The Research Of Female“Xiku”in Ming Dynasty

Jingyi---the earliest trousers in China was made up of two legs which covered shanks. “Xiku” belongs in the category of Jingyi as a kind of clothing, which was recorded that appeared in Song Dynasty first and was prevalent in Ming and Dynasties.There were various pants clothing which were similar to Xiku in ancient times, for instance Xiwa, Huxi, Taoku, Guotui, Xingchan etc, while Xiku is different from ancient Hedangku and Caidangku that only covers shins from its form. This paper aims of comparing and analyzing on its form, function and other aspects that is found that Xiku not only had been popular as a kind of female costume and changed in its function but also reflected the aesthetic fashion of women in Ming Dynasty which was influenced by the developing of economy, expansion of ladies’ social contacting and the influence of thoughts about foot binding.This paper is to do a research about Xiku’s main functional peculiarity which as women’s feet clothing from Sociology through literature, unearthed material data in Ming Dynasty and method of cross-reference that is on the origin, form, changing of Xiku’s function about Xiku.However, limited to the lack of literature and materials about Xiku, this paper just aims to discuss some basic questions and in-depth study remains to be supported by more literature and materials.