One of the most striking differences between contemporary men and women of many minority groups throughout Southern China lies in their dress. This picture of Yao men and women demonstrates the point.When I lived in China, minority women tended to dress in bright-colored garments that were highlighted with intricate embroideries and accents of silver, gold, and horn. The men, on the other hand, had adopted a type of recent Han clothing, which was drab and boring.
Traditionally, the Yao men wore belted jackets that were buttoned to the left and knickers—usually blue or black in color. In some regions, they curled their hair into a bun, which they wrapped with a red cloth, adorned with several pheasant feathers.
What’s more, the Yao have accumulated nearly 30 different names for themselves, all of which are based on their types of dress, accessories, and lifestyle. Historically, the Yao were experts in dying, embroidering, and weaving.
The Yao people are one of the 56 minorities in China, numbering 2.5 million people in all, living mostly throughout the mountainous regions of southern China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand.
The Yao can trace their origins back 2,000 years to northern China where they were known as the “savage Wuling tribes. Since that time, they have undergone migration from China between 15th-19th centuries due to revolts, persecution in Laos, and refugee status in Thailand, which entitled them to UN aide and refugee status.
Interestingly, the Yao people do not adhere to one language group but rather speak one of 4 completely different languages. The Yao people are now scattered across 130 nations.
