1. Embroidered rain cloak--a handicraft of Paiyao
In the vast mountains where Paiyao people live, there grows boundless primeval forest. The forest is home to a vast expanse of indocalamus. Indocalamus has thin culms and wide and long leaves which grow fast. To take advantage of this superior geographic environment, Paiyao people pick the leaves in August and September every year, put them on sheds and dry them under the sun. In the idle time next year, they will use the leaves to embroider rain cloaks.
Before embroidering a rain cloak, they will choose some nice straws, make them into a thin rope and tie the rope into a knot with a diameter of about 50-60 centimeters (varying with persons), then embroider them with two indocalamus leaves through the rope from front to back, needle-by-needle and thread-by-thread. They create beautiful antique rain cloaks with hardworking and intelligent hands of the Yao people in two weeks or a month. The rain cloaks are durable and rainproof and can be used for three to five years.
At Yao villages, people always carry the rain cloaks whenever they go out for work in mountains. They either hang the cloaks on their shoulders or cover loads with the cloaks. If it rains, they will put on the cloaks and bamboo hats, like martial arts heroes in Gongfu movies, walking in mountains or fields. It has become a tradition, showing the diligence and bravery of the Yao people and winning the respect of others. In the past, Paiyao people lived in remote mountains and forests, and after feudal ruler’s exploitation and oppression, they couldn’t afford nylon paper, so they embroidered rain cloaks to keep off rain and protection during outdoor labor. Nowadays, the life of the Yao people is improving with each passing day, and the embroidered rain cloaks become props for tourism promotion. However, whenever people look back the past days, they will think of the simple life of the Yao people.
2. Paiyao people who like wearing leggings
Paiyao people like wearing leggings, particularly the old men and women in Sanpai Town. When they wear leggings, they feel it is easier to walk in mountains and fields. Yao women also prepare at least one set of grand attire for every member of their families so they may wear the clothes during a singing party or other important festivals. Embroidering leggings is also routine housework of Yao women throughout the year.
In Paiyao, girls begin to learn embroidery at the age of 11 or 12 years old. Embroidering leggings is one of their main skills. Embroidered leggings are tailor made. Some people like wrapping leggings in three, four, five or six rounds. Women will embroider cockscombs and other patterns on the edges of the long indigo blue cloth. During festivals, Yao people will wear beautiful clothes and wrap their leggings to appear energetic, masculine or beautiful. Leggings not only are ornaments, but they also help during labor. The work place of the Yao people is far from their homes. The leggings may protect them from wild weeds and thorns on the way, and they may walk without worrying about hurting their legs from stones rolling down from mountains. Paiyao people often walk at night. The leggings may prevent the attack of vipers.
Today, many Paiyao people work in other cities, so their typical dress has changed. But whenever they come back to their hometowns, they still prefer wearing grand attire and leggings like real traditional Yao people.
