Shuitianyi

Shuitianyi
Shuitianyi
	A style of shuitianyi used as atheatrical robefor a female Daoist priest (front view), 18th century.
	Back view
Chinese	Thủy điền y
Literal meaning	"Paddy field garment" or "rice-paddy robe"
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Shuǐtián yī

Shuitianyi(Chinese:Thủy điền y), also known as “paddy field garment”, "Shuitian clothing", or "rice-paddy robe",^[1]is a non-religiousChinese patchworkgown which was made and worn by women inChinaduring theMing dynastyandQing dynasty;it was made by using many pieces of fabric sewn together (similar toChinese patchwork); the clothing reflected the era's tendency towards fashion novelty during theMing dynasty.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]

Origins and Development[edit]

Theshuitianyiis a popular, but rare fashion phenomenon, which appeared in the middle and the lateMing dynastyand remained popular in theQing dynasty.^[5]^[6]Theshuitianyimay have originally originated from poor people, who would use whatever leftover clothing they would have at hand for saving purposes, and was initially only popular among poor women.^[5]Its origins may have been inspired by Buddhist robes,^[4]theKasayaorBaina,which was made when monks would make clothes out of a variety of useless clothes.^[5]It was later adopted by aristocratic women duringMing dynastywho found it beautiful, and they began to cut cloth (even from entire brocade) voluntarily into a design shape and sew it into an aristocratic form of the shuitianyi.^[5]While theshuitianyiwas a popular form of fashion for women in theMing dynasty,men during this era would also wearbaina clothing.^[5]

Other versions[edit]

Baijiayi[edit]

A version of theshuitianyiworn by children is calledbaijiayi.^[5]

Sanse dao beixin[edit]

InBeijing opera,the shuitianyi is worn as acostumecalledsanse daobeixin(Chinese:Tam sắc đạo bối tâm;pinyin:sānsè dào bèixīn;lit.'Three color Daoist vest'). It originates from Buddhist clothing and represents the ragged clothing ofBuddha.^[7]^{: 177–178}

Thesanse dao beixinis characterized by a diamond-shaped pattern which is created through patchwork.^[7]^: 177It can be used by actors who perform as male or female monks and asTaoistcharacters.^[7]^: 177While both male and female roles used it; however, there are differences between the man's and woman'ssanse dao beixin.^[7]^: 177

The female version looks like a knee-lengthpifengas it features a centre-front opening and a collar band which ends at the mid-chest level; however, it differs from the pifeng due to the absence of sleeves.^{[note 1]}^[7]^: 177

The man's version is floor-length and the collar band has a straight lower edge; it is also tied with a sash without the back of the garment being caught in the sash, which is the manner monks wear their vest.^[7]^: 177When male monks characters wear it, it indicates that they have outstanding martial arts skills.^[7]^: 177

Notes[edit]

^The main difference between a pifeng and a beixin is the presence or absence of sleeves. A pifeng has long sleeves while beixin is sleeveless. See pagebeiziandbijiafor more details.

References[edit]

^"Theatrical robe for a female Daoist priest 18th century".www.metmuseum.org.Retrieved2021-12-23.
^Hanson, Marin F (2014).""One Hundred Good Wishes Quilts": Expressions of Cross-Cultural Communication ".Uncoverings.35:69–89 – via Art Index (H.W. Wilson).
^"Costume in the Ming Dynasty - - China Style".www.chinastyle.cn.Retrieved2021-02-06.
^^a ^bFinnane, Antonia (2008).Changing clothes in China: fashion, history, nation.New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 48–49.ISBN 978-0-231-14350-9.OCLC 84903948.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^gYin, Zhihong (2019)."Study on the Evolution and Development of Baina Clothing to Shuitian Clothing in the Ming and Qing Dynasties".Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Art Studies: Science, Experience, Education (ICASSEE 2019).Vol. 368. Atlantis Press. pp. 315–318.doi:10.2991/icassee-19.2019.65.ISBN 978-94-6252-837-6.{{cite book}}:|journal=ignored (help)
^Gao, Yingpei (2018)."Application of Patchwork Art Form in Traditional Costumes: A Case Study of Baijia Clothes".Journal of Landscape Research.10:98–100 – via ProQuest.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^gBonds, Alexandra B. (2008).Beijing opera costumes: the visual communication of character and culture.Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press.ISBN 978-1-4356-6584-2.OCLC 256864936.

[8] The main difference between a pifeng and a beixin is the presence or absence of sleeves. A pifeng has long sleeves while beixin is sleeveless. See pagebeiziandbijiafor more details.

[1] "Theatrical robe for a female Daoist priest 18th century".www.metmuseum.org.Retrieved2021-12-23.

[2] Hanson, Marin F (2014).""One Hundred Good Wishes Quilts": Expressions of Cross-Cultural Communication ".Uncoverings.35:69–89 – via Art Index (H.W. Wilson).

[3] "Costume in the Ming Dynasty - - China Style".www.chinastyle.cn.Retrieved2021-02-06.

[:0-4] Finnane, Antonia (2008).Changing clothes in China: fashion, history, nation.New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 48–49.ISBN 978-0-231-14350-9.OCLC 84903948.

[:1-5] ^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^gYin, Zhihong (2019)."Study on the Evolution and Development of Baina Clothing to Shuitian Clothing in the Ming and Qing Dynasties".Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Art Studies: Science, Experience, Education (ICASSEE 2019).Vol. 368. Atlantis Press. pp. 315–318.doi:10.2991/icassee-19.2019.65.ISBN 978-94-6252-837-6.{{cite book}}:|journal=ignored (help)

[6] Gao, Yingpei (2018)."Application of Patchwork Art Form in Traditional Costumes: A Case Study of Baijia Clothes".Journal of Landscape Research.10:98–100 – via ProQuest.

[:2-7] ^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^gBonds, Alexandra B. (2008).Beijing opera costumes: the visual communication of character and culture.Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press.ISBN 978-1-4356-6584-2.OCLC 256864936.

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