#douli

I painted illustrations for douli episode to use as covers for russian fan-audiodrama*

*This is not translation of chinese official audiodrama. This is audio from our cosplay stage performance. It was so long (20 minutes) that we decided to release it in high quality with illustrations as independent work of art. Appreciate the huge amount of work our cosband has done. Here is the stage performance itself, for which this audio was initially recorded, with English subtitles.

Hi! Thanks for loving my blog, and sorry for taking ages to reply! (image via)

Chinese rain capes/raincoats are called 蓑衣/suoyi, and they are mainly made from local materials - in southern China, straw and coir grass are mostly used, as well as brown hair and brown leaves; in the north, thatch and cattail grass are mostly used. It takes about two to three days to make a suoyi by hand. They are typically worn with bamboo hats called 斗笠/douli.

Below - Ming dynasty illustration of a suoyi and douli (x):

Suoyi has a long history, originating before the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC). Although I haven't worn one myself, sources state that they were very effective. Compared with umbrellas, suoyi was not only better at keeping out the rain, but also freed up the two hands to work. Farmers liked to wear it on rainy days, and fishermen often wore it when fishing during rainy and snowy days. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, people travelling during the rainy season usually brought along suoyi (source).

Below - 19th-century late Qing dynasty suoyi made of palm and straw fiber, plus bamboo douli and basket (1, 2):

The tradition of working in the wind and rain wearing suoyi and douli continued until the late 1960s in China, after which they were gradually replaced with modern rain gear. Today, suoyi has become more of a tourist souvenir and decorative object than a practical item. Nevertheless, it can still be seen being worn by some elderly farmers and fisherman.

Below - a cormorant fisherman wearing suoyi and douli in Yangshuo, Guilin, Guangxi (x):

I highly recommend reading the following article for more information on suoyi's history, craftsmanship, and current status: Suoyi: RuCai Lyu’s rain cape and its ongoing tradition of protection.

For additional references, please see my suoyi tag.

If anyone has more info, please share! ^^

So I had a really crazy idea for a shipp.

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I really hope we'll get to see some douli (zhan dou dou and si li li) in joy of life season 2/3...im not sure how far they're going to go with the censorship but pls show me some of my favorite girlfriends. I could even get behind the whole sworn sisters thing as long as they get to interact 😭😭

Training Under the Plum Blossoms

Mengben dancing with steel as the morning sun shines upon the wintery landscape