Traditional Chinese dress Cheongsam(2)

旗袍的历史(lì shǐ ) History of Qipao

The Qipao we see today has been modernized over the years.

In the early years of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), long gowns were collarless, narrowly cuffed in the shape of a horse's hoof, and buttoned down front left. They also had a fitted waist. Wearers usually rolled up their cuffs and only unrolled them when hunting or battling, to protect the back of their hands. In the winter, cuffs of the gowns helped keep their wearers warm. The gown had four slits, one on the left, the right, the front and the back. Each slit reached the knees. The gown was fitted to the body and rather warm. Fastened with a waistband, the long gown could hold solid food and utensils for hunting.

Another feature of the Manchu cheongsam was that people generally wore it with a waistcoat that was either buttoned down the front, twisted in the front, or shaped like a lute.

When the early Manchu rulers came to China proper, they moved their capital to Beijing and the cheongsam began to spread to the Central Plains. The Qing Dynasty unified China and standardized the nationwide costume as well. Although the 1911 Revolution toppled the rule of the Qing (Manchu) Dynasty, the female dress survived the political change and, with improvements, has become the traditional dress for Chinese women.

Until the 1930s, Manchu people, no matter male or female, all wore loose-fitting and straight-bottomed broad-sleeved long gowns with a wide front. The lower hem of women's cheongsam reached the calves with embroidered flower patterns on it.

In the 1930s, influenced by the Western thought of women's liberation, Chinese women reformed the Qipao. The straight collar was lowered. The sleeves were shortened or even disappeared.

From the 1940s on, the cheongsam almost became a nationwide uniform for women. The cheongsam even became the attire for formal social occasions and diplomatic meetings. Later, the cheongsam even spread to foreign countries and became popular with foreigners.

(Source: china.com)