In the old days of China, when a baby was born, the mother or grandmother sewed the necessary clothes by herself, including shoes. Even though newborn babies can't walk, it was important for the child to be clothed from “head to toe.”
Among the more than 100 pairs of children's shoes in the collection, there are a few pairs from the North and Jiangnan regions, except for the ethnic minorities in the southwest. The shapes of the shoes are different, but the embroidery is always some form of prayer and well wishes for the child. To frighten away evil spirits, mothers often crafted shoes to look like animals, such as tigers, oxen, or pigs so that young children can be bestowed with the strength and ferocity of these animals, should harm come for them. Often, the eyes of the animals are exaggerated and made larger - it is so that children can see where they are going, especially when they are first learning how to walk.
