What is traditional Chinese dress?

Costume is the unique fruit of human labor, which is both the crystallization of material civilization and the meaning of spiritual civilization. Human society has been marching slowly for hundreds of thousands of years from ignorance and barbarism to civilization. After bidding farewell to the apes and monkeys, our ancestors, clad in animal skins and leaves, wandered in the wind and rain for uncountable years, and finally crossed the threshold of civilization with great difficulty, knowing how to cover their bodies and create a material civilization. However, the pursuit of beauty is human nature, clothing in people, such as gold in the Buddha, its role is not only in covering the body warm body, but also has the function of beautification. Almost from the day of the origin of the dress, people have been living customs, aesthetic interests, color hobbies, as well as all kinds of cultural mentality, religious concepts, are precipitated in the dress, constructed into a dress culture spiritual civilization connotation.

Summer, Shang and Zhou

In the Yin-Shang period, the development of social productive forces was rated, and there were a lot of material civilization in the material. From the oracle bones visible hieroglyphics have mulberry, cocoon, silk and other characters, can prove the development of agriculture at that time. From the unearthed bronze battle-axe of Shang Dynasty weapons, there are silk traces of thunder pattern and silk fabric fragments, etc., which can be seen at that time the high level of craftsmanship and superb. Yinshang oracle bones, visible king, minister, herdsman, slaves, razor and the king's order, etc., with the development of productive forces and the social division of labor, began to mark the times, became the ruling class, "show the name, discerning, etc. Wei" tool. The relations of production between the inferior and the superior, prompted the dress also began to form its inherent system.

The Zhou Dynasty was a period of gradual improvement of the Chinese crown and costume system. At this time, the written records of the costumes were very common. Bronze inscriptions, records of dress and "Tiger Coronet practice Li" (Mao Gong Ding), "female fur treasure temple" (Zhou, Bur Caiwen Gui) and so on. With the emergence of the hierarchy, the distinction between superior and inferior, a variety of rituals also came into being. Reflected in the dress, there are sacrificial dress, court dress, military dress, funeral dress, wedding dress. These costumes were adapted to the son of heaven and the common people, and were even used in the feudal society for two thousand years since the Shang and Zhou Dynasties.

The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period

The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period did not follow the Zhou system. Seven states rose to power, each independent of the other. Except for Qin, which was located in the western part of the country and was different from the other six states, all the other six states showed their own styles of dress due to the hobbies and luxuries of the lords and the hundred schools of thought that emerged at that time. Among the three thousand diners of Lord Chunshen, the top guests wore beaded shoes; the harem of Lord Pingyuan was hundreds. The guards of the King's Palace wore black military clothes; the Confucians of the adorned dress long skirt and sleeves, square feet and so on. The beginning of the Han dynasty dress, and the people are not prohibited. Western Han Dynasty, although the Son of God served by the eighth edict of the dress system, but also not very clear, roughly the seasons and for the color of the difference, such as spring green, summer red, autumn yellow, winter soap. The Han Dynasty women's daily clothes, the top of the dress under the skirt.

Wei-Jin period

Since the Wei, Jin and North-South Dynasties, due to the entry of the northern tribes into the Central Plains, the costumes of the northern ethnic groups were brought to this region. At the same time, a large number of ethnic dress cultures also influenced and assimilated the dress of the northern peoples. Women's daily clothes still consisted of a jacket and shirt on top and a skirt on the bottom. The jacket and skirt could also be used as a petticoat shirt within a dress.

Sui-Tang period

Sui united the whole country, re-established the Han Chinese dress system, however, it is difficult to get rid of its unification from the north to the south, which brought the influence of the northern clothing system. It was only with the establishment of the Tang empire that its long reign, coupled with its strong national power, made its dress system inherited the system of successive generations, and then started the system of crown and costume of the later generations of the scriptures, as well as its society, showing a prosperous scene. Tang people and the northwest of the frequent interaction of various ethnic groups, various ethnic groups with the Tang people living in the interior is also a lot, therefore, the Tang people wearing Hu clothing attire often seen in the era of cultural relics. In the Sui and Tang dynasties, women's daily dress was jacket, coat, skirt, mostly seen in the upper body with jacket, coat, shirt, and the lower body bundled skirt. Red was the most popular color for skirts, followed by purple, yellow and green. Women's shoes in the Tang Dynasty were often made with phoenix-shaped toes and were similar in size to those of men. Those who served in the palace wore red cotton boots, and the singers and dancers also wore boots. Women's daily wear a variety of names, such as jacket, shirt, robe, waist scarf, chest, skirt, pants, knee pants, socks, shoes and boots and so on.

Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties

Song Dynasty, a large area of land in the northern part of the country was reduced to the domination of the female Genghis Khan aristocracy, and the dress culture was also affected by the interaction of political and economic factors. Continuing the Ziji Tongjian records: "Lin'an Province customs, since more than ten years, the dress is not normal, used to the side of the dress ......" can be seen in the Southern Song Dynasty Kyoto is also still the northern dress. Song Dynasty women's daily dress, most of the upper body wearing a jacket, 襦, shirt, back, half-arm, the lower body bundled skirt, pants. The fabrics were Luo, yarn, brocade, damask and silk. Especially the skirt is quite a style, the texture is mostly seen Luo yarn, the color of pomegranate flowers in the red of the most eye-catching. Pleated skirt is also a characteristic of the skirt, there are six, eight, twelve ranging from the noblewoman with the skirt of the pleats more.

The Yuan Dynasty was the era when the Mongols entered the Chinese customs and ruled the Central Plains. Its dress both inherited the Han system, and the implementation of its own system. Yuan Dynasty was established, but also in the capital of the people must shave their hair for the Mongolian attire. In the Yuan Dynasty Mongolian dress pattern, the dragon and phoenix pattern is the product of absorbing the culture of the Central Plains. The dragon and phoenix pattern is a traditional Chinese auspicious pattern, was used by successive generations of the royal family. People regarded the dragon as sacred, auspicious and festive. The dragon is a symbol of valor, dignity and might. The phoenix was regarded as a sacred bird and worshipped in the ancient totemic era, it is the protection god in people's imagination in the primitive society, and evolved through the gradual perfection of the image. The phoenix is also a legendary bird that can bring peace and happiness to people, so it is used as a symbol of good luck and celebration. Mongolian clothing, to the head with a hat and hats, men with earrings. However, after the Yuan Dade years. Mongolian and Chinese among the scholar's clothes also from their own way. Women's clothing, the rich and powerful more than sable for clothing, with leather hat. The general use of sheepskin and cui felts for clothing materials. At that time, the robe type wide and long, often used as a dress. At the end of the Yuan, because the noble family to Goryeo men and women's attire for the beauty, and popular clothes, boots, hats imitation Goryeo style.

Zhu Yuanzhang overthrew the Yuan dynasty, the establishment of the Ming empire, first of all, the ban on hu clothing, hu language, hu name, and then in the name of the Ming emperor's imperial edict: clothing and crowns, such as the Tang dynasty form. The emperor of the Ming dynasty crown, civil and military people dress, internal ministers dress, its style, rank, wearing etiquette can be described as red tape. Even the daily dress, there are express provisions, such as Chongzhen years, the emperor ordered its Prince, Prince Yi dress green cloth cotton jacket, purple flower cloth, white cloth pants, blue cloth skirt, white cloth socks, green cloth shoes, wearing soap cloth scarf, dressed as a commoner look like the face of the activities, but also proved that the civilian population of the clothing. Ming Dynasty women's clothing regulations for civilian women can only use purple, can not use gold embroidery. Robe can only use purple and green, peach and light color, can not use red, crow green, yellow. The belt was made of blue silk cloth. Buttons were used in the clothes of the Ming Dynasty. Ming women's shoes are still embroidered or embellished with beads for the phoenix head. The court is wearing a small gold flower pierced on the cloud-like shoes.

Qing Chongde three years (A.D. 1638) had ordered: "effective other countries (refers to the Han) clothing crown hair wrapped feet, heavy punishment for their crimes." The Qing dynasty and the implementation of forced to shave hair and easy to dress, according to the customary system of the Manchu people to shave their hair and change their clothes. Clothing system adhere to the old system, especially in the men's clothing, to maintain the characteristics of the Manchu and the continuation of a very long period of time. Despite the fact that the Qing Dynasty abolished the Ming Dynasty costumes, the official uniforms still adopted the Ming Dynasty's sample system. The golden phoenix and golden diadem embellished on the crowns of the women were also still inherited from the former system. The difference between the ranks of the official clothes in the Qing Dynasty is mainly reflected in the top of the crown, the plume and the embroidered birds and animals on the patchwork clothes. If the ranking can start from the emperor, according to the top and down with the crown prince, prince, prince, general, princess, extra horse harnessed by the side of a team and other royal relatives. Dissident feudal titles are public, candidate, uncle, son, male, civil and military officials of the first to the ninth grade, not into the stream of the magistrate, as well as the scholar, the lifer, the tribute student, the supervisor, outside the Lang Yarrow, from the plowing and farming officials. In addition, there are first-class, second-class, third-class blue-collar guards, ministers and so on, their official uniforms are strictly differentiated.

The Qing dynasty men's clothing to robes and coats, this wind in the late Kangxi Yongzheng period is most popular. Women's clothing in the Qing Dynasty can be said to be Manchu, Chinese clothing coexisted. Manchu women to robes, Han women are still on the dress under the skirt for the fashion. Beginning in the middle of the Qing Dynasty, the Manchu and Han people have imitated, to the late, Manchu imitation of the Han people's style is quite prevalent, and even the history books have "half of the flag dress to change the Han, the palace robes cut off as a short garment," the record. The Han Chinese imitation of Manchu dress style, but also at this time in the officials and noblewomen popular. Women's clothing styles and varieties to the Qing Dynasty is also more and more diverse, such as undershirts, a wrap round, skirts, coats, cloud shoulders, scarves, hand cages, breasts, belts, glasses ......, endless.

Modern

Entering the modern era after 1840, Western culture infiltrated the local Chinese culture, many coastal cities, especially Shanghai, such a metropolis, because of the Chinese and foreigners living in the West, get the first of the Western style, clothing also began to undergo potential changes. In the early days, little variation in clothing styles, folk are still robes and coats for men's clothing; women are on the jacket under the skirt. After that, the commercial trade is becoming more and more prosperous, a large number of foreign goods poured in, feather yarn, tweed, foreign silk, flower cloth and so on flooded the market, so that the traditional dress wear some changes. Foreign clothing materials because of cheap and gradually become popular, labor-intensive and time-consuming, sophisticated craftsmanship, roll, inlay, embedded, embroidery and other traditional handicrafts gradually for the decline, the Western sewing began to popularize the way. Especially women's fashion, due to the sewing of refined, styles in line with the trend of the times, especially influential. Popular in the twenties of the twentieth century, the cheongsam, born in the Qing Dynasty Manchu women's clothing, is worn by Han Chinese women absorbing Western clothing styles continue to improve and stereotypes. At that time, there was no professional clothing research center, clothing style changes through thousands of households, under the influence of the times and fashions continue to change. From the 1920s to the end of the 1940s, the Chinese cheongsam was popular for more than twenty years, with several changes in style, such as the height of the collar, the shortness of the sleeves, the height of the slits, so that the cheongsam completely got rid of the old style, changing the old appearance of Chinese women's long-standing breasts and hunched backs, and letting women's physiques and curves fully show their beauty, which was suitable for the fashion at that time, and made a great contribution to the emancipation of women. The green cloth cheongsam was the most popular among female students at that time, and it became a typical dress for Chinese new women in the late 1920s. It is worth mentioning that, at that time, as a leading fashion trend in the city of Shanghai in the modern girls, socialites, movie stars, etc., in the cheongsam style innovation, but also promote its development, such as socialite Tang Ying and others, the first in Shanghai founded the Yunshang fashion company is. Since the 30's, cheongsam has almost become the standard clothing for Chinese women, folk women, students, workers, wives of dignitaries, all wearing. The cheongsam even became the dress for social occasions and diplomatic activities. Later, the cheongsam also spread abroad, for other women to follow suit.