Colourful Yi Headgear

A married Yi woman will wear large headgear in the shape of a lotus leaf. Legend has it that Yi women were smarter than Yi men in ancient time, and that Yi god Zhige Aluo once asked a couple how many times the husband had ploughed his land. The husband could not answer, but his wife replied by asking the god how many steps his horse had taken that day. The god couldn't answer her.

The next day, the god took a ram to the couple's house and asked the husband to breed the ram. The wife said her husband was at home delivering a child. The god was astonished, and said: "How could a man give birth to a child?" The woman answered: "How could a ram deliver a lamb?" The god was impressed by her wisdom and ordered Yi women to wear large headgear in the shape of a lotus leaf to conceal their wisdom. Now, such headgear is part of married Yi women's traditional costume.

A Yi man's headgear is a black cloth made into the shape of wimble. It is called a hero knot, which reveals the man's strength. Yi people worship the eagle, and they believe Yi men should be as brave as an eagle. A young man's hero knot is as thin as bamboo, while the knots of middle-aged and elderly men are as thick as a fst. Infuenced by their traditions, Yi people's colorful headgear is a precious legacy.