Welcome to baoku, the online learning library of the Confucius Institute at Mason. Baoku, in Chinese, means "treasure trove"—we hope that you find the site's useful information to be just that.
Traveling Trunk
Ethnic Minority Doll 1
In addition to the Han Chinese, the world’s largest ethnic group comprising 92% of China’s population, China has 55 official ethnic minority groups (23). These different groups can be distinguished by language, religion, social values, dress, music, and customs. Of the 55 groups, 53 have their own spoken languages and 23 have their own written languages (24).
The doll is dressed in an outfit that is representative of a particular minority. The costume is usually very colorful and reflects the ornamentation styles of the ethnic group (25). The details and designs reflect the rules, legends, and superstitions observed by the group. Depending on this, the doll may carry a baby, drum, or bag or multiple items.
For more clothing from the 56 ethnic groups, see the following website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggfhjHQys7w (26).
