The qungua is typically embroidered with the Chinese dragons called long (traditional Chinese :龍; simplified Chinese :龙) and the Chinese phoenix called feng (traditional Chinese :鳳; simplified Chinese :凤). [3] It can also be decorated with other auspicious symbols, such as pomegranate (symbolism for fertility), peony flowers, lotus flowers, bats, goldfish, butterfly and birds. [5]
Nowadays, there are 5 different types of qungua which is named accordingly to the percentage of embroidery covering the dress: [1]
- Xiaowufu (小五福): 30% covered with embroidery,
- Zhongwufu (中五福): 50% covered with embroidery
- Dawufu (大五福): 70% covered with embroidery
- Guahou (褂后): 90% covered with embroidery
- Guahuang (褂皇): 100% covered with embroidery
Derivatives and influences
Betawi Bridal dress
The Betawi bridal dress, partly influenced by Chinese culture and by Indonesian culture, looks similar to the Chinese qungua. [7] Like the qungua, the Betawi bridal dress is a two-piece set of attire which composed of an ankle-length with wider bottom skirt called kun and an upper garment called tuaki. [7] The tuaki is decorated with Chinese auspicious symbols. [7] One difference from the qungua is the use of Betawi Lotus, also known as Betawi pomegranate, a separate ornamental garment which covers the chest and shoulder areas (similar to the yunjian of the Chinese people). [7] The Betawilotus was used to denote the origins of the Betawi bride, but it was eventually replaced by beads which typically follows the Spanish cherry floral pattern. [7] The kun and tuaki must match in colour. [7]
Chinese Bride in Batavia in her wedding dress, 1870. The dress is heavily influenced by Chinese culture but also shows subtle differences.
Betawi bride and groom, 2008.
Differences with other garments
Fengguan xiapei
The qungua is different from the fengguan xiapei (traditional Chinese :鳳冠霞帔; simplified Chinese :凤冠霞帔), another type of Traditional Han Chinese wedding set of attire, which was worn in Ming and Qing dynasties [3] in terms of composition of garments and accessories which the qungua lacks of. The fengguan xiapei is a set of attire which was composed of red mang ao (traditional Chinese :蟒襖; simplified Chinese :蟒袄; lit.'python jacket'), which is a type of Ming dynasty-style round-collar robe decorated with dragons, which was worn by Han Chinese women as a court robe; a xiapei (Chinese :霞帔), which is a type of long scarf in Ming and a type of stole in Qing dynasty; a mangchu (Chinese :蟒裙; lit.'Python skirt'), which is a skirt which can be red or green and is embroidered with dragons and phoenixes on the front and back skirt lapels), and the fengguan , the phoenix coronet. [9] The Wedding attire is sometimes decorated with Chinese cloud collar known as yunjian . [9]
Portrait of lady in fengguan xiapei in Qing dynasty,
Qing dynasty fengguan xiapei (凤冠霞帔), a yunjian is on top of the attire.
Xiuhefu
The qungua is distinct from another Chinese wedding set of attire called Xiuhefu (Chinese :秀禾服). [1] [2] The Xiuhefu typically has an overlapping jacket which closes to the right side (instead of the qungua central closing jacket) which is worn with an A-line skirt (qun) which looks similar to a mamianqun instead of a straight cut skirt. [2] The Xiuhefu is typically embroidered with flowers and birds to symbolize love for whole seasons. [3]
A bride in Xiuhefu between Taihedian and Zhonghedian, 2022
A bride in Xiuhefu near Xiehemen, 2022
Cheongsam
The qungua is different from the cheongsam which can also be worn as a Traditional Chinese wedding dress. [3] The qungua is a two-piece garment composed of jacket and skirts while the modern cheongsam is currently a one-piece robe. [4] Prior to the 1930s and the 1940s, the cheongsam was also a two-piece set of garment which was composed of a long robe and was worn with a pair of trousers. [4]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "To Have And To Embroider: The "Long Feng Gua" Wedding Tradition | US-China Institute". china.usc.edu. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
- 1 2 3 4 5 JNTT (2020-07-30). "SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT". The Red Wedding. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Li, Yuling (2019). New meaning in traditional wedding dresses – Xiu He Fu and Long Feng Gua – in contemporary China [Master's Thesis]. Cultural Centre, University of Malaya (masters). pp. i-102.
- 1 2 3 4 Qiao, Nan; Tan, Yan-rong (2017). "Talk About the Chinese Wedding Dress of Modern Women". 2017 3rd International Conference on Social, Education and Management Engineering (SEME 2017): 299–301.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Chinese Wedding Traditions: Qun Gua | Hong Kong Wedding Blog". 2016-01-28. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
- ↑ "Technique of Making Hong Kong Cheongsam and Kwan Kwa Wedding Costume - Home". www.lcsd.gov.hk. Retrieved 2022-08-17.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Indonesia-Taiwan Relations: Searching for Better Understanding. Prof. Dr. Tirta Nugraha Mursitama, Ph.D., Dr. Shidarta, M.Hum., Dr. Yi Ying, M.Lit., M.Pd. Penerbit Andi. 2021. pp. 52–63. ISBN 9786230112744.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ↑ "Chinese Wedding Gown (Qun Gua)". Queensland Museum Collections Online. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
- 1 2 Garrett, Valery M. (2007). Chinese dress : from the Qing Dynasty to the Present. Tokyo: Tuttle Pub. ISBN 978-0-8048-3663-0. OCLC 154701513.
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 Qungua in Hong Kong, 2020 |