Zhao Qingli – Inheritor of Mongolian Ethnic Costume-making Skill in Xingmeng County, Yuxi 

Personal Profile

Zhao Qingli (赵清丽) is a native of Xingmeng Mongolian Township (兴蒙蒙古族乡) in Tonghai County (通海县), Yunnan Province. Since childhood, she has enjoyed exploring the history and culture of the Mongolian people in Yunnan alongside her elders, with a particular focus on the preservation and design of traditional Mongolian clothing.

Contribution to Cultural Heritage

Serving as a Cultural Promoter

In 2008, Zhao Qingli became a cultural promoter for Mongolian folk traditions in Xingmeng Mongolian Township (兴蒙蒙古族乡), showcasing traditional clothing-making techniques.

Organizing a Model Team

In 2011, she independently organized a team of local villagers into a Mongolian costume modeling troupe and registered the company Tonghai Kazhuo Mongolian Cultural Tourism Service Co., Ltd. (通海喀卓蒙古族文化旅游服务有限公司).

Participating in Art Festivals

Since 2017, Zhao’s modeling team has participated for four consecutive years in the 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th Mongolian Costume Art Festivals held in Inner Mongolia (内蒙古). Their performances received high praise from experts and judges, earning bronze medals in Traditional Mongolian Costume Design, Traditional Mongolian Costume Finals, and the Traditional Group of the Mongolian Costume Contest Finals.

Engaging in Academic Seminars

In 2017, Zhao was invited to participate in the Seminar on the Integration of Mongolian Costume Culture and Tourism Development and shared insights about the heritage and development of Yunnan Mongolian history, culture, and traditional costumes during a “sofa forum” session.

Cultural Promotion

Media Coverage

Her work has been documented by Hong Kong Phoenix Television and Inner Mongolia Radio and Television’s Mongolian-language program Suo Yi Le (《索艺乐》), focusing on the Mongolian costumes of Yunnan.

Cultural Exchange Activities

In November 2020, after completing events for the 17th Mongolian Costume Art Festival in Inner Mongolia, Zhao led her farmer-model team to Xilingol League (锡林郭勒盟) and Hohhot City (呼和浩特市) for a series of cultural tourism exchange activities.

Commitment to Heritage

Zhao Qingli is determined to promote costume culture through the integration of culture and tourism. She actively works to sustain and innovate the Mongolian costume industry. She even participated in performances while caring for her 10-month-old grandson, aiming to protect cultural heritage and highlight the cultural confidence of the Chinese nation.

Through her dedication, Zhao has not only preserved the traditional costume-making craft of Xingmeng Township (兴蒙乡) but also contributed significantly to the promotion of Mongolian culture.

Unique Features of Mongolian Costumes in Xingmeng Township

Clothing Styles

“Three-layered Water” Costume

This distinctive costume consists of three garments: a close-fitting inner shirt, a collarless front-opening robe, and a short vest. This layered structure combines the characteristics of the northern Mongolian robe with adaptations for local lifestyle needs. The overall effect is vibrant and richly textured.

Men’s Costume

Men’s attire is similar to that of Inner Mongolia, traditionally consisting of a long robe with a belt. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, men’s clothing transitioned to front-opening jackets with fabric buttons, typically in black, gray, or dark blue.

Children’s Costume

Children wear a type of hat called Heleduo Hat (贺乐多帽), made mainly from black fabric embroidered with traditional Mongolian patterns. The front features a silver Buddha image, with silver ornaments on both sides depicting the Yunnan Mongolian legend Fish Lifting Temple (鱼抬寺). A fish-tail sunshade hangs from the back, and tiger-shaped ears with silver ornaments hang from both sides. The hat is reversible and suitable for all seasons.

Headwear Styles

Young Girls’ Headwear

Girls wear a black phoenix crown (凤冠帽), with hair braided into two strands that wrap around the crown from the back of the head to the forehead and back again. The braids are tied with red thread at the end, with red tassels called Xinrui (新蕊) hanging from the hat’s tail.

Married Women’s Headwear

Married women do not wear the phoenix crown. Instead, they wrap a 1.6-meter-long black cloth, folded to 5 cm width, around their heads—this is called Congwusi (聪兀丝). Braids are wrapped around the outside of the cloth.

Elderly Women’s Headwear

Older women wrap their hair in a bun at the top of the head, secured with a black headscarf. Only Mongolian women wear the “heavenward bun” (顶朝天), symbolizing uprightness. Elderly women wear the “high temples” (梳高鬓) style.

Colors and Patterns

Vibrant Colors

Mongolian women in Xingmeng typically wear high-saturation, brightly colored garments, creating a striking visual impression.

Exquisite Patterns

Collars and cuffs are often embroidered with intricate and colorful patterns, preserving elements of northern Mongolian styles, such as high collars, curved edges, and ornate cuffs. Common motifs include lotuses, galloping horses, and golden phoenixes—symbols of prosperity, nature worship, and traditional Mongolian aesthetics.

Accessory Matching

Silver Accessories

The “Three-layered Water” costume features a row of small silver round buttons on the left front and silver patterned buttons on the right. Decorative silver plaques (silver flower plates) serve as button covers, typically 8 cm in diameter and shaped like realistic flowers.

Embroidered Shoes

Middle-aged and elderly women wear embroidered shoes decorated with grassland flower patterns, symbolizing a connection to the grassland and blessings for favorable weather.

Symbolic Meanings of Costume Colors in Xingmeng Mongolian Attire

White

Symbolism: White has long been revered by the Mongolian people as a sacred color, representing purity and nobility. This stems from the Shamanistic belief system, which regards white as sacred and uses it as a religious symbol.
Application: White is commonly used for inner shirts with high collars and floral trims, giving a clean and solemn appearance.

Blue

Symbolism: Blue symbolizes nature, landscapes, eternity, loyalty, prosperity, and grandeur. The Mongolian reverence for blue originates from their worship of the blue sky.
Application: Blue is often used in the second inner robe or the vest, reflecting respect for nature and enhancing visual appeal.

Red

Symbolism: Red symbolizes fire and the sun, representing prosperity and happiness. It is linked to traditional Mongolian fire and sun worship, as well as the reverence for blood.
Application: Red is widely used in the fabric of the second inner robe, such as bright red velvet, adding vibrancy and energy to the costume.

Yellow

Symbolism: Yellow represents authority, honor, spirit, and power, often associated with supreme imperial power. Its significance stems from Shamanism and sun worship.
Application: While rarely used for entire garments, yellow appears in decorative elements like silver plaques and buttons, enhancing the overall elegance.

Black

Symbolism: Black represents strength, solidity, and solemnity but is also associated with darkness. Thus, pure black robes are uncommon; instead, black is used as a contrasting trim to highlight other colors.
Application: Black is commonly used for vest trims and as a background for accessories like silver coins and plaques, showcasing sophisticated color matching while honoring traditional symbolism.

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