Traditional Chinese arts Fish Skin Clothes

Fish skin clothes

Fish skin pants

Hezhe women's dress

These shoes made from fish skin

With a history of over 2,000 years, the fish skin technique of Hezhe groups has become a unique charm in traditional Chinese arts. In June, 2006, it had been listed among the first batch of national non-material cultural heritage.

Hezhe peoples is one of the minority groups of China, dwelling in the river basins of Hei Long Jiang River, Songhua River and Wusuli River. During their social evolution, they have left a glorious history and splendid culture, which is rich and unique, enjoying a great fame for their fish skin arts.

In another history book of Qing Dynasty, it said: the fish skin minority groups live on fish, eating no rice, and wear clothes made from fish skin, which are as warm as cow hide. The fish skin minority groups here refer to the offspring of Nvzhen, namely, the Haozhe. The lifestyle of the Hezhe overthrows the tradition of their ancestors, especially in terms of clothing. People in Russia, Japan and Northern Europe also the tradition of wearing clothes made from fish skin, but the fish skin culture of Hezhe is the richest and most typical. It is the only minority group that reserves their fish skin techniques to the present day. In the eights volume of a history book that kept the records of contributions from tributaries to the Qing Dynasty, it said that "People of Hezhe all wear clothes made from deer hide and fish skin". At present, the tradition to wear clothes made from fish skin has become a long-forgotten memory, but the fish skin artworks of Hezhe is fast becoming a rising industry, which is very popular in the international market.