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child begins to learn Embroidery [[strikethrough]] begin [[/strikethrough]] as early as 5 yrs old. usu. 7 or 8 Begin w/ simple small flower pattern (flower that comes a local tree) called "ton" in miao language) - Dragons appear on wedding clothes (Dragon = good luck, bring rains, miao = big rice growers) - Diff needles for diff pieces - takes 5 mins for 1 stitch - Before wedding, [[strikethrough]] gla [[/strikethough]] bride makes her own wedding dress w/ help of mother, sister & friends, color should be red - there should be 2 full pieces to the outfit - 1 will never do! This custom = common in other SW Chinese community. Blue = symbolic color to help celebrate/toast the guests - Back to wax paper ... - Maple leaves, ripple images connectedness to ancestors = pay respect to ancestors; also image of frog (=represents a legend of handsome boy); Dragon = wax printing popular image. Also image for social status; and image of dog teeth & image of hsarp needles (common in Miao and others), to scare darkness/evil away; image of fish = reproduction of ourselves. Miao always use geometrical images & straight lines. Miao ppl lived farther north, now have been expelled to south & west. Miao lang is not written, wax printing & embroidery is what holds cultural info that ppl can "read" - As a Miao woman you have to learn embroidery; difficult to find a man to marry if she can't do embroidery. 100% of woman can do at least the basics. - Symbol for long life/good health = there is no certain pattern for this; it's natural to die