The ancestors of the Yellow River Basin lived by the river and engaged in agriculture and mulberry cultivation, so their clothing was mainly made of simple and practical cloth with a single color. On weekdays, for the busy farming season, short-term farming is the main method. If we look at the seasons, people wear plain clothes in summer, jackets in spring and autumn, and cotton coats in winter. The so-called single clothes are made of a layer of fabric, with different lengths. The shorter one is called a “small cloth shirt”, while the longer one is called a “long shirt”. The jacket of spring and autumn is commonly known as “jacket”, which means that in summer, there is an additional lining inside the single jacket, with two layers inside and outside, to resist the cool breeze of spring and autumn. In winter, cotton jackets are filled with cotton wool, soft fur, and other materials inside the “jacket” to resist the cold. Cotton jackets come in different lengths, with the short being called jackets and the long being called robes. A long robe usually goes over the knee, but a short jacket that does not go over the knee, often paired with cotton pants on the lower body.
Although the clothing of ordinary people in the Yellow River Basin is mostly like this, the differences between the upper and lower reaches are still significant. In the Qinghai region of the upper reaches of the Yellow River, women often wear a type of cotton jacket called “cotton tied body” during winter. This type of jacket is slightly longer than other cotton jackets, with a smaller collar, a large double breasted collar, and forked ends on both sides. In the northern Shaanxi region of the middle reaches of the Yellow River, a coat or shoulder made of animal fur (mainly sheepskin) is often worn over a cotton coat. Fur is kept outside to resist the strong winds blowing from the river during work. In Wudi County, Shandong Province, located in the lower reaches of the Yellow River, people often wear a type of crotch less cotton pants called “slit pants” for the convenience of movement, which are paired with single pants and suitable for long-distance travel. In long-term life, people’s clothing is also for the convenience of farming. During winter labor, people in Shandong often tie their pants with black cloth straps to keep warm and prevent insects or dust from entering when turning the soil. In the Shaanxi and Henan regions, people wear a headscarf on their heads during summer boxing, which can not only cover the sand and dust raised by the Yellow River beach, but also be used to wipe away sweat.
During festivals, people in the Yellow River Basin dress up and wear special accessories to celebrate. At the beginning of spring, there is a custom in the southwest and north of Shandong to sew toys such as spring roosters and spring dolls for children. These special toys are usually made of colored cloth and nailed to children’s sleeves, symbolizing “good luck” and hoping for children’s healthy growth. On February 2nd, when the dragon looks up, the people of Huaiyang, Henan will dance traditional dances to entertain the gods. The dancers put on black clothes with borders and wrapped their heads in black gauze hanging from the ground. People in Shandong wear red, red hats, and red scarves to welcome the God of Joy. On Loong Boat Festival, young children also have unique costumes or accessories. In Gansu, Shaanxi, Henan and other places, there is a habit of giving children five poisons to wrap their stomachs. The so-called five poisons refer to snakes, scorpions, spiders, geckos, and toads. People believe that these five things are poisonous, and weak children are more vulnerable. The lunar month of May is the time when these poisons are active, so children are dressed in such clothes on Loong Boat Festival. People in the lower reaches of the Yellow River make mugwort sachets for children to wear, with the same intention as the above method.
