳐鱼(a legendary fish with wings) in the "山海经/Classic of Mountains and Seas", which evolved into a python-shaped flying fish in the late Ming Dynasty. ↓文鳐鱼(a legendary fish with wings) in the"山海经/Classic of Mountains and Seas"

The image of the flying fish in the Ming Dynasty has two horns on the dragon's head and no wings on the fins, retaining the characteristic of the rolled tail.

Feiyu(飛魚/Flying fish) robe are generally rewarded to meritorious officials of the second rank or above,High-ranking eunuchs lead, and Embroidered Uniform Guard(錦衣衛). However, not all Embroidered Uniform Guard(錦衣衛) are eligible to wear flying fish robe, only the commanders of Embroidered Uniform Guard(錦衣衛), the emperor's personal school lieutenant and the guard of honor accompanying the emperor, these powerful confidantes of the emperor are eligible to wear them.

The Highest-Class is Python robe(蟒服):

The highest level of <赐服/Cì fú>in the Ming Dynasty was python robe(蟒服), second only to the dragon robe worn by the emperor. The python pattern is very similar to the dragon pattern, the only difference is that the dragon has five claws and the python has four claws. Python robe(蟒服) are generally only awarded to 司礼监's eunuchs, ministers of the cabinet(内阁辅政大臣), ministers and counselors of the Ministry of War(兵部尚书参赞), and princes and heads of foreign vassals. Adding a Python robe(蟒服) represents prosperity and wealth. A jade belt is required to wear the python robe(蟒服), and there are two types: sitting python(坐蟒) and moving python(行蟒). In terms of dignity, sitting pythons are higher rank than walking pythons.

※司礼监:is an eunuch in charge of the emperor's documents, seals, palace etiquette, etc.

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📷Photo：@realyn

💄Stylist：@仰望的花鼻子

👗Hanfu：@青山有幸 ​​​

🔗Weibo：https://weibo.com/5541803701/N77vXcOBE

Jacket

1920s-1930s

【Historical Artifact Reference】:

Late Warring States period(475–221 BC)：Two conjoined jade dancers unearthed from Jincun, Luoyang,collected by Freer Museum of Art

A similar jade dancer was also unearthed from the tomb of Haihunhou, the richest royal family member in the Han Dynasty, and was one of his treasures.

Warring States period, Eastern Zhou dynasty, 475-221 BCE,jade dancer by Freer Gallery of Art Collection.

Warring States period(475–221 BC)·Silver Head Figurine Bronze Lamp.Unearthed from the Wangcuo Tomb in Zhongshan state during the Warring States Period and collected by the Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology

The figurine of a man dressed as a woman holds a snake in his hand, and 3 snakes correspond to 3 lamps.

Sword of Goujian/越王勾践剑:

The Sword of Goujian (Chinese: 越王勾践剑; pinyin: Yuèwáng Gōujiàn jiàn) is a tin bronze sword, renowned for its unusual sharpness, intricate design and resistance to tarnish rarely seen in artifacts of similar age. The sword is generally attributed to Goujian, one of the last kings of Yue during the Spring and Autumn period.

In 1965, the sword was found in an ancient tomb in Hubei. It is currently in the possession of the Hubei Provincial Museum.

【Histoty Note】Late Warring States Period·Noble Women Fashion

The attire of noblewomen in the late Warring States period, as reconstructed in this collection, is based on a comprehensive examination of garments and textiles unearthed from the Chu Tomb No. 1 at Mashan, Jiangling, as well as other artifacts from the same period.

During the late Warring States period, both noble men and women favored wearing robes that were connected from top to bottom. These garments were predominantly made of gauze, silk, brocade, and satin, with silk edging. From the Chu Tomb No. 1 at Mashan, there were discoveries of robes entirely embroidered or embroidered fragments. The embroidery technique employed was known as "locked stitches," which gave the patterns a three-dimensional, lively appearance, rich in decoration.

The two reconstructed robes in this collection consist of an inner robe made of plain silk with striped silk edging, and an outer robe made of brocade, embroidered with phoenixes and floral patterns, with embroidered satin edging. Following the structural design of clothing found in the Mashan Chu Tomb, rectangular fabric pieces were inserted at the junction of the main body, sleeves, and lower garment of the robe. Additionally, an overlap was made at the front of the main body and the lower garment to enlarge the internal space for better wrapping around the body curves. Furthermore, the waistline of the lower garment was not horizontal but inclined upward at an angle, allowing the lower hem to naturally overlap, forming an "enter" shape, facilitating movement.

The layered edging of the collars and sleeves of both inner and outer robes creates a sense of rhythm, with the two types of brocade patterns complementing each other, resulting in a harmonious effect. Apart from the robes, a wide brocade belt was worn around the waist, fastened with jade buckle hooks, and adorned with jade pendants, presenting an elegant and noble figure.

The reconstructed hairstyle draws inspiration from artifacts such as the jade dancer from the late Warring States period unearthed at the Marquis of Haihun Tomb in Nanchang, and the jade dancer from the Warring States period unearthed at Jin Village in Luoyang. It features a fan-shaped voluminous hairdo on the crown, with curled hair falling on both sides, and braided hair gathered at the back. The Book of Songs, "Xiao Ya: Duren Shi," vividly depicts the flowing curls of noblewomen during that period. Their images of curly-haired figures in long robes were also depicted in jade artifacts and other relics, becoming emblematic artistic representations.

The maturity and richness of clothing art in the late Warring States period were unparalleled in contemporary world civilizations, far beyond imagination. It witnessed the transition of Chinese civilization into the Middle Ages. The creatively styled garments and intricate fabric patterns from the Warring States period carry the unique essence, mysterious imagination, and ultimate romanticism of that era, serving as an endless source of artistic inspiration.

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Recreation Work by : @裝束复原

Weibo 🔗：https://weibo.com/1656910125/O6cUMBa1j