Dai Bing52 Bonham Strand WestSheung Wan Nov 26 – April 2020Opening: Tuesday, Nov 26, 6.30pm til late Combing for Ice and JadeAt the end of the 19th century, thanks to the silk trade, numerous women in southern China became financially independent. Many would wear their hair in a long braid to symbolise their autonomy until their wedding. As imperial China began to crumble and instability spread, some women took the initiative of adopting independence permanently, as Comb Sisters. The Comb Up ceremony involved a woman bathing with mulberry leaves as a fellow Sister braided their hair. They took a vow of chastity, declaring themselves free of obligations towards their parents, and would henceforth wear their hair in a long braid and dress in a light-coloured tunic and dark trousers.  Choosing to live a life independent of men was not without its drawbacks. Comb Sisters were not allowed to return home to die in their old age, so many sisterhood homes sprang up where they looked after each other, often considering each other sisters for life. …