Pula ethnic costumes of Mengzi

Pula is a Yi ethnic branch living in Xibeile Township of Mengzi City, Honghe Prefecture; their traditional costumes are quaintly colourful, especially those for unmarried ladies.

Tailored from mainly black and green cloth, the Pula ethnic costumes are mostly embroidered with red patterns; and a whole outfit is usually designed with symmetric geometrical drawings embroidered with different patterns such as animals and plants.

Each part of an outfit is embroidered with various patterns including celestial bodies such as the Sun, Moon and stars, and animals and plants such as cockscombs, camellias, Chinese mandarin ducks, dragons and tigers etc. And the ornamentation is normally dominated by patterns of fire, tiger, octagon, and sheep's horn etc.