Across the dynasties by Shanshan

Across The Dynasties

Across The Dynasties The Evolution of Chinese Women's Dress

Shanshan Chen

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 XIA Dynasty

SHANG Dynasty

ZHOU Dynasty

QIN Dynasty

HAN Dynasty

Three Kingdoms

SUI Dynasty

TANG Dynasty

SONG Dynasty

YUAN Dynasty

MING Dynasty

QING Dynasty

Early Republic

INTRODUCTION A

n 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. Archaeological findings of 18,000 year-old artifacts such as bone sewing needles and stone beads and shells with holes bored in them attest to the existence of ornamentation and of sewing extremely early in Chinese civilization. Variety and consistency in clothing were roughly established by the era of the Yellow Emperor and the Emperors Yao and Shun (about 4,500 years ago). Remains of woven silk and hemp articles and ancient ceramic figures further demonstrate the

sophistication and refinement of clothing in the Shang Dynasty (16th to 11th century B.C.). The three main types of traditional Chinese clothing are the pien-fu, the ch'ang-p'ao, and the shen-i. The pien-fu is an ancient two-piece ceremonial costume of a tuniclike top extending to the knees and a skirt or trousers extending to the ankles. The ch'angp'ao is a one-piece garment extending from the shoulders all the way to the heels. The shen-i is a cross between the pien-fu and the ch'ang-p'ao; it consists of a tunic and a skirt or trousers like the pien-fu, but the tunic and the skirt are sewed together and essentially one piece like the ch'ang-p'ao. Consequently, the shen-i was the most widely worn of the three types. Typical of these three types of clothing were wide and voluminous sleeves and a very loose fit. Tunic and trousers or tunic and skirt, utilized a very minimum number of stitches for the amount of cloth used. So

because of their relatively plain design and structure, embroidered edgings, decorated bands, draped cloth or silks, patterns on the shoulders, and sashes were often added as ornamentation. These varied designs came to be one of the unique features of traditional Chinese dress. 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.

he Xia Dynasty (2000 BCE-1600 BCE) was the first dynasty in Chinese history. It lasted around 500 years and included the reigns of 17 emperors--an emperor is similar to a king. The Xia people were farmers, with bronze weapons and clay pottery. One artifact called a "bi" seems to be a burial artifact. Bi's have been found throughout Chinese history. Silk is one of the most important products China has ever created. Most historians agree that the Xia Dynasty was producing silk clothing, though silk production may have started much earlier. Silk is made by unraveling the cocoons of Silk Worms. Each cocoon is made from a single silk thread. Not all historians agree that the Xia was a real dynasty. Some believe the story of the Xia were just a mythical story because the stories sound embellished and they don't match exactly with the archeology that has been discovered so far. The Xia stories come from written history from the next dynasty, but there are some artifacts to support the existence of the Xia Dynasty.

XIA Dynasty

(2000 BCE-1600 BCE) 3

SHANG Dynasty (1600 BC-1000 BC)

he earliest dynasty recorded, the Shang Dynasty (c.1600 BC-1000 BC), developed the fundamentals of the Hanfu; it was made up of a knee-length tunic tied with a sash, with narrow cuffs called yi, a narrow, ankle-length skirt, called shang. This was accompanied by a bixi, which was a length of fabric that reached the knees. Since technology was limited, the only colours that could be used were primary colors- red, blue , yellow and green. It was a unisex outfit worn by men and women alike. The higher strata of society of course had more elaborate work and motifs on it in spite of the limited colors available.

pendants, jade rings, earrings, necklaces, combs, silk fabrics, burlaps, and copper decorations, have been found on excavated statues. Costume styles evolved from simple and practical to ornamental. This is reflected in the invention of â&#x20AC;&#x153;twelve designs of symbols.â&#x20AC;? Looking at the patterns and styles of clothes in history books such as The Rites of the Zhou, Book of Rites and Rites.

The inscriptions on bones and tortoise shells in the Shang dynasty, from about the 16th to 11th century B.C., words that related to dress and personal adornments, such as as yi (clothing), lu (shoes), huang shang (skirts), and mei (sleeves). Ornaments of varying value, like jade

ZHOU Dynasty (1046 BCE-256 BCE)

tarting in the Western Zhou dynasty, h o w e ve r, c l a s s d i st i n c t i o n b e c a m e apparent, as evident in the differences in clothing and personal adornment. More and more variety in clothing also appeared, depending on the occasion. For example, paying respects to the gods and making obeisance to heaven and earth at the palace temples required special clothing. Special clothes were worn for grand ceremonies.

T h e r e w e r e a r m y u n i fo r m s , w e d d i n g ceremony outfits, bereavement clothes, and so on. Clothing at the time was still made in accordance with old systems and thus had dark tops and yellow bottoms, but official garb included four-inch-wide sashes made from silk or leather that were worn over the lapels. Other costumes included jade adornments on the waist belt linked together with silk ribbons. In addition, clothing of different colours indicated different social classes. During the Warring States, the costume of the seven dukedoms of Qi, Chu, Yan, Han, Zhao, Wei and Qin, each developed changes accordingly. The so-called â&#x20AC;&#x153;skirt around the front of the body" style actually referred to loose-cut cloth with wide rims that was wrapped around the lower body. The ancient designers wrapped the cloth ingeniously from the front of the upper body to the back, making full use of horizontal and diagonal lines to complement space and achieve both quietude in motion and motion in quietude. Materials were light and thin, and stiffer brocade was used to embroider the borders with wavy patterns that reflected the wisdom and intellect of the designers.

uring the Qin and Han dynasties, changes in the style of dress were dramatic. The Emperor Qin, who was influenced by the concept of Yin and Yang as well as the theory of the Five Elements, believed that the Qin dynasty would subdue the Zhou dynasty like water extinguishes fire. Therefore, because the Zhou dynasty was "fire superior to gold, its colour being red," the favourite colour of the Qin dynasty was black, since the colour black was associated with water. Thus, in the Qin dynasty, black was the superior colour to symbolise the power of water, so clothing and adornments were all of the colour black. During the two hundred years of the Western Han dynasty, the “dark style” continued for clothing and personal adornment. Its characteristics were: cicada-like hats, red clothing, square sleeves, sloping necklines, jade hanging decorations, and red shoes. The general term for this style of clothing was “Buddhist clothing” and is basically a onelayer coat. Court dress was black in colour. As for the formal dress used in performing sacrificial rites, it was edged with red. The only way to tell a person’s rank or position in society was by the colour and quality of his clothing — there was no difference in the style of the clothing worn by government officials and ordinary people. There were two types of robes, classified according to the style of the front of the robe. One style had a front

with a diagonal opening, where the material was wrapped on a diagonal from the collar to under one arm, and the other had a straight opening down the front. Because this style of clothing was long and loose, it was a popular style for men.

QIN Dynasty (221 BC-206 BC)

he Eastern Han dynasty started from 25 A.D. and ended in 200 A.D. During the period of the Guangwu emperor, red was regarded as the most respectful colour, as it displayed the Han dynasty’s “fire virtue.” Until the second year of Yongping period, red was still the popular colour, but a white inside layer had to be worn when performing sacrificial rites. This white layer was edged with red, which matched the red socks and shoes. Government officials dressed in colours that were appropriate for the seasons, according to the theory of Five Elements. They held ceremonies to pray according to the four seasons. At the beginning of spring, they would hold a ceremony in the eastern suburbs, and carriages and clothing would be a graygreen colour. At the beginning of summer, the ceremony would be held in southern suburbs, and both carriages and costumes would be red. At the beginning of autumn, carriages and dress would be yellow, and at the beginning of winter, everything would be black.

HAN Dynasty 9

There were thirteen different types of hats. Since the Wei-Jin dynasty people still used these hats.In the Han dynasty, a man’s rank and status was indicated by the style of his crown. In the Han dynasty, a woman wore a short jacket and a long skirt, and a decorative belt hung down to the knee. A man always dressed in a short jacket, trousers in the style of calf’s nose, with a short cloth skirt outside. This style was the same for everyone — workers, farmers, businessmen, and scholars. During the Wei-Jin period, court dress was red, and casual clothing was purple. In the ancient book History of the Wu Empire -- The Story of Lu Meng, it says, “ask the people who wear white clothing to be businessman’s servant.” From this description, we can tell that white was the colour for ordinary people. Women’s adornments were particular delicate, including golden earrings, silver rings, and bracelets. There was a big difference in quality for women’s accessories worn inside and outside the imperial palace.

(206 BC-220 AD) 10

Tree Kingdoms (220 AD-280 AD) The Three Kingdoms (AD 220–280), a tripartite between the states of Wei ( 魏 ), Shu ( 蜀 ), and Wu ( 吳 ), followed the loss of the de facto power of the Han dynasty in China, ushering in the start of the Period of Disunity. The term "Three Kingdoms" itself is something of a mistranslation, since each state was eventually headed not by a king, but by an emperor who claimed legitimate succession from the Han dynasty. Nevertheless, the term "Three Kingdoms" has become standard among sinologists.

SUI Dynasty

(581 AD-618 AD)

ounded by Emperor Wen of Sui, the Sui dynasty capital was Chang'an (which was renamed Daxing, 581–605) and the later at Luoyang (605–614). Emperors Wen and Yang undertook various centralized reforms including the equal-field system, intended to reduce economic inequality and improve agricultural productivity; the institution of the Three Departments and Six Ministries system; and the standardization and re-unification of the coinage. They also spread and encouraged Buddhism throughout the empire and undertook monumental construction projects including expanding the Great Wall and digging the Grand Canal.

The Sui dynasty was a short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it unified China for the first time after over a century of northsouth division. It was followed by the Tang dynasty. Women’s clothes had the trend to be more open. Small-sleeves coats usually made of yarn, still long skirts, wide and long scarves were what they often wore. They could bare the part of body above their chests. This sort of cloth could show the beauty of women better. Another kind of clothes popular that time was something with big sleeves, short breasted shirts and long light skirts. They were used when women were walking in the garden, picking flowers, playing with their pets etc.

TANG Dynasty (618 AD-907 AD)

he Tang dynasty was the most thriving, prosperous, splendid, and glorious period of ancient Chinese culture and art. The style of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clothing during the Tang dynasty is the most outstanding in Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history. Tang dynasty attire had many different styles, and was ever changing, which enabled the look of the Tang dynasty style to remain elegant, noble and poised, and forever unique and amazing. The costumes of the Tang dynasty are like exotic flowers in Chinese history. The quality of the material was particularly fine and delicate, and the decorations lustrous. The characteristics of Tang dynasty attire were distinctive and natural, displaying the beauty, grace, and freedom of people from heaven. Hair was styled to cover the temples and frame the face, and gowns were low-cut with a high waistband.

Women’s outfits consisted of a shirt with short sleeves and a long skirt; or a loose-sleeved shirt, long skirt, and a shawl. Hair was coiled high in a bun, with such names as “gazing-gods bun,” “cloud bun,” “double handingdown bun” and so on, the clothing were mainly short jacket or shirt, and long skirt with a shawl, half-length sleeve, phoenix was decoratedat the toe of the silk shoes or shoes weaved by grass, coiling the hair in a “flower bun”, so that one could put bamboo hat on the head. After the prosperous Tang dynasty, sleeves became looser and larger. In the Tang dynasty, there was “the rule of the wide belt.” This convention dictated that the quality and quantity of decorations on the belt be used to indicate the rank of government officials. For example, officials lower than the first rank wore a sword or knife, officials and generals higher than the third rank wore jade belts, officials of the fourth and fifth rank wore gold belts, and the six- and seventh-ranking officials wore silver belts. In comparison, ordinary people could only wear a small bronze or iron knife.

SONG Dynasty (960-1279)

ong Dynasty clothing can be divided into three categories of style. One was designed for the empress, the noble concubines, and females of all levels of “government uses”; another style called “formal clothes” was for ordinary people; and one style was casual for daily use. The clothing designed for Song Dynasty government officials was extremely luxurious, and even common people dressed

very fastidiously. Not only were the fabrics elegant, but also the hair styles were very special. Some were braided and hung down on the shoulder, while some were like cloud lights with delicate bands supporting the golden phoenix. People without much money used paper decorations in their hair, fragrance on the body, and wore shoes with embroidered flowers.

n the Yuan dynasty, “Zhi Sun dresses” were popular. All government officials wore them to attend feasts inside the palace. This kind of clothing was worn by all classes of people, and could be made from materials of varying weight and quality. Emperor Zhi Sun’s winter and summer clothing had fifteen ranks. The materials and colours were well coordinated, as were accessories like hats. The winter

clothing of government officials had nine ranks, while summer clothing had fourteen. The bi jian was a double-sided leather coat, worn by the both upper and lower classes, which was a little longer than the ma gua (a traditional Chinese gown worn by males). Yuan Dynasty women of the aristocracy had their own styles of dress. The aristocrats

were Mongolians who wore leather coats and hats as their national attire. Clothing made of marten and sheepskin was very popular. Women wore mostly long, loose gowns with wide sleeves and narrow cuffs. Because the gowns were so long, they dragged on the ground, so noblewomen had maids accompany them to care for the clothing.

YUAN Dynasty (1271-1368) 20

he Ming Dynasty female upper clothes were three collars with narrow sleeves. The body height was over three feet, revealing the skirt only two to three inches, the socalled “Flower hat, skirt clothes with big sleeves and round collars”. The skirt installs often used light coloured fabrics in early Ming Dynasty. At Chong Zhen time, white skirts were very popular. The skirt hem had one to two inch embroidered edges. The early Ming Dynasty’s skirts were all 6 inches wide. At the end of Ming Dynasty, it changed to 8 to 10 inches. Pleated skirts were extremely popular. The size of the pleats ranged from small and close to big and wide. Skirts were also highly decorated. One particular design was called

the “striped garland skirt” or “phoenix tail skirt.” Each strip was made from a different piece of coloured satin, and each piece was embroidered with a flower-and-bird design in gold thread. One of these strips could be used as a sash. If several of these decorated strips or “garlands” were joined together at the waistband, in the form of a skirt, they fluttered and danced in the breeze—hence the name “phoenix tail skirt.” Other popular pleated skirts were made from a whole piece of silk and hand sewn into close pleats. One kind of skirt had twenty-four pleats and was named “the jade skirt.” The Ming dynasty also had one special kind of cape. Because of its beautiful shape, it was called “pink cloud

MING Dynasty

(1368-1644) cape.â&#x20AC;? Males typically wore a robe having a square towel and circle collar . This garment characteristically had wide sleeves, black edges, a round blue collar, and a black ribbon soft turban hanging belt. Labourers were the only ones who wore cloth pants, which were black. They also wore long black cloth handkerchiefs and coats with wide hems. The official's costumes were cloud satin round collar gowns. There were also cloud satin coat dress style. This style of robe hung one inch above the ground. Sleeves were also long enough to cover the hands, and the sleeves themselves were each one foot wide. Bright red shoes were the typical fashion.

Manchurian-style clothing with short narrow sleeves was the popular mode of dress in the Qing dynasty. The style was slender and rectangular in form. The saddle-shaped collar was large enough to cover a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cheeks and protect the face. The entire garment, which was not lined, was cut straight from top to bottom and did not have waist. Plate buttons were placed on the front-right side as decoration. There were two to three false sleeves, and the sleeves were long enough to cover the hands. Garments were often decorated with embroidered designs, and clothes covering clothes add on the vest and long robe. The box-like look of Qing dynasty clothing presented a solemn, slightly arrogant image that commanded respect. It was quite

unique. The Qi robe (Chinese cheongsam dress) and the short clothes have the shape of a pi pa (a Chinese musical instrument) front, big front and parallel front, etc. The sides of the garment, as well as the collar and sleeves, were decorated with inlays and embroidery. The matching skirts and pants were highly decorated in a variety of ways, including dye printing and embroidery. Qing Dynasty women had separate clothes for formal, casual, and business occasions. Business dress was for empresses and other nobility up to 7 Pin (level). Formal clothes were worn at events like weddings or to funerals. Inside the palace, the clothes were decided according to the femalesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Pin. The style of casual clothes varied, depending on their function.

QING Dynasty

(1644-1912)

Early Republic T he cheongsam is a body-hugging onepiece Chinese dress for women, also known in Mandarin Chinese as qipao ( ć&#x2014;&#x2014;č˘? ), and Mandarin gown in English. The stylish and often tight-fitting cheongsam that is best known today was created in the 1920s in Shanghai and made fashionable by socialites and upper class women. The original qipao was wide and loose. It

(1920s) covered most of the woman's body, revealing only the head, hands, and the tips of the toes. The baggy nature of the clothing also served to conceal the figure of the wearer regardless of age. With time, though, the qipao were tailored to become more form fitting and revealing. The modern version, which is now recognized popularly in China as the "standard" qipao, was first developed in

Shanghai in the 1920s, partly under the influence of Beijing styles. People eagerly sought a more modernized style of dress and transformed the old qipao to suit their tastes. Slender and form fitting with a high cut, it had great differences from the traditional qipao. It was high-class courtesans and celebrities in the city that would make these redesigned tight fitting qipao popular at that time.In Shanghai it was first known as zansae or "long dress", and it is this name that survives in English as the "cheongsam". The Republican period is the golden age of

Cheongsam. In exploring reasons behind its prevalence in Republic of China, many scholars relate it to the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s liberation movements. The 1949 Communist Revolution curtailed the popularity of the cheongsam and other fashions in Shanghai, but the Shanghainese emigrants and refugees brought the fashion to Hong Kong where it has remained popular. Recently there has been a revival of the Shanghainese cheongsam in Shanghai and elsewhere in Mainland China.