Chinese clothing

Chinese clothing is the clothing, ancient and modern, worn by the Chinese people. It has varied by region and time, and is recorded by the artifacts and arts of Chinese culture.

The articles of clothing of past dynasties are one chapter of Chinese long history and culture. They are not only the reflection of the politics and economy of a given society, but also the great contributions for world civilization.

An outstanding characteristic of traditional Chinese clothing is not only an external expression of elegance, but also an internal symbolism. Each and every piece of traditional clothing communicates a vitality of its own. This combination of external form with internal symbolism is clearly exemplified in the pair of fighting pheasant feathers used in head wear originating in the battle wear of the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.). Two feathers of a ho bird (a type pheasant good at fighting) were inserted into the head wear of warriors of this period to symbolize a bold and warlike spirit.

Darker colors were favored over lighter ones in traditional Chinese clothing, so the main color of ceremonial clothing tended to be dark while bright, elaborate tapestry designs accented. Lighter colored clothing was worn more frequently by the common people for everyday and around the house use. The Chinese associate certain colors with specific seasons: green represents spring, red symbolizes summer, white represents autumn, and black symbolizes winter. The Chinese are said to have a fully developed system of matching, coordinating, and contrasting colors and shades of light and dark in apparel.

Today, Fashion designers use a mixture of traditional and modern ideas to create new fashions. These new fashions also incorporate age-old motifs such as guardian deities, lions, and masks of Chinese opera characters. Chinese bronze is another source of printed, woven, embroidered, and applied design for clothes. Some of the distinctive designs include dragons, phoenixes, clouds, and lightning. Motifs from traditional Chinese painting also end up in woven or printed fashion designs.

In modern society, men are seen at social occasions wearing the dignified and refined traditional Chinese long gown, and women often wear the ch'i-p'ao, a modified form of a traditional Ching Dynasty fashion, on formal occasions. The variations of height, length, width, and ornamentation of the collar, sleeves, skirt, and basic cut of this Oriental fashion are limitless.

On the street you'll find many Chinese women dressing in Chinese-style coats. The low straight collar, beautiful coiled buttons and embroidery patterns on the coats can be seen as the symbols of the Chinese style. Updated with modern design and fashionable colors, these modest jackets can show the graceful and peaceful disposition of a person.

Many accessories such as macramé are used to decorate shoulders, bodices, pockets, seams, and openings of clothing, as well as belts, hair ornaments, and necklaces. Some successful examples of combinations of modern and traditional fashion elements are the modern bridal tiara, based on a Sung Dynasty design and the Hunan Province style of embroidered sash made in the traditional colors of pure red, blue, and green. From these examples, it can be seen how traditional Chinese dress is the foundation of modern fashion. However, the Chinese have also adopted many Western styles of clothing such as business suits and jeans.

Qipao, the well-known old Chinese style dress, has been popular for centuries. These days it is made of pure silk, cotton or tapestry satin. The high neck, slit skirt and tight waist show the beautiful figure of a woman. Women with a slim figure love to choose a qipao to wear to a party or formal occasion. The dignified and elegant manner it inspires will impress all the participants. It can also be seen in the hotels or restaurants where the female attendants and waitresses wear them to give a good impression to the guests or show the style the hotel has.

Personal collections of artistic photos are very popular among young people in China. The women usually wear Chinese-style dresses for the photos. Lovely girls with the traditional dresses look just like ladies from an ancient family of good social standing.

The dudou that was a hidden part of women's attire in the ancient times has become the daily wear of the bold and vanguard young ladies in summer. Two thin strings are tied behind the neck and a knot is also casually tied on the back. The navel is discernible at one moment and gone the next behind the diamond-shaped cloth. In summer the dudou feels cool to wear. But the girls brave enough to don one attract the attention of people on the street! This undergarment's history can be traced back thousands of years. In Chinese tradition it is said that red color stands for good luck and can dispel ghosts. Thus, red underwear next to the skin is the choice of the ancient people. However, modern people regard it as a fashion instead of as hidden underclothes.

So its not just the hostesses on TV who like to sport Chinese-style clothes when hosting a program or a talk show, ordinary people like to wear them too. Chinese women will certainly become more and more beautifully dressed as the heritage of Chinese-style clothes evolve.

China is a multi-national country. Each nation has a traditional culture of its own. The mutual support and inspiration among different nationals made Chinese dress more plentiful and glorious. Middle Asia deeply influenced Chinese dress system.

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