The ongoing exhibition Attachment to the Hometown presents around 150 baby carriers of different ethnic groups. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Wu Weishan, director of NAMOC, says the carriers on display are testimony to the brilliance of ethnic needlework, which is now giving way to mass production items.

"The art of making baby carriers is a way for the users to showcase their beliefs, their fairy tales and their respect for nature. This item helps bring the audience closer to the soul of these ethnic groups," says Wu. "They are records of human society."

The history, culture and the aesthetics of these groups are seen in the vivid patterns, both realistic and abstract, of these carriers.

The designs often feature animals, too. And while the Miao from Guizhou's Zhijin county prefer geometrical shapes that resemble fish, the Yi feature ram horns to symbolize wealth and use them to create whirlpool-like designs.

Some baby carriers also sport butterfly designs. A Miao legend has it that of the 12 eggs laid by a butterfly, one hatched into Jiangyang, the ancestor of the Miao people.

The Shui believe there were nine suns in the ancient times, and one day as a mother with her infant searched for water and was about to faint because of the fierce sun, a giant butterfly appeared spreading its wings to provide them with shade.

Women from the city of Gejiu, Yunnan, use abstract designs representing the sun, moon and stars on their carriers to show their respect for nature. They hope these symbols can give energy to their babies.