Chinese clothing includes the traditional hanfu and garments of ethnic minorities, as well as modern variations of indigenous Chinese dresses. Chinese clothing has been shaped through its dynastic traditions, as well as through foreign influences.[1] Chinese clothing showcases the traditional fashion sensibilities of Chinese culture traditions and forms one of the major cultural facets of Chinese civilization.[2]
Ancient Chinese literature traditionally credits the invention of clothing to legendary emperors such as Huangdi, Yao, Shun, or Youchao. In primitive societies, clothing was used to symbolize authority and specific identities. For example, as stated in the Book of Changes, Emperor Yao and Shun hung his clothes and ruled the world. The style of their clothing must be different from that of ordinary people. In addition, during military activities or ceremonial rites, the costumes of the host and participants were also different from usual. These laid the foundation for the occurrence and development of the clothing system.[citation needed]
From the perspective of unearthed cultural relics, the origin of clothing history can be traced back to the late Paleolithic period. In ancient times, shoes were often made of animal skin, so the name of the shoe was often referred to as leather. The earliest shoe styles were very rudimentary. It has been speculated[by whom?] that ancient people cut animal skins into rough foot shapes and connected them with thin leather strips to form the most primitive shoes.
Mountain Top Cave Man
About 19,000 years ago, one bone needle and 141 drilled stone, bone, shell, and tooth decorations were found. It was confirmed that natural materials such as animal skins could be used to sew simple clothes at that time. The history of Chinese clothing culture began from this. Seven small stone beads and 125 perforated animal teeth and other decorations were seen in the mountaintop cave, with long-term wear and tear marks on them. Among them, 5 pieces were unearthed in a semi-circular arrangement, possibly as strings of decorations. Another 25 pieces were also dyed with hematite powder, and the bones buried in the lower chamber of the mountaintop cave were also scattered with hematite powder particles, which may have been used for coloring clothes or as a finishing ceremony, reflecting a certain aesthetic sentiment of the mountaintop cave people. Protecting life, concealing oneself from the cold, and decorating oneself have all become the main functions of clothing in primitive society.[3]
The Neolithic Age
By the Neolithic period, spinning wheels became popular.[citation needed] The Yuyao Hemudu site also unearthed a "waist loom", with a cylindrical back loop that could form a natural weaving mouth, as well as a sheng (scroll). With the invention of textile technology, clothing materials became artificially woven fabrics, and silk production also began in the Neolithic Age. The form of clothing has changed and its functions have also been improved. Cloak style clothing such as headscarves and drapes soon became typical attire, with increasingly complex accessories that have had a significant impact on the formation of clothing systems.[citation needed] After the emergence of textiles, headscarves have developed into a standardized clothing style, widely used in a considerable period of time, in vast regions, and among many ethnic groups. They have basically replaced the clothing components of the Paleolithic era and become the coarse form of human clothing. In addition to general clothing, the Neolithic period also discovered crowns, boots, headgear, and accessories from some pottery relics.[4]
Shang dynasty
The main materials for clothing in the Shang Dynasty were leather, leather, silk, and linen. Due to the advancement of textile technology, silk and linen fabrics have taken an important position. During the Shang Dynasty, people were already able to finely weave extremely thin silk, jacquard geometric patterns of brocade and silk, as well as the ribbed yarn of the warp loom. The fabric is thick and heavy in color.[5]
Western Zhou Dynasty
During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the hierarchical system was gradually established, and the Zhou Dynasty established official positions such as "Si Fu" and "Nei Si Fu", which were in charge of royal attire. According to literature records and analysis of unearthed cultural relics, the Chinese coronal and attire system was initially established during the Xia and Shang dynasties and had been fully perfected by the Zhou dynasty. It was incorporated into the rule of etiquette during the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period. To express nobility and dignity, royal officials in different ceremonial occasions should have their crowns arranged in an orderly manner, and their clothing should also adopt different forms, colors, and patterns. From the human shaped cultural relics unearthed during the Zhou Dynasty, it can be seen that although the decoration of clothing is complex and simple, the upper and lower garments are already distinct, laying the foundation for the basic form of Chinese clothing.[6]
Traditional Han clothing has a recorded history of more than three millennia until the end of the Ming dynasty.[2] Most Chinese men wore Chinese black cotton shoes, but wealthy higher-class people would wear tough black leather shoes for formal occasions. Very rich and wealthy men would wear very bright, beautiful silk shoes, sometimes with leather on the inside. Women would wear silk shoes, often with holes in the top for their feet to fit in, with certain wealthy women practicing foot binding wearing coated lotus shoes as a status symbol until in the early 20th century.
Civil and military officials
Chinese civil or military officials used a variety of codes to show their rank and position. The most recognized is the mandarin square or rank badge. Another way to show social standing and civil rank was the use of colorful hat knobs fixed on the top of their hats. The specific hat knob on one's hat determined one's rank, as there were twelve types of hat knobs representing the nine distinctive ranks of the civil or military position. Variations existed for Ming dynasty official headwear. In the Qing dynasty different patterns of robes represented different ranks.
The Night Revels ofHan Xizai, originally painted by Gu Hongzhong, depicting life in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period at the end of this period. It is believed that people burned their clothing as a form of ceremony.
called Shoe of Queen Marysieńka in the District Museum in Tarnów is an example of late 17th-century Qing dynasty shoemaking. The damask and satin body was mounted on cardboard sole.
During the pre Qin period, clothing was an important component of ancient Chinese culture and a symbol of social status, identity, and cultural traditions. During this period, clothing was not only a part of people's daily lives, but also a reflection of culture, ideology, and aesthetics.
The clothing of the pre Qin period mainly included clothing, robes, crowns, shoes, etc. Clothing is the most basic form of clothing for people. Due to different production techniques, it is divided into different levels such as six livestock, seven catkins, and eight vegetables, and there are also differences in color, pattern, weaving method, and other aspects. Shang is the lower garment of ancient men, usually composed of a robe and a skirt, while women usually wore long skirts. A crown is a headdress worn by ancient people in ceremonial occasions, and different forms of crowns represent different identities and positions. Shoes were the footwear of ancient people, reflecting different social statuses and identities based on their materials and styles.[citation needed]
Tops and bottoms
In the pre Qin period, the upper garment was called a garment, and the lower garment was called a garment. The difference between clothing and clothing is very clear. But clothes are skirts rather than pants, and there were no paired pants in the pre Qin period. The combination of clothes is called "shenyi". In the pre Qin period, the collar of clothes in the Central Plains region opened to the right, while the collar of barbarian jackets opened to the left, which is an important difference between Chinese and barbarian jackets.[citation needed]
The clothing culture of the Han Dynasty presented unique characteristics: the collar of the outer garment was larger, the collar was lower, and when wearing it, the collar shape of the middle garment should be displayed. People often wear multiple layers of clothing, and the collar of each layer needs to be exposed, up to three or more layers, which is called "triple clothing". Underwear is mostly made of white fabric, with wide cuffs, and the shirt is usually sleeveless.
During the Han Dynasty, similar to the Qin dynasty, people also distinguished clothing into formal attire and regular attire. At festivals and other grand occasions, people wear solemn formal attire, while in daily life, they wear convenient everyday clothes. The Han Dynasty had a wide variety of clothing styles, including deep robes, robes, and short jackets.
Women's clothing
In the Han Dynasty, women's clothing also showed a trend of diversification, with the most famous being the "Liuxian skirt". According to the "Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital", Zhao Feiyan was granted the title of Empress at that time, and her sister sent people to weave upper and lower jackets, forming a magnificent set of clothing. Zhao Feiyan once wore the "Yunying Purple Skirt", also known as the "Liuxian Skirt", which was a tribute from South Vietnam. This kind of skirt is similar to the pleated skirt of today and is very gorgeous.[8]
According to legend, there was also a popular costume in the Han court called the wide sleeved flowing fairy skirt, which may be a variant of the "Yun Ying Zi skirt". However, due to its excessive flamboyance and high cost, it gradually disappeared from the court and later became a folk legend that most people could not afford.
This historical material showcases the rich and colorful clothing of women during the Han Dynasty, as well as the differences between palace and folk clothing. As one of the representatives, the Liuxian skirt reflects the fashion and taste of the time, as well as the differences between social classes and the complexity of clothing culture.
During the Han Dynasty, the weaving and embroidery techniques reached a relatively high level, but due to limitations in productivity, the production of exquisite fabrics such as silk was not high. This has led to expensive silk clothing, which can only be worn by high-ranking officials. Generally, people wear short clothes and long pants, while poor people wear short brown clothes made of coarse cloth. Therefore, "cloth clothing" and "brown clothing" have become synonymous with ordinary people.
During the Han Dynasty, wealthy families often wore fur clothes made of animal fur, including the fur of various animals such as foxes, dogs, sheep, deer ,minks, and rabbits. These fur clothes not only provide warmth, but also showcase social class and status.
The fur of different animals is suitable for different occasions and seasons. Fox fur clothing is soft and glossy, suitable for making high-end outerwear; Dog fur clothing may be thicker, providing better warmth; Woolen fur clothing is particularly popular in cold winters due to the rich fuzz of wool; Deer fur clothing may be lighter and suitable for wearing in autumn and winter seasons; And mink and rabbit fur clothing are considered luxury goods because their fur is soft and shiny, suitable for making gorgeous clothing.
These fur coats made of animal fur not only reflect people's aesthetic pursuit of clothing, but also showcase the differences in social classes.
Traveling with Hepa
Similarly, there are poor laborers who usually wear a more basic type of shorts called "calf nose loins". This type of pants is simpler than loincloths, only wrapped around the waist with a three-foot long piece of fabric. Such clothing was common in daily life at that time, reflecting the living and economic conditions of people from different social classes.
Three Kingdoms (220–280)
Women's clothing
During the Three Kingdoms period, women's clothing also had unique characteristics, reflecting the aesthetic concepts and cultural styles of that time.
A skirt or robe is one of the common attire for women. This type of dress is mostly long, with a wide hem, creating a dignified and generous atmosphere. The cuffs and stitching of the dress often carry exquisite embroidery, which may be floral, bird and animal, or other auspicious patterns, reflecting women's pursuit of beauty and love for life.
In addition, women also enjoy wearing various hair and headgear to showcase their beauty and elegance. Common hair accessories include hair combs, hairpins, hairpins, etc. These hair accessories are usually made of precious materials such as gold, silver, jade, etc., which may be inlaid with precious gemstones or jewelry, adding charm and charm to women.[9]
Men's Clothing
A robe is one of the most important formal attire, usually without a collar, requiring an additional hard collar to be added to the robe. In spring and autumn, light lake colors are often used, while in winter, velvet or leather collars are used. This type of collar, also known as "collar clothing", is commonly known as "cow tongue" due to its resemblance to a cow tongue. The material of a collar garment is usually cloth or satin, with a front facing front that is fastened together with buttons and tied around the waist. In addition, there is a type of shawl that resembles a water chestnut and is embroidered with patterns, commonly used in official court attire.[citation needed]
Women's Clothing
Hair accessories have rich cultural connotations in Chinese history, divided into two different styles: Han and Manchu. In the initial stage, they each retained their unique shapes, but with the passage of time and cultural exchange, they gradually underwent significant changes and were also influenced by local customs. In the mid Qing Dynasty, Han women began to imitate the hairstyles of Manchu palace women, especially the trend of high buns. In the late Qing Dynasty, the trend of braiding gradually emerged, initially popular among girls, and later gradually popularized.[citation needed]
During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, China was unified from division, stability from war, and prosperity in economy and culture. The development of clothing, both materials and clothing, presented an unprecedented and splendid scene. Colourful brocade is a silk woven into various patterns in five colours, which is often used as clothing for half arms and collar edges. Special palace brocade, the pattern has the shape of pheasant, sheep fighting, phoenix, swimming scale, and the colour is gorgeous. Embroidery, including five-colour embroidery and gold and silver thread embroidery, etc. Printing and dyeing patterns, divided into multi-colour set dyeing and mono-colour dyeing. During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, men's crown uniforms were mainly characterised by upper-class people wearing robes, officials wearing heads, and people wearing short shirts. Until the fifth generation, it has not changed much. The officials of Tianzi and Baiguan take colours to distinguish grades, and use patterns to indicate official ranks. The women's clothing of the Sui and Tang Dynasties is rich in fashion, and often developed from the contestant court women's clothing to the folk, and has been imitated one after another. The most popular women's clothes in the Sui and Tang Dynasties were chest-length skirts and high-waisted skirts, that is, short tops and long skirts. The waist of the skirt was high-tied with silk ribbons, almost under the armpits.
Sui and Tang women are easy to dress up. The "half-arm" that spread from the court lasted for a long time, and later men also wore it. At that time, long towels were also popular. They were made of tusa with silver flowers painted with silver or gold and silver powder. One end was fixed on the chest strap of the half arm, and then put on the shoulder, and swired between the arms, called silk. There are various kinds of women's hair accessories in the Tang Dynasty, each with its own name. Women's shoes are generally floral shoes, mostly made of brocade fabrics, coloured silk and leather.
The Song Dynasty basically retained the style of Han ethnic costumes, while the costumes of Liao, Xixia, Jin and Yuan dynasties had the characteristics of Khitan, Dangxiang, Jurchen and Mongolian ethnic groups respectively. The exchange and integration of costumes of all ethnic groups.
Song style official uniform
During the Song Dynasty, there were roughly three types of Hanfu: official attire, casual attire, and traditional attire. In the Song Dynasty, the fabric of official uniforms was mainly made of silk. Due to the old system of the Five Dynasties, the government would give brocade robes to high-ranking ministers every year, divided into seven different colors such as Song Dynasty Lingjiu ball patterned brocade robes. The color of official attire follows the Tang system, with purple attire for third grade and above, red attire for fifth grade and above, green attire for seventh grade and above, and green attire for ninth grade and above. The official attire style is roughly similar to the long sleeved robe of the late Tang Dynasty, but the first attire (such as the crown hat) is already a flat winged black gauze hat, called the straight footed fu head, which is a custom attire for rulers and officials. The official attire of the Song Dynasty followed the fish wearing system of the Tang Dynasty. Officials eligible to wear purple and crimson uniforms were required to wear a "fish bag" around their waist, which contained fish made of gold, silver, and copper to distinguish their official rank. The square and curved collar is also a characteristic of the court attire, which is the decoration of the lower part of the circle placed between the neckline of the court attire. The daily casual wear of officials in the Song Dynasty, apart from their official uniforms and uniforms, mainly consisted of small sleeved round necked shirts and soft winged buns with drooping headbands, still in Tang style, but with more convenient casual shoes for daily living. The representative clothing of the Song Dynasty's elderly is a wide sleeved robe with a cross necked (cross necked) collar and a Dongpo scarf. The robe is made of dark material with edges to preserve ancient style. The Dongpo scarf is a square tube shaped high scarf, which is said to have been created by the great literary scholar Su Dongpo. It is actually a revival of ancient cloth scarves, which were often worn by the elderly gentry of the Ming
Robes and Tunics
Both men and women typically wore robes and tunics as their main attire. These garments were often made of silk, which was highly valued during this period. Men's robes were generally loose-fitting, with wide sleeves, while women's robes were more form-fitting and often featured intricate embroidery.
Layering
Layering of clothing was common during the Song Dynasty. This could include wearing a long robe over a shorter tunic or adding additional layers for warmth in colder weather.
Belted Waist
Both men and women often wore belts around their waist to cinch their garments and create a more defined silhouette. Belts could be simple or ornately decorated depending on the individual's social status and occasion.
Headwear
Headwear varied depending on gender, social status, and occasion. Men typically wore hats such as the round-brimmed guan hat or the winged-ribboned headdress, while women often adorned their hair with hairpins, hair ornaments, and various types of headscarves.
Footwear
Shoes during the Song Dynasty were usually made of leather or silk and could be either flat or heeled. Men often wore boots or shoes with rounded toes, while women wore a variety of decorative and embroidered shoes, including lotus shoes with pointed toes.
Symbolism and Embroidery
Clothing during the Song Dynasty was often adorned with symbolic motifs and intricate embroidery, which could signify the wearer's social status, wealth, or personal beliefs. Dragons, phoenixes, flowers, and birds were common motifs used in embroidery.
Song Dynasty Lingjiu Ball Pattern Brocade Robe
There were also various popular folk costumes in the Song Dynasty. Men are popular with futou and drapes, while women are popular with flower crowns and caps. Women's hairstyles and flower crowns were the focus of their pursuit of beauty at that time, best reflecting the changes in attire during the Song Dynasty. During the Tang and Five Dynasties, female corollas became increasingly delicate, while during the Song Dynasty, corollas underwent further development and changes. Usually, flower and bird shaped hairpins and combs were inserted into hair buns, making everything unusual.
Ming Dynasty
Ming style official uniform
After the rule of the Mongols in the Yuan Dynasty, the Han tradition was restored in the Ming Dynasty, and Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang re established the Hanfu clothing system. The Ming Dynasty emperor wore a black veil folded over a scarf (with black veil wings and a crown), and the hat wings stood up from the back. In the early Ming Dynasty, it was requested to restore the Tang style of clothing and headgear. The style of the legal attire was similar to that of the Tang Dynasty, except that the imperial crown for advancing talents was changed to a Liang crown, and the crown styles such as the Zhongjing crown were added. Since the Tang and Song dynasties, dragon robes and yellow have been exclusively used by the royal family. Since the Southern and Northern Dynasties, purple has been considered expensive for official uniforms. In the Ming Dynasty, due to the emperor's surname Zhu, Zhu was chosen as the official color. Additionally, due to the mention in the Analects of Confucius that "evil purple is the way to seize Zhu," purple was abolished from official attire. In the Ming Dynasty, public uniforms were also made of Futou and round necked robes, but at this time, Futou was painted with black paint on the outside, with short and wide feet, and was called Wusha hat. Non official civilians were not allowed to wear it. The most distinctive feature of public uniforms is to use "patches" to indicate the grade, in addition to the color according to the grade regulations. A patch is a piece of silk material approximately 40–50 centimeters square, woven and embroidered with different patterns, and then sewn onto official clothing, with one on the chest and one on the back. Civil officials use birds as their complement, while military officials use beasts, each divided into nine levels. To commend the achievements of officials, clothing such as python robes, flying fish uniforms, and bullfighting uniforms are specially given. The python is a four clawed dragon, the flying fish is a python with fins on its tail, and the bullfighter adds curved horns to the python's head. When reaching the highest rank, jade belts are used. So the "python robe and jade belt" became the most prominent attire of high-ranking officials at this time. Ordinary round necked robes are distinguished by the length of the clothes and the size of the sleeves, with the older ones being respected. The wives and mothers of officials who were granted official titles also wore red long sleeved dresses and various types of Xia Pi, which were differentiated by patterns and decorations. In addition, high-heeled shoes are already worn by upper class women, and there are two types of shoes: inner high sole and outer high sole. The clothing of both upper and lower levels of society has obvious levels.[10]
Robes and Tunics
Both men and women typically wore robes and tunics as their primary garments. Men's robes were generally loose-fitting with wide sleeves, while women's robes were more form-fitting and often featured elaborate embroidery and intricate designs.
Layering
Layering of clothing was common during the Ming Dynasty, especially during colder seasons. This could include wearing a long robe over a shorter tunic or adding additional layers for warmth and style.
Belted Waist
Belts were commonly worn by both men and women to cinch their garments at the waist and create a more tailored look. Belts could be simple or ornate, depending on the wearer's social status and occasion.
Headwear
Headwear played an important role in Ming Dynasty fashion, with different styles worn by men and women. Men often wore hats such as the round-brimmed guan hat or the winged-ribboned headdress, while women adorned their hair with various ornaments, hairpins, and decorative headpieces.
Colors and Fabrics
Ming Dynasty clothing featured a wide range of colors and fabrics, with silk being the most prized material. Bright colors and luxurious fabrics were favored by the upper classes, while more subdued colors and simpler fabrics were worn by commoners.
Symbolism and Embroidery
Ming Dynasty clothing often featured symbolic motifs and intricate embroidery, which could signify the wearer's social status, wealth, or personal beliefs. Dragons, phoenixes, flowers, and auspicious symbols were commonly used in embroidery to convey prosperity and good fortune.
Cultural Protection
In the field of cultural preservation, recent research has highlighted the effectiveness of modern digital technologies, such as CLO3D, in recreating traditional Chinese clothing from the Ming Dynasty. This innovative approach allows for precise modeling of fabric texture, color, and garment structure, providing a valuable tool for historians and cultural preservationists[11] (Yang et al., 2021). These developments are significant as they offer new methods for accurately preserving and understanding historical garments, which were previously reliant on traditional replication techniques. This intersection of technology and historical study presents an exciting advancement in the conservation of cultural heritage, making it an important addition to related Wikipedia pages.
During the Qing Dynasty, violent means were used to promote shaving and changing clothing, and men's clothing was unified according to Manchu customs. In the ninth year of the Shunzhi reign (1652), the "Regulations on Clothing, Colors, and Shoulders" were promulgated, abolishing the crown clothing with a strong Han ethnic color. All men in the Ming Dynasty wore loose fitting clothes, long stockings, and shallow shoes, with their hair tied up in a bun; In the Qing Dynasty, he shaved his hair and kept braids, with the braids hanging down his head. He wore thin horseshoe sleeves and arrow clothes, tight socks, and deep boots. But there is a clear distinction between official and civilian clothing according to the law. The development of women's clothing in the Qing Dynasty varied between the Han and Manchu ethnic groups. During the Kangxi and Yongzheng periods, Han women still retained the styles of the Ming Dynasty, with the trend of small sleeved clothes and long skirts; After the reign of Emperor Qianlong, the clothes gradually became thicker and shorter, the cuffs became wider, and with the addition of cloud shoulders, there was no end to the endless variety of renovations; By the late Qing Dynasty, urban women had already worn skirts and pants, adorned with lace and rolled teeth, and most of the expensive clothing was spent on them. Manchu women wear "flag clothing", comb flag buns (commonly known as two heads), and wear "flower pot bottom" flag shoes. As for the so-called flag clothing that has been passed down in later generations, it has long been mainly used in the palace and the royal family.
Official uniforms of the Qing Dynasty
The main types of official clothing in the Qing Dynasty were long robes and jackets. The official hat is completely different from the previous dynasty. All military and political personnel above the rank of sergeant wear a small woven hat that looks like a bamboo hat. According to the winter and summer seasons, there are warm hats and cool hats, and different colors and materials of "tops" are installed depending on the grade. A bundle of peacock feathers is dragged behind the hat. Feathers are called flower feathers, and high-end feathers have "eyes" (round spots on the feathers) and can be classified into single, double, or triple eyes. Those with more eyes are considered precious, and only princes or ministers with outstanding achievements are rewarded and worn. The emperor sometimes rewards wearing a yellow coat to show special favor. As a result, other colored coats gradually became popular among officials and gentry, becoming common formal attire. Officials above the fifth rank also hang court beads, made of various precious jewelry and fragrant wood, which constitute another characteristic of the Qing Dynasty official attire. The advancement of silk spinning, embroidery and dyeing, as well as various handicraft specialties, created conditions for the enrichment of clothing varieties in the Qing Dynasty.
The abolition of imperial China in 1912 had an immediate effect on dress and customs. The largely Han Chinese population immediately cut off their queues they had been forced to grow in submission to the overthrown Qing dynasty. Sun Yat-sen popularised a new style of men's wear, featuring jacket and trousers instead of the robes worn previously. Adapted from Japanese student wear, this style of dress became known as the Zhongshan suit (Zhongshan being one of Sun Yat-sen's given names in Chinese).
For women, a transformation of the traditional qipao resulted in a slender form-fitting dress with a high cut. This new "cheongsam" contrasted sharply with the traditional qipao but has largely replaced it in modern fashion. In the early republican period, the traditional dudou underbodice was largely abandoned in favor of Western-style corsets and bras.
Early People's Republic
Early in the People's Republic, Mao Zedong inspired Chinese fashion with his own variant of the Zhongshan suit, which would be known to the west as Mao suit. Meanwhile, Sun Yat-sen's widow, Soong Ching-ling, popularized the cheongsam as the standard female dress. At the same time, clothing viewed as backward and unmodern by both the Chinese as well as Westerners, was forbidden.
Around the Destruction of the "Four Olds" period in 1964, almost anything seen as part of traditional Chinese culture would lead to problems with the CommunistRed Guards. Items that attracted dangerous attention if caught in the public included jeans, high heels, Western-style coats, ties, jewelry, cheongsams, and long hair.[12] These items were regarded as symbols of bourgeois lifestyle, which represented wealth. Citizens had to avoid them or suffer serious consequences such as torture or beatings by the guards.[12] A number of these items were thrown into the streets to embarrass the citizens.[13]
Hong Kong clothing brand Shanghai Tang's design concept is inspired by historical Chinese clothing. It set out to rejuvenate Chinese fashion of the 1920s and 30s, in bright colors and with a modern twist.[14][15] Other Chinese luxury brands include NE Tiger,[16]Guo Pei,[17] and Laurence Xu.[18]
In the year 2000, dudou-inspired blouses appeared in the summer collections of Versace and Miu Miu, leading to its adoption within China as a revealing form of outerwear.
For the 2012 Hong Kong Sevens tournament, sportswear brand Kukri Sports teamed up with Hong Kong lifestyle retail store G.O.D. to produce merchandising, which included traditional Chinese jackets and cheongsam-inspired ladies polo shirts.[19][20][21]
In recent years, renewed interest in traditional Chinese culture has led to a movement in China advocating for the revival of hanfu.[22][23][24] As an increasing number of Chinese people like and attach importance to hanfu, hanfu no longer only appears in Chinese drama as in the past. Relatedly, the guochao (Chinese:国潮; pinyin:Guó cháo) movement has resulted in younger Chinese shoppers preferring homegrown designers which incorporate aspects of Chinese history and culture, such as Shushu/Tong.[25]
A 15th-century portrait of the Ming official Jiang Shunfu. The decoration of two cranes on his chest are a mandarin square "rank badge" that indicate he was a civil official of the first rank.
Cheongsam or zansae, also known as the qipao and sometimes referred to as the mandarin gown, is a Chinese dress worn by women which takes inspiration from the qizhuang, the ethnic clothing of the Manchu people. The cheongsam is most often seen as a longer, figure-fitting, one piece garment with a standing collar, an asymmetric, left-over-right opening and two side slits, and embellished with Chinese frog fasteners on the lapel and the collar. It was developed in the 1920s and evolved in shapes and design over years. It was popular in China from the 1920s to 1960s, overlapping with the Republican era, and was popularized by Chinese socialites and high society women in Shanghai. Although the cheongsam is sometimes seen as traditional Chinese clothing, the cheongsam continues to evolve with times as it responds to the contemporary modern life.
Changshan, also known as changpao, and dagua, is a form of paofu, Chinese robe, which was derived from the Qing dynasty qizhuang, the traditional dress of the Manchu people, which were worn by Manchu men. The changshan was actually developed by the Han Chinese through the modification of their own Ming dynasty's Hanfu by adopting some Manchu men's clothing elements in one of their Hanfuchangshan. In function, the changshan is considered the male equivalent of the women's cheongsam. The changshan was often worn by men with a magua, also commonly translated as "riding jacket" in English language.
Beizi, also known as beizi and chuozi, is an item worn in traditional Chinese attire common to both men and women; it is typically a large loose outer coat with loose and long sleeves. It was most popular during the Song dynasty, Ming dynasty, and from the early Qing to the Mid-Qing dynasty. The beizi originated in the Song dynasty. In the Ming dynasty, the beizi was referred as pifeng. When worn by men, it is sometimes referred as changyi, hechang, or dachang when it features large sleeves and knotted ties at the front as a garment closure.
Ruqun is a set of attire in Hanfu which consists of a short jacket typically called ru worn under a long Chinese skirt called qun. However, when use as a general term, ruqun can broadly describe a set of attire which consists of a separated upper garment and a wrap-around lower skirt, or yichang, in which yi means the "upper garment" and the chang means the "lower garment". In a broad sense, ruqun can include the shanqun and aoqun in its definition.
A yuanlingshan is a type of round-collared upper garment in the traditional Chinese style of clothing known as Hanfu; it is also referred to as a yuanlingpao or a panlingpao when used as a robe. The yuanlingshan and yuanlingpao were both developed under the influence of ancient Chinese clothing, known as Hufu, originating from the Donghu people during the early Han dynasty and later by the Wuhu, including the Xianbei people, during the Six Dynasties period. The yuanlingpao is an article of formal attire primarily worn by men, although in certain dynasties, such as the Tang dynasty, it was also fashionable for women to wear. In the Tang dynasty, the yuanlingpao could be transformed into the fanlingpao using buttons.
Daopao, also known as xuezi when used as a Xifu during Chinese opera performances, and deluo when it is blue in colour, is a traditional form of paofu in Hanfu and is also one of the most distinctive form of traditional clothing for the Han Chinese. The daopao was one of the most common traditional form of outer robe worn by men. Daopao literally means "Taoist robe"; however, despite its name, the daopao were and is worn by men, and did not imply that its wearer had some affiliation to taoism. The daopao can be dated back to at least the Ming dynasty but had actually been worn since the Song dynasty. Initially the daopao was a form of casual clothing which was worn by the middle or lower class in the Ming dynasty. In the middle and late Ming, it was one of the most common form of robes worn by men as casual clothing. The daopao was also a popular formal wear by the Ming dynasty scholars in their daily lives. It was also the daily clothing for the literati scholars in the Ming dynasty. In the late Ming, it was also a popular form of clothing among the external officials and eunuchs sometimes wore it. The daopao was also introduced in Korea during the Joseon period, where it became known as dopo and was eventually localized in its current form.
Shenyi, also called Deep garment in English, means "wrapping the body deep within the clothes" or "to wrap the body deep within cloth". The shenyi is an iconic form of robe in Hanfu, which was recorded in Liji and advocated in Zhu Xi's Zhuzi jiali《朱子家禮》. As cited in the Liji, the shenyi is a long robe which is created when the "upper half is connected to the bottom half to cover the body fully". The shenyi, along with its components, existed prior to the Zhou dynasty and appeared at least since the Shang dynasty. The shenyi was then developed in Zhou dynasty with a complete system of attire, being shaped by the Zhou dynasty's strict hierarchical system in terms of social levels, gender, age, and situation and was used as a basic form of clothing. The shenyi then became the mainstream clothing choice during the Qin and Han dynasties. By the Han dynasty, the shenyi had evolved into two types of robes: the qujupao and the zhijupao. The shenyi later gradually declined in popularity around the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern dynasties period. However, the shenyi's influence persisted in the following dynasties. The shenyi then became a form of formal wear for scholar-officials in the Song and Ming dynasties. Chinese scholars also recorded and defined the meaning of shenyi since the ancient times, such as Zhu Xi in the Song dynasty, Huang Zongxi in the Ming dynasty, and Jiang Yong in the Qing dynasty.
In China, women had different kinds of clothes in ancient times. Those clothes changed with the dynasty. For examples, in the 1920s, the Cheongsam was fashionable among socialites and upperclass women; during the 1960s, very austere clothing styles were prevalent; today, a wide variety of fashions are worn. Different provinces and regions of China also have different clothing styles.
Dragon robes, also known as gunlongpao or longpao for short, is a form of everyday clothing which had a Chinese dragon, called long (龍), as the main decoration; it was worn by the emperors of China. Dragon robes were also adopted by the rulers of neighbouring countries, such as Korea, Vietnam, and the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Hanfu, are the traditional styles of clothing worn by the Han Chinese. There are several representative styles of hanfu, such as the ruqun, the aoqun, the beizi and the shenyi, and the shanku.
Qixiong ruqun, which can also be referred as Qixiong shanqun, also known as "chest-high ruqun", is a set of attire in hanfu, the traditional Chinese clothing worn by the Han Chinese. The qixiong ruqun is a unique style of ruqun, which is characterized with a high waistline qun, Chinese skirt. The qun used in the qixiong ruqun is generally tied above the bust level. It was worn by women during the Southern dynasties, Sui dynasty, Tang dynasty and Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. The style was also revived in the early and middle Ming dynasty.
The fashion in the Yuan dynasty of Mongol (1271–1368) showed cultural diversity with the coexistence of various ethnic clothing, such as Mongol clothing, Han clothing and Korean clothing. The Mongol dress was the clothing of elite for both genders. Mongol attire worn in the 13th-14th century was different from the Han clothing from the Tang and Song dynasties. The Yuan dynasty court clothing also allowed the mixed of Mongol and Han style, and the official dress code of the Yuan dynasty also became a mixture of Han and Mongol clothing styles. After the founding of the Yuan dynasty, the Mongols strongly influenced the lifestyle and customs of the Han people.
After the fall of the Tang dynasty, the Khitans, a branch of the Eastern Xianbei tribes, established Liao dynasty in northern China. The Liao dynasty comprised two regions: the Northern and Southern Divisions. The Northern divisions of Liao was mainly composed of tribal Khitan people while the Southern regions was composed of the Han and other sedentary groups. The rulers of the Liao dynasty adopted a clothing system which allowed the coexistence of Han and Khitan clothing.
Shanku is a generic term which refers to a two-piece set of attire in Hanfu, which is typically composed of a youren yi, a Chinese upper garment which typically overlaps and closes on the right side which could be called shan, ru, ao, and a pair of long trousers ku. As a form of daily attire, the shanku was mainly worn by people from lower social status in China, such as labourers, shopkeepers, or retainers from wealthy household. The shanku was originally worn by both genders. Up until the mid-20th century, it was popular in China and outside of China where it was worn by overseas Chinese in countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Suriname, etc. It is still worn in present-day China and can be found in rural areas.
Xiapei, also known as hapi in Korea, is a type of Chinese clothing accessory in either the form of a long scarf, a neckband, or in the shape of waistcoat depending on the time period. It was also referred as xiapeizhui when it was ornamented with a peizhui at its front end; the peizhui ornament could be made of diverse materials, such as silver, jade, and gold.
Hufu, also referred as Hu clothing, nomadic dress, 'barbarian' clothing or dress, or foreign dress, is a generic term which refers to any clothing which was worn in ancient China and its surrounding regions by non-Han Chinese people. This term is also used to refer to clothing of foreign origins in ancient China. The introduction of Hufu-style garments and attire in China occurred by the time of King Wuling of Zhao.
Ru, sometimes referred to as shan, ao, and yi, is a form of traditional Chinese upper garment, or coat, or jacket, which typically has a right closure; however, they may also have a front central opening. It is traditional everyday wear for women of the Han Chinese ethnic group. It can be worn in combination with a skirt in a style called ruqun, or a pair of trousers in a style called shanku.
Qizhuang, also known as Manfu and commonly referred as Manchu clothing in English, is the traditional clothing of the Manchu people. Qizhuang in the broad sense refers to the clothing system of the Manchu people, which includes their whole system of attire used for different occasions with varying degrees of formality. The term qizhuang can also be used to refer to a type of informal dress worn by Manchu women known as chenyi, which is a one-piece long robe with no slits on either sides. In the Manchu tradition, the outerwear of both men and women includes a full-length robe with a jacket or a vest while short coats and trousers are worn as inner garments.
Daojiao fushi, also known as Taoist clothing, are religious clothing and adornment worn by devotees and practitioners of Taoism, an indigenous religion and life philosophy in China. Chinese culture attaches great importance to "cap and gown" are seen as important signs of levels of etiquettes; it is also a visible marker of the Taoist identity. Taoist ritual garments (sometimes referred as daoyi are forms of ritual clothing. These clothing worn by the Taoist priests are inherited from the Han Chinese traditional clothing and holds clear Taoist cultural meaning. When performing rituals and important rituals, Taoist priests wear ceremonial attires which appear to be aligned with elements of Chinese cosmology; these ceremonial attires are therefore strong spiritual intermediaries acting on the part of the Taoist devotees community. Different forms of clothing will be worn by Taoist priests in accordance to ritual types and obvious distinctions are found in the attire of Taoist priests based on their different positions to the altar. There were also codes which would stipulate the appropriate Taoist attire to be worn during both ritual performance and when being off duty.
Tanling ruqun, also known as Tan collar ruqun and U-collar ruqun, is a type of Hanfu which was developed under the influence of Hufu ; it is a form a kind of ruqun which typically consists of three parts, featuring a low-cut low-cut U-shaped collar upper inner garment with long sleeves, a U-shaped collar banbi upper outer garment with short sleeves, a long high-waisted skirt. It can also be adorned with a shawl, called pipo. It was a popular form of clothing attire in the Sui and Tang dynasty. In the 21st century, the Tanling ruqun re-appeared as a result of the Hanfu movement. The 21st century Tanling ruqun was developed by reproducing the original patterns of the historical tanling ruqun while being aligned with modern aesthetics.
References
↑ Yang, Shaorong (2004). Chinese Clothing: Costumes, Adornments and Culture (Arts of China). Long River Press (published April 1, 2004). p.3. ISBN978-1592650194.
1 2 Brown, John (2006). China, Japan, Korea: Culture and Customs. Createspace Independent Publishing (published September 7, 2006). p.79. ISBN978-1419648939.
Jian, Li; Li, He & Sung, Hou-Mei & Shengnan, Ma (2014). Forbidden City: Imperial Treasures from the Palace Museum, Beijing. Richmond, Virginia: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. ISBN978-1-934351-06-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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