• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.23-42
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristics of the Chinese Miao people's Batik patterns and provide data in the field of fashion design for the utilization of the traditional patterns. This study investigated and analyzed the regional characteristics of Batik dyeing, which was listed on China's national intangible cultural heritage list; Danzhai, Anshun, Huangping, and Gonghyeon. The expressive characteristics were classified into four categories: symbolism, abstraction, decorativeness, and playfulness. The results are as follows. First, symbolism can be classified into the origins of the Miao, symbols of faith, history of migration, and the symbols of status with Batik patterns from different regions, seemingly involving various symbolic implications. Due to the absence of letters, Miao people expressed their emotions and history in the design patterns. A series of developments in recent years has led to incorporating the temperament of the Miao people, history of migration, expression of emotions, and ideal hopes in Batik dyed design patterns and the symbolic functions have been significantly emphasized. Second, the decorativeness is mainly characterized by repeated patterns of the Miao Batik dyeing design. The overall patterns demonstrate design features characterized by regularization and simplification, along with a sense of rhythm with the unique arrangement of patterns. Third, the abstractness of the Batik dyeing design patterns is often found in plant and animal patterns, properly delivering new designs created by Miao women by extracting and rearranging various elements, including dots, lines, and faces shown in natural images. Fourth, playfulness is expressed by the transformation and distortion of Miao Batik patterns, and were created by applying patterns or other elements to original forms to express animal or plant patterns in a playful way.