What are Achang costumes like?

Achang people in Lhasa have the strongest national characteristics in their costumes. Girls love to wear blue-black double-breasted coats and trousers, and tie black or blue buns, some of which are like towering towers, one or two feet high. Others are wrapped in a circle with blue cloth more than two inches wide, and there are tassels behind the Baotou, which can reach the shoulders; The front is decorated with flowers, colorful velvet beads and tassels; Some wear a silver ornament on the left mane horn, like a blooming chrysanthemum inlaid with jade, mane and coral; The girls also wear silver chains as badges and several silver collars around their necks, which are dazzling. Achang girls also wear belts of Achang costumes, which are called felt skirts and embroidered with homemade thread and homespun. This is related to the working life of Achang nationality.

It is said that in ancient times, a hunter's daughter sewed a belt to tie her waist in order to learn hunting skills from her father, study hard and practice martial arts. The girls envied her and tied their belts like her. When tying, leave a long head and a short head in front, which not only tightens the waist, but also makes it easier to work, and floats like a butterfly, which is very beautiful. Married women often wear narrow-sleeved double-breasted black tops and change skirts. Skirts and trousers have become a symbol to distinguish marriage. Men can tell whether they are married or not by the color of Baotou. Generally, unmarried people wear white Baotou, while married people wear navy blue Baotou.

The costumes of Achang nationality are varied. Men wear blue, black or white double-breasted jackets, black trousers and a "handkerchief" on their backs. They like to wear chrysanthemums tied with red silk thread on their chests. Unmarried men wear white baotou, and married men wear navy baotou. When young adults clean up, they always leave a head cloth more than a foot long behind their heads and arrange flowers on Baotou. Married women usually wear long narrow-sleeved double-breasted clothes and full skirts that cover their knees, wrapped in leggings and black or blue cloth.

Unmarried women wear pants instead of skirts, with a braid tied on their heads and wrapped in three-finger wide cloth, which is very chic. Achang young men and women love to insert a flower in Baotou, and they often see white chrysanthemums, which symbolizes integrity and purity.

On New Year's Day, women should also wear silver ornaments. There are four silver buttons side by side on the young woman's chest, and four long craftsman silver chains are hung on the buttons. A silver-gray box is tied to a silver chain around his waist, a silver bubble bracelet is worn on his wrist, a silver collar is worn on his neck, and silver earrings are worn on his ears ... Men should wear beautiful "A Chang Dao" when they go out.

Traditional Achang men's clothing is similar, including blue, white and black twill double-breasted shirts, black or blue pants and black leggings. Unmarried men wear white Baotou, married men wear navy Baotou, and some adult men in Lhasa, Longchuan County wear left-breasted shirts.