The “blue shirt,” also known as “long
shirt” and “big cardigan,” is a traditional Hakka shirt on which the buttons do
not run down the center, but extend from the middle of the collar to the right,
and then down the right side of the shirt. This style of clothing is called the
"big lapel" by the Hakkas. The shirts absorb sweat, and are stain
resistant, simple and practical. They come in mostly black, white, and blue
colors, and the fabrics are also mostly blue and black.
(Photo: CNA)
Hakka people made some appropriate
changes to the ancient Han people’s clothing or “Hanfu” to adapt to the natural
environment during their migration from the Central Plains in China to the
south. By doing away with some elements of the ancient Hanfu that hindered
daily labor and by blending with some elements of the local clothing of
southern China, the Hakkas have formed a unique ethnic costume that is
synonymous with their ethnicity. This is a testament of the Hakka migratory
culture. Through the blue shirts, we can see that the Hakka people are thrifty,
simple and unadorned, hardworking and tolerant. Culture comes from life, and
clothing represents daily life. The Hakka blue shirt is undoubtedly a
distinctive culture shown by Hakka women in their daily dressing. It is a classic
mark and symbol of the thousand-year-old Hakka history and culture.
(Photo: CNA)
Because the places where the Hakka
people live have Strobilanthes cusia, an indigo-rich plant, from which
colorants can be extracted for dyeing cloth, the Hakka people collect the plant
from the surrounding flora and used it to dye the traditional shirts. Indigo
dye is a kind of plant dye. Using different kinds of plants as raw materials
can produce different colors. Usually, the Hakkas use the plant roots, stems,
flowers, leaves, fruits, peels, and dry wood as dyeing material, and their
juice is used to dye natural fibers such as linen, silk, fur, wool and cotton.
By using water at different temperatures, the Hakkas fully dissolve natural
plant pigments to make a dye solution, and then dye the cloth into the desired
pattern and color.
In the early days, Hakka people
generally lived in mountainous areas. Because materials were scarce, they had
only crops from the farmland to feed themselves, selling the surplus as the
main source of family income. The blue shirt is a reflection of the hard work
of the Hakka people. Hakka women work in the mountains and fields all year
long. Wearing these shirts, they can more conveniently move around. The shirts
are stain resistant and durable, not making the wearer appear extravagant.
Compared with the clothing of the Central Plains, the Hakka blue shirts have no
obvious class distinctions. There are fewer decorations on the clothes. One can
usually see the characters for longevity or auspicious patterns sewn on the
shirts. They also show the Hakka people's respect for Heaven. At the same time,
traditional Hakka costumes are not as colorful as that of other ethnic
minorities. Instead, they adore the beauty of simplicity.
Blue shirts may seem simply designed,
but the Hakkas actually pay particular attention to accessories and patterns.
For example, the blue shirts worn by young women have intricate decorative
ribbons sewn on the chests and sleeves. The patterns of the ribbons include
butterflies, pines, and cypresses, which represent hard work and longevity, as
well as the sun, which symbolizes the Hakka people’s belief that "one
should work at sunrise and rest at sunset."