Abstract
We studied the attributes of men's footwear of 16 Chinese ethnic groups using cluster analysis. Footwear was divided into three cultural clusters, merged into cluster I (including Chuang, Pai, Miao, Yi, Naxi, and Chiang), cluster II (including Kazakh, Uygur, Kirghiz, Mongol, Tibetan, Dongxiang, and Xibo), and cluster III (including Han, Daur, and Manchu).
Footwear from southwestern China, merged in cluster I, is suited for agricultural labor in steep and flat arable land. Sandals and slippers characterize this cluster's footwear. Footwear in cluster II, from northwestern China, is suited for stock raising, especially for horseback riding. Most footwear in cluster II consists of long leather boots. Footwear (short boots), from northwestern China, in cluster III, is suited for cold forest hunting. One feature of this footwear is its warmth.
The results of this study show that the attributes of men's footwear in Chinese ethnic groups correctly reflect differences in occupations and living environments.
