Abstract
The Chiang are a significant ethnic group in China. Their traditional costumes have distinctive regional styles and represent strong cultural diversity. This research deconstructs the Chiang costume and examines its elements. Here, we clarified the status of the current heritage value of the Chiang costume and the main factors affecting its spatial differentiation. The spatial differentiation pattern of Chiang costume heritage values was determined and correlated with natural factors. The research suggests the following: (1) Chiang embroidery is the most important element of the Chiang costume in terms of heritage, whereas the Shibi costume has the lowest heritage value, illustrating that the heritage value of the costume is closely related to its practicality and how much it is worn in daily life. (2) Natural factors (temperature > elevation > precipitation) best explain the spatial differentiation of Chiang costume heritage values. (3) The heritage values of the Chiang costume in the study area show distinct spatial differentiation, increasing with elevation. Finally, the research method (identification of elements, establishment of the element list, clarification of current heritage status, clarification of the driving force, and finally determination of pattern) can be applied to studies of other ethnic cultures to improve monitoring and management of regional cultural heritage conditions.
Highlights
The Chiang ethnic group, known as the ‘‘nationality above the clouds,’’ is an extremely ancient minority group in China
The results showed that there is a significant positive correlation between Digital elevation model (DEM) and heritage value (r 1⁄4 0.615, p, 0.01, 2 tailed), and there is no correlation of population density (PD), average night light index (ANLI), and heritage value
Discussion of driving forces: In the study area of the upper reaches of Minjiang River, where the geographical environment is complex, natural factors are the dominant factors influencing the spatial differentiation of the Chiang costume heritage values
Summary
The Chiang ethnic group, known as the ‘‘nationality above the clouds,’’ is an extremely ancient minority group in China. The Chiang costume has a long history and profound cultural background. As mirrors of national culture, costumes reflect the material and intangible cultural characteristics of a nation (Emelyanenko 2012) They incorporate the essence of philosophy and aesthetics (Lin 1997). The heritage of traditional costumes is an essential part of inherited cultural heritage It involves the process of forward transmission (from the past to the present) within the community, incorporating the processes of dissemination and the continuation of costume culture. In essence, it is the process of traditional cultural education (Yang and Liu 2017). Its ultimate goal is to form a cultural tradition and reinforce national and local identity (Pop 2016; Stanik et al 2018)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
