The Traditional and the Practical
Clothing is self expressive, but also unites an individual with a larger collective. In this case the black, red,and green jacket belongs to the Lahu ethnic minority in Yunnan, China. While less ornate clothing is typical for everyday purposes, such as domestic and agricultural work, the traditional women's clothing is reserved for special occasions, as well as for presentations for visitors and tourists.
The vast majority of Chinese (92%) belong to the Han ethnic group, and as domestic tourism is part of the Chinese government's economic growth plan, which hopes to reach 5% of national GDP by 2020 (CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2014/08/21/china-to-double-domestic-spending-on-tourism-by-2020.html), local villages are also creating cultural experiences to develop their own economies.
While we can romance about the past, the ability to sustain traditions and culture seems to require some level of adaptability.
The vast majority of Chinese (92%) belong to the Han ethnic group, and as domestic tourism is part of the Chinese government's economic growth plan, which hopes to reach 5% of national GDP by 2020 (CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2014/08/21/china-to-double-domestic-spending-on-tourism-by-2020.html), local villages are also creating cultural experiences to develop their own economies.
While we can romance about the past, the ability to sustain traditions and culture seems to require some level of adaptability.