Exhibition Concept:

Hakka textile and clothing inherits the ethnic characteristics and life experiences of the Hakka people. Along with the changing times, the Hakka people incorporated fashion elements into their practical, durable simplistic clothing style, in turn developing a Hakka aesthetic that is an amalgamation of various concepts. The traditional Hakka women highly value embroidery and needlework among other handicrafts. They are encouraged by the phrase “master the four skills, and marry well”, with sewing often the first skill taught to Hakka women since childhood. This exhibition hopes to let the world see beyond the stereotypical blue blouse-wearing Hakka women, with their reserved yet intricate embroidered accessories, which is also a representation of the elegance of Hakka handicrafts.

Hometown Blue Blouses

The development of Hakka women apparel is closely related to their lifestyle. Traditional clothing consists mostly of natural dyes (from pink strobilanthes/ woad plants) to make blue blouses, as well as baggy, black pants. The concepts of simplicity and thrift are reflected in the clothes, with features such as sweat absorption, stain-resistance, and ease of motion during job activities.

Due to factors such as the geographical environment, cultural integration among other factors, the Hakka blue blouse vary in material, cutting, and accessorizing in northern and southern Taiwan. Regardless, the clothing reveals the Hakka people’s simplistic and pragmatic approach towards life.

Threading a Needle

Hakka women in the agricultural age usually dressed in blue blouses and dark pants for convenience during farm work and household chores. Yet one can witness the exquisite workmanship belied by the pragmatic blue blouse through the intricate embroidered accessories passed down to later generations.

The fine art of embroidery can be observed primarily from female undergarments, embroidered dowry, and ritualistic items. Married women would also sew exquisite clothes and hats for their children. Regardless of background, threading and knitting symbolized hope for a blissful future for young Hakka women.

Intertwined Relations

Chinese society has long prioritized family and familial bonds, and this is especially so for the Hakka people. Hakka women play a crucial role in the sustainable development of their families. They rise at dawn to tackle household chores, care for the elderly, and educate the young, handling each task with thorough precision. They spare no effort especially when it comes to educating the next generation; their expectations for their children evident from each thread and each line they sew.

Passing on Creative Heritage

This exhibition demonstrates how fashion aesthetics can be infused in contemporary Hakka apparel – it is a show of vitality from the passing down of heritage from one generation to the next. The styling of the apparel is rooted in culture: when the simplistic, traditional Hakka apparel is transformed into fashion labels and modern art, there is an even greater need to extract the cultural essence from tradition, through deconstructing then reconstructing, in turn completely reshaping the communal, the aesthetic, and the humanistic spirit among other facets. Only so may we infuse tradition with new life, and hence introduce to the young generations the richness of Hakka aesthetics.