Celebrating the ritual and custom of ancient cultures: a book review of China Adorned
This article is brought to you by Thames & Hudson.
Beautifully produced, ‘China Adorned’ focuses on fashion, adornment and rituals of Chinese ethnic minority groups, examining ways of life that are rapidly changing or – sadly – no longer exist at all.
The book is the result of three decades of research of the cultural traditions of China’s ethnic groups by Professor Deng Qiyao, Director and Guest Professor of the Visual Culture Research Center of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. Written in an engaging and thought-provoking way, care has been taken to explain the customs of over thirty minorities giving you greater insight and understanding into the deep connection between people, place, ritual and adornment.
Image credits: Cat Vinton
Qiyao’s words are amplified by the accompanying imagery, which includes incredible photographs by Cat Vinton, an adventure and ethnographic photographer. Vinton’s photographs capture the vibrant colours and textures of the clothing and accessories of Chinese ethnic groups while also showcasing their everyday lives and the landscapes that surround them. In addition, the book also features black and white images from Qiyao’s own archives, spanning his three decades of research. These never-before-published photographs, as well as Vinton’s vivid imagery, are photographs you’ll stop to pore over before turning back to the engaging text.
Image credit: Cat Vinton
Organised into a life cycle, starting with ‘Blessed Beginnings’ and concluding with ‘Falling Leaves Return to Their Roots’, it is just as enjoyable reading this book from cover to cover as it is dipping in and out whenever you have a quiet moment. In addition to learning something new, ‘China Adorned’ offers you the chance to reflect on how ancient cultures are faring in the modern world.
Image credits: Cat Vinton
To further enhance this, the book features essays from notable contributors, such as Suvi Rautio, an anthropologist who spent thirteen months studying heritage initiatives and rural development in a Dong village in Guizhou. In her elegantly worded essay, Rautio shines a light on the traditional art of indigo dyeing and its significance to the people who both make and wear it. She explains how ‘In the Dong cultural framework, being able to produce dazzling fabric that warrants display is a measure of value and reputation for both wearers and their families.’ This fabric is just as important in life as it is in death, with Rautio writing that ‘So valued are textiles that they serve as currency at the gates of the underworld to pay back one’s life debts.’
Image credits: Cat Vinton
In sharing these insights, ‘China Adorned’ is an important time capsule of the traditions and cultures of China’s ethnic minorities that are fading by the minute. A highly recommended read for anyone interested in preserving ancient cultures before they’re lost forever.
‘China Adorned’ by Professor Deng Qiyao and Cat Vinton with contributions from Suvi Rautio, Xue Xinran, Wu Fan and Will Spence is published by Thames & Hudson and is available now.
This article is brought to you by Thames & Hudson.
