The Legend of the "China Poblana"

One of the traditional female costumes of Mexico is called the "china poblana".  It consists of an embroidered blouse, a sash, and a wide skirt usually decorated with sequins.

The costume supposedly originated with and is named after a legendary figure from the 17th century who was known as "La china poblana"... the Chinese woman from Puebla.

There are contradictory versions of her life, but all agree that she was a young woman from India.  (I guess anyone from Asia was designated as Chinese??)  She was kidnapped by pirates.  According to some accounts she managed to escape, took refuge in a Jesuit monastery in southern India, and converted to Christianity.  In other versions was taken to the Philippines (then a Spanish colony), and it was there that she was baptized.  She took the name of Catarina de San Juan.  She ended up enslaved again, and was taken to Acapulco on one of the "Manilla galleons" that crossed the Pacific.  In Acapulco she was bought by a merchant from Puebla, and it was there that she spent the rest of her life.

In some versions of the story, her master died and provided for her manumission in his will.  She then entered a convent.  Others say that she remained a slave until her death, and that she died in this house, "La Casona de la China Poblana", which is today a hotel and restaurant.

She was buried in the Jesuit church "La Companía", which is just down the street from the "Casona".  (When we entered the church, mass was being said, so we couldn't search for the plaque marking her burial place.)

Caterina was a very devout woman and supposedly had visions of the Virgin Mary and the Baby Jesus.  After her death she was venerated as a saint until the Inquisition prohibited devotion to her.

Whether she actually originated the costume named after her is in doubt, since some accounts of her life state that she continued to wear the sari of her native land.