Abstract: From a viewpoint of art and culture,this paper studied the folk dress symbolization of waterside villages of Southern Yangtze.It illuminated in the light of symbology principle that the folk dress of waterside villages of Southern Yangtze was not only daily consumer goods,but also a symbol system of folkcustom culture.On the one hand,it was shown visually by a series of medley plastic signs,color signs,and decorative craft signs of pleats;and on the other hand,it implied notes in explanation of the origination and development of the folk dress,which were closely associated with the rice planting depending lifestyle and culture,such as the folk religion,social life,art and philosophy,local culture,and the geographical and humanity environment of waterside villages.It was concluded that the folk dress was the sign of serviceability and also the sign of folk traditional culture,the two jointly constituted the dress cultural symbol system of waterside villages of Southern Yangtze called ″integration of aesthetics and practicality″.