Xie Gongwa, also known as Xie's clogs, is a traditional folk handmade clogs in Xie 'ao Town, Cangnan County, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China. Xie's history can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty, and it has a history of more than 500 years. Shoes are a very important kind of shoes in China traditional culture. This kind of shoes first appeared in the Tang Dynasty and was created by Xie An, the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, hence the name "Xie". Xie has many unique designs, such as high bottom, cool and breathable, which is very suitable for the humid climate in southern China.
Xie is famous for his unique design and technology. It uses hardwood as raw material, and after complicated hand carving, trimming and polishing, it makes a pair of clogs with fresh color and beautiful shape. Each pair of bricks has an independent design pattern, which makes people comfortable to wear, walk freely, not easy to fall, and has anti-slip function.
In addition to the use function, Xie also has cultural connotation. In local folklore, Xie Qigong was invented and manufactured by Xie Renzu in Ming Dynasty. Legend has it that in order to help farmers solve their initial difficulties, Xie Renzu processed local wood into clogs to facilitate farmers to shuttle on mountain roads and muddy paths. Therefore, Xie Qigong is regarded as Xie Renzu's masterpiece and one of the symbols of Cangnan area.
Nowadays, with the development of modernization, Xie has gradually withdrawn from people's daily life. However, in some local folk cultural festivals, people still wear Xie to commemorate the historical and cultural connotation of this traditional handicraft.