Date: Second half of the 20th century
Area: Sandu, Guizhou province
Dimensions: 98 x 166 cm (with strap)

• Object Type：
  • OTHERS
• Location：
  • Chinese Minority Nationalities' Art Gallery
• Tag：
  • baby carrier horsehair embroidery shui 20th century guizhou

Horsetail embroidery is the traditional craft of the Shui people of the Sandu area of Guizhou province. First entwine the white silk thread around the horse tail hair to form spring-typed thread and then use it to outline the corresponding ground pattern, and embroider the blank part of the pattern with colored silk velvet threads. Horsetail embroidery, with butterfly or phoenix as the main motif patterns, features bright colors and striking patterns. 
This piece of work adopts the structure of ‘pattern inside pattern’, where designs like butterflies, flowers and fruits and longevity character patterns are embroidered outside the butterfly pattern, with silver dots (standing for stars) decorated and yellow tape edged, highlighting the pattern.