1. Regional overview — why Lijiang’s costumes matter

 

Lijiang sits at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and is the cultural core of the Naxi (纳西) people. The prefecture also includes Tibetan, Yi, Lisu, Bai, and Han communities. Costume in Lijiang expresses:

 

Ethnic identity (especially Naxi visual language),

 

Highland / mountain practicality (layers, durable cloth),

 

Ceremonial and social coding (weddings, funerals, clan rituals, Dongba rites),

 

Cultural tourism (Old Town performances and staged displays).

 

Traditional clothing is now mostly visible during festivals, in some villages and in museum/heritage settings; everyday dress has modernized, but ceremonial wear and artisan skills remain important.

 

2. Main ethnic costume traditions in Lijiang

Naxi (纳西)

 

Core role: Naxi costume is the most representative of Lijiang. Naxi dress is a living tradition used in ritual, festival and staged cultural performances.

 

General features: layered garments suitable for the cool mountain climate; often dark (indigo / black / deep blue) bases for everyday or working dress, with brighter trims for festival wear.

 

Common elements: short jackets or long robes for women, wrap skirts or full skirts, aprons and sashes; men’s jackets and trousers that are practical yet can be richly trimmed for ceremonies.

 

Headgear & hair: head coverings and hair styles carry age and marital meanings in many Naxi communities—headscarves, folded turbans or simple caps are typical in different contexts.

 

Contexts: Dongba (Naxi religious) rituals, weddings, ancestral ceremonies, and New Year events.

 

Tibetan (藏族) — highland pockets

 

Where: higher-altitude townships and pastoral locations in the prefecture’s north and northwest.

 

Style notes: heavy woolens, long robes or chubas, yak-wool accessories, and functional boots—garments shaped by plateau life and Tibetan ritual practice.

 

Function: daily high-altitude clothing and religious festival dress.

 

Yi (彝族) & Lisu (傈僳族)

 

Where: Yi and Lisu communities are present on Lijiang’s margins and in adjacent counties.

 

Style notes: indigo bases, embroidered panels and distinct headdresses (Yi), and colorful bands/trim for Lisu. Their festival clothes are often highly decorated and used in Torch Festival / local celebrations.

 

Bai & Han influences

 

Bai influences are present because of regional exchange (e.g., neighboring Dali) — lighter-colored brocade trims and some Bai-style ornamental techniques appear in coastal markets or trade garments.

 

Han folk variants: embroidered aprons and kerchiefs used in town rituals or cross-ethnic festivals.

 

3. Materials, techniques & workshop practice

Materials

 

Cotton and hand-woven cloth — the backbone of most garments.

 

Indigo dye — used extensively in darker everyday cloth.

 

Wool and yak-fiber — for high-altitude outer garments and cold-weather pieces.

 

Silk / brocade — used sparingly for high-status or ceremonial trims.

 

Metal (small silver pieces) — ceremonial jewellery and ornament in special outfits.

 

Techniques

 

Hand-weaving (backstrap and simple looms) for base fabrics.

 

Vat-dyeing / indigoing for dark cloth.

 

Hand embroidery & appliqué — collars, cuffs, apron fronts and hem bands are typical places for decorative stitching; motifs are often stylized flora, animals or geometric panels.

 

Batik / tie-dye — present in parts of Yunnan; where used it appears on skirts and scarves.

 

Construction details: pleating, layered aprons, side-fastening jackets, and inside-finished seams on ceremonial items.

 

Artisans & transmission

 

Local families and small atelier-style workshops make and repair garments; a few named masters or community instructors teach embroidery and dyeing as intangible cultural heritage projects. Young people sometimes train in tourism-oriented cooperatives.

 

4. Typical garment elements — what you will see (by part)

Women

 

Jacket / short robe (短上衣 / 长袄): cut to layer over inner shirts; festival jackets often trimmed with colored bands.

 

Skirt / wrap (裹裙 / 百褶裙): pleated or wrapped, sometimes with an outer apron (裙挡) that carries embroidery or appliqué.

 

Apron (围裙): decorative and identity-bearing—often one of the most elaborately embroidered pieces.

 

Headcover / cap / scarf: conveys age, marital status, or ritual role; styles vary across Naxi subgroups and nearby minorities.

 

Accessories: belts, sash