Fabrics and Attires of Southeast Asia

Fabrics and Attires in Southeast Asia

• Indonesia:
  • Kebaya and Batik Shirt are upper garments for national costume.
  • Kemben and Sarong are also upper garments for national costume.
• Malaysia:
  • Baju Kurung is a traditional Malay costume, loosely translated as "enclosed dress."
  • Baju Melayu is a traditional Malay outfit for men, worn with long pants and a sampin.
  • Thai clothing is called chut thai, consisting of a pha nung or a chong kraben.
  • Sabai is a shawl-like garment or breast cloth.
  • Suea pat is a long-sleeved shirt without buttons, worn by northeastern women underneath a pha biang.
• Cambodia:
  • Sampot is a traditional garment worn around the lower body, similar to a sarong, and a symbol of national pride.
  • Pidan is a type of silk cloth used in Cambodian and Khmer weddings, funerals, and Buddhist ceremonies as a canopy or tapestry.
  • Krama is a traditional cloth used as a scarf, blanket, or hammock made from cotton or silk, and often decorated with a grid pattern.
• Myanmar:
  • Lun yakyaw acheik is a popular textile design for over a hundred years, made of pure silk with a luxurious satin and velvet design; over-hundred-shuttle.
  • Longyi is an ankle-length wraparound skirt worn by males and females.
• Vietnam:
  • Originates from Ha Dong (center of sericulture/silk farming).
  • Shantung Tafetta, Bengaline Weave and Ebony satin (golden thread silks) are produced.
  • Áo dài is a Vietnamese national costume commonly worn by women.
  • It is a tight-fitting silk tunic worn over pants, paired with a conical hat, non la.
  • Áo is classified as shirt, and Dài means "long".
• Brunei:
  • Brunei's batik is uniquely different from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.
  • Air Muleh is a traditional design.

Arts and Crafts in Southeast Asia

• Thailand:
  • Sky Lanterns are used for festivals (Yi Peng Festival).
  • They consist of a rice paper with bamboo frame containing a fuel cell or small candle.
• Malaysia:
  • Wau kites are popular.
  • Their wings resemble an Arabic letter pronounced as "wow."
  • Traditionally, farmers used kites as scarecrows.
  • They also use them to lull children to sleep.
  • Kite flying is now an important part of the culture and considered a sport.
  • Pasir Gudang is an international kite festival.
  • Wau Bulan is also known as the "Moon Kite" and is a national symbol.
  • Wau Jala Budi is known as the "Woman Kite" due to its shape; "Jala" means net and refers to the tail structure.
  • Wau Kusching is also known as the "Cat Kite".
  • From the backside, it resembles a sitting cat.
  • Wau Barat is also known as the "Leaf Kite" or "Early Morning Kite".
  • This kite can stay up in lighter winds than the other designs
  • Wau Merak ("Peacock Kite") has a longer tail compared to other kites with lower sail.
  • This type of wau kite originated in Sulawesi, Indonesia.
• Cambodia and Laos:
  • Highlanders are indigenous people in rural areas.
  • Handicrafts include textiles, baskets, jars, and pottery.
  • Natural paper-making uses the bark of a mulberry tree, known locally as Sa.
  • In the past, they created calligraphy, festive temple decorations, umbrellas, fans, and kites.
  • Nowadays, they make lampshades, writing paper, greeting cards, bookmarks, etc.
• Indonesia:
  • Wayang Kulit an Indonesian puppet shadow play.
• Vietnam:
  • Tran Lua is one of the most popular forms of art (silk painting) with a French-influence.
• Brunei:
  • Songkok is a cap also known as Peci or Kopiah.
  • It is widely worn in Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian Countries.
  • Dastar is a piece of cloth tied around the head.
  • Songkok is a type of cap made of velvet.
  • Tengkolok/Serban looks like a turban and a typical headdress in the Middle East.

Painting and Printmaking in East Asia

• Chinese Calligraphy:
  • An art of beautiful handwriting, ornamental, typically done with a pen in the West and a brush in China and Japan.
  • Mastering strokes with the Chinese brush.
  • One must be calm and without fear to execute the lettering.
• Chinese Painting:
  • Is considered the only fine art.
  • Architecture and sculpture are considered crafts.
  • Landscape painting was regarded as the quintessential form of Chinese painting.
  • It comprises Nature, Heaven, and Humankind which represents seasons and humanity's harmony with nature.
  • Harmony between man and nature is tianren heyi.
  • Chinese landscapes often reflect nature.
• Gongbi Painting:
  • It is a traditional painting in China.
  • In Chinese, Gongbi or Gong chin means tidy or precise and is generally considered more descriptive than interpretive.
  • The technique uses meticulous brush strokes that show very precise details.
• Other Kinds of Painting:
  • Frescoes and Wood Panels
  • Watercolor paintings/ ink drawings
  • Vertical and Horizontal Hand Scroll
• Korean Painting:
  • Common subjects are landscapes, facial textures.
  • It includes Buddhist themes and an emphasis on celestial observation in keeping with the rigid development of Korean astronomy
• Categories of Korean Painting:
  • Landscape painting
  • Minhwa (traditional folk painting)
  • The Four Gracious Plants/ Four Gentlemen/ Four Noble Ones include:
    • Chrysanthemum (productivity and autumn)
    • Bamboo (integrity and winter)
    • Orchids (refinement and summer)
    • Plum blossom (courage in a gentleman and spring)
  • Portrait Styles
• Japanese Printmaking:
  • Printmaking is the process by which different types of prints occur.
  • A print is a mark or shape on a flat surface made by an inked block, carved wood or linoleum, or by a plate.
  • Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, images, or patterns widely used throughout East Asian countries.
  • Ukiyo-e means "pictures of floating world," which became an art domain of affluent families (royalty).
  • Relief Prints are when an image is printed from raised carvings on a block.
  • Intaglio Print is when an image is printed from an image scratched into a metal plate.

Crafts, Body Ornamentations, and Accessories in East Asia

• China:
  • Face Painting (Peking Opera) has been part of the arts and culture of China and Japan's theatrical and festival presentations.
  • The four artistic methods of dramatic plays are Singing, Dialogue, Dancing, and Martial Arts.
  • Jingju Lianpu is painting a face with different colors, where the color indicates feelings or clues about the identity of a character.
• Korean Masks:
  • Tal or Ta'l, the art of Korean masks has historical origin and religious significance.
  • Has been part of intricate dances and dramas.
  • Used for theatrical performances.
  • Used in funerals (to help expel evil spirits).
  • Worn during rites and kept within temples where offerings are given.
• Japan:
  • Face Painting -Kabuki
  • Kesho (Kabuki Makeup) is a face painting art that elucidates the performer's role through facial features.
  • Face painting and perfume are two significant things worn in the presentation.
  • Kumadori is the villain's makeup.

Crafts and Paper Sculptures in East Asia

• China:
  • Chinese Paper Folding – Yuanbao
    • It is a folded paper that looks like a gold nugget and a Chinese word that refers to a type of ingot, a symbol of wealth.
    • It was a type of currency used in China from the Qin dynasty until the Qing dynasty in the 20th century.
    • Yuanbao were made by individual silversmiths for local exchange and were made of silver or gold and were valued by weight in taels.
    • Yuanbao were often boat-shaped, but could also be oval, square, flower, or tortoise-shaped.
  • Chinese Paper Cuttings
    • Commonly symmetrical and uses red paper, which attracts good luck and drives away evil spirits.
    • They can be used in weddings or when moving to a new house.
    • Glued on doors or windows- symbolizes good luck and happiness.
  • Chinese Kites
    • Assembled or joined aircrafts are made of silk or paper attached to a bowline of bamboo.
    • Invented by philosophers Mozi and Lu Ban.
    • First created in Weifang Shandong, known as "China's Capital City of Kites."
    • 1984, Hosted the largest international kite festival in the world.
    • Kites were used for rescue missions, measuring distances, testing the wind, lifting men, signaling, and communicating for military operations.
    • Flown for recreational purposes and display the artist's creativity and innovative skills.
• Japan:
  • Japanese Origami
    • Is the art of folding paper: Ori means folding, and Kami means paper.
    • Requires a square piece of paper.
    • Objective: transform a flat sheet of squared paper into a three-dimensional form.
  • Paper Crane
    • One of the most popular origami figures.
    • Grants wishes and eternal good luck.
    • If given as a gift to someone who is ill- it grants good health.
    • A mystical and holy creature that is believed to live a thousand years.