Chinese clothing

Fashion of China has varied greatly throughout different periods of time. The wide range of clothing from each era have been imprinted on artifacts, arts and photos across Chinese culture. Each social or historical period brought about a new style. Unlike many other cultures, it did not adopt contemporary fashion styles until much later.

Dynastic Periods

Robe of Qianlong Emperor with the Chinese dragon, hallmark of the Emperor of China and imperial families

Depending on one's status in society, each social class had a different sense of fashion.

Regular citizens

Hanfu

Qipao

Scholars

Chinese academic dress

Civil or 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. Another code was also 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 nine types of hat knobs representing the nine distinctive ranks of the civil or military position. Variations do exist for Ming-styled and Qing-styled headwear.

Republic of China era (1911 - 1949)

The abolition of imperial China in 1912 had an immediate effect on dress and customs. The largely Han Chinese population immediately cut off their queue as they were 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 pre-existing robes. Adapted from Japanese student wear, this style of dress became known as the Zhongshan suit (Zhongshan being Sun Yat-sen's given name in Chinese).

People's Republic of China era (1950-1980)

Mao Zedong's would later start his own variant of the Zhongshan suit, which would be known to the west as Mao suit. Meanwhile, Madame Sun popularised the qipao as the standard female dress. At the same time, old practices such as footbinding, which had been viewed as backwards and unmodern by both the Chinese as well as Westerners, were forbidden.

Around the Destruction of Four Olds period in 1964, almost anything seen as part of Traditional Chinese culture would lead to problems with the Communist Red Guards. Items that attracted dangerous attention if caught in the public included jeans, high heels, Western-style coats, ties, jewelry, qipao and long hair. These items were regarded as symbols of bourgeois lifestyle, that represented wealth. People had to avoid them or suffer serious consequences such as tortures and beatings by the guards. A number of these items were thrown out to the middle of the streets to embarrass the citizens.

People's Republic of China era (1990 - Present)

Contemporary urban clothing seemed to have developed an obsession with brand names. In major urban centres, especially Shanghai, an increased western look is preferred, and there is an emphasis on formal wear over casual wear for adults on the streets. Teenagers prefer brand names. Children usually wear clothes decorated with cartoon characters.

See also

• Culture of China
• National costume

External links

• Powerhousemuseum