Embroidered Turned-Up Shoes

Embroidered Turned-Up Shoes

　　Embroidered Turned-Up Shoes are a specialty and handicraft of Hezhou. These shoes are commonly worn by women. The toe is curved like a dragon boat’s prow. They come with or without heels, have thick soles, and are often made using sandpaper.

　　The Zhuang people, the largest ethnic minority in China, are primarily located in Guangxi, Yunnan, Guangdong, and Guizhou. Since the Qin Dynasty, their ancestors have been referred to by various names over the centuries, including Xi’ou, Luoyue (Luo Yue), Nan Yue, Pu, Liao, Li, Xidong Man, and Wuhu. In historical records from the Song Dynasty, they were first called “Zhuang,” “Tong,” or “Zhong.” During the Ming and Qing dynasties, they were also known as Tong people, Liang people, or Turen. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, they were collectively referred to as “Tong” until the initiative in 1965 changed the term to “Zhuang.”

　　The “Turned-Up” embroidered shoes are commonly worn by women. The toe is curved like a dragon boat’s prow. They come with or without heels, have thick soles, and are often made using sandpaper. Stitching techniques include outline stitch, couching stitch, long and short stitch, coiling stitch, padded embroidery, and appliqué. In terms of color, younger women prefer bright bases with white floral patterns, featuring hues such as pomegranate red, deep red, blue, yellow, and green, with motifs like dragons, double lions playing with a ball, butterflies and flowers, and magpies. Elderly women tend to use colors like black, light red, and dark red, with patterns such as clouds, dragons, the universe, and lion beasts. On display here are traditional Zhuang household “Turned-Up” women's embroidered shoes. The shoe tip is triangular and pointed, with the tip curved “turned-up.” The upper is made of blue fabric, embroidered with floral designs in yellow, red, and green threads. The sole is a dense linen-woven layered base, with fine stitching that is durable and sturdy.