Attire and Adornment of Nakhi Women in Lijiang, Yunnan

Sheepskin capes are an important trademark of Nakhi women’s attire in Lijiang, Yunnan. They are usually cut out of an entire piece of black sheepskin, with two square corners in the upper and two round ones in the lower. Seven round cloth patches are arranged in a line in the center of the cape, from the center of each hang two sheepskin tapes. Such a design, symbolizing the seven starts of the Big Dipper, is commonly known as “getting up by starlight and not getting off work until the moon rises”, a testimony to the busy farming life of the diligent Nakhi women.