Shilin Sani Embroidery Symbol Of Cultural Studies

Colors and patterns are not only the basic components of embroidery by Sani people-a branch of Yi nationality, they serve as symbolic indicators as well, having the outward forms of material, colors, patterns,designs and the inner,deeper meanings by collocations of colors and designs. The dissertation aims at exploring and interpreting the symbolic meanings implied in the system of unconscious level by regarding colors and patterns as meaningful elements in Sani embroidery.The paper firstly combs the concerning research and results on symbols, color symbols and their implications made by both recent domestic and international scholars; concerning research on Sani embroidery, the results of which showing that there is almost no research from the perspective of anthropology, it only basically makes some introductions of embroidery processes, use of colors and contents of patterns, as long as its meanings are concerned, it only mentions them briefly, therefore the research on this topic is a blank which is necessarily and urgently to be filled.The first chapter makes comprehensive introductions to the background knowledge of the researching target, including the course of change and development of Sani people, their living environment; historical origin of Sani embroidery. The second chapter introduces processes of making embroidery and its functions, including tools and materials needed; types of embroidery and different applications of stitches; fields in which embroidery is used and its functions. The third chapter interprets the symbolic meanings of colors on embroidery by systematically dividing them into categories, they are the black-white-red(yellow),the grey, the rainbow and the bright system respectively; symbols of embroidery, including totem, ethnical identity; social status and hierarchy; age and marital status; psychological culture; cosmological and philosophical ideas. The fourth chapter focuses on interpreting compositions of patterns, rules of arrangement and their meanings, including symbols of natural spirit, the clan insignia of Ashima, plants, animals, characters, social and cultural lives. The fifth chapter specializes in discussing current situations of the pass and inheritance of embroidery culture, embracing protection of the heritage; Sani embroidery in other cultures; how to protect and develop embroidery in the struggle against invasions of other cultures. The conclusion emphasizes on treating Sani embroidery as a symbolic system—a component of symbolic indicators and symbolic significances; colors and patterns are the carriers of meanings, and symbolic meanings are the contents that symbolic indicators reflect, in other words, they are the cultural information conveyed by people through the hidden symbolic indicators.