Lhoba Costume
01 · Historical Records
The materials and methods of Lhoba dress are determined by the mountain environment of the Milin area of Tibet: the land abounds in shrubs of the daphne kind, called danu, whose bark is stripped and beaten into yarn and then woven into homespun cloth, yielding a garment that can be worn year-round. The gathering-and-hunting life of this region required clothing that was easy to move in, could hold goods, and could serve as bedding; a one-piece collarless, sleeveless homespun cloth answered all three needs. The black, red and white variegated cloth surface, meanwhile, resists dirt and damp better than light colors when fog rises from the ground or rain and snow fall.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Lhoba ethnic dress is sewn from homespun cloth woven from plant fibers such as "danu" (daphne bark), mostly in an intermixture of black, red or white. When worn by a man, the long strip of cloth is draped diagonally across the back, one corner of the garment laid over the left shoulder, then passed from left to right under the arm to wrap one and a half times around the body, joining the shoulder-laid corner at the right chest, producing the effect of bared shoulder and arm. The lower length of the garment is then folded up to the knee, a bamboo needle serves in place of buttons, and the belt is drawn tight. This garment, lacking collar, sleeves and pockets, is the Lhoba people's only upper garment, worn year-round: men, women, old and young wear it by day and take it off at night to use as a coverlet. Because the Lhoba have long lived in the wilds with no fixed dwelling, women's garments are also used to carry food and belongings, and when going out, children can be placed inside the clothing. Women go barefoot throughout the year; some men wear tall boots made of hemp or wool. Everyday ornaments worn by both men and women include earrings, necklaces and bracelets. It preserves the ethnic character well — natural, authentic, handsome and dignified — satisfying the Lhoba people's love of beauty.
Wrapping a single length of cloth
Men and women share one method: a single cloth across the shoulder, wound around the arm, pinned at the chest and belted.
Dyeing the black, red and white cloth
The cloth is dyed black, red or white in combination, drawing on forest colours rather than bright ones.
Dividing the three rattan hat types
Three rattan hat types divide the uses: wide brims for long walks in sun, tight weaves for rain in the forest.
Adjusting dress for hunting and gathering
Before going in, the sash is tightened and the hem folded up; on returning, the cloth is loosened to carry the harvest.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Lhoba men wear rattan caps woven from rattan and bamboo strips, which fall into three types: Boba, Gaga and Hengba. Lhoba ethnic dress is closely tied to the Lhoba people's long-standing gathering-and-hunting way of life and to local climatic conditions; it is both a crystallization of the wisdom of the Lhoba people and a miniature of their social development.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Lhoba Costume.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
This correspondence between dress and the life of production makes Lhoba dress hard to replace with any other style: it is not a matter of copying a garment from elsewhere, but of cutting anew according to the uses of the mountains. One garment with many uses, the coexistence of women's bare feet with tall boots, the three types of rattan cap, and earrings, necklaces and bracelets worn alike by men and women — together these practices show that the standard for judging local dress puts practicality first, and that looking good is a by-product of wearing well. For protection today, what needs to be kept is not merely a few garments but the entire chain of process steps from danu bark to finished clothing; if the chain is broken, then no matter how exact the style of garment, the original cloth cannot be made.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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