TRADITIONAL Chinese Clothing

Hanfu 汉服 Han Chinese clothing or Hanfu refers to the clothing worn by the Han ethnic group from the ruling periods of the Three Emperors and Five Sovereigns to the Ming Dynasty. Worn for 4,000 years until it was banned in 1644 by the conquering Manchu tribe. Only Buddhist and Taoist monks were allowed to wear hanfu. Shared characteristics "Y" shaped cross collar with the left one upon the right. No buttons, strings or belt fastenings.

Qin Dynasty (221 BC–206 BC) Classic and conservative Black was the superior color of this era. Symbolized the power of water Armors for common soldiers Emperor Qin’s terracotta army

Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD) Western Han dynasty Characteristics: Cicada-like hats Red clothing Square sleeves Sloping necklines Jade hanging decorations Red shoes Eastern Han dynasty Red was regarded as the most respectful color “fire virtue” Established a formal dress code during this time

Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD) The emperor’s formal costume Each icon on the robe symbolized a different meaning

Tang Dynasty (618–907) Most thriving, prosperous and glorious period of ancient Chinese culture and art. Elegant and noble clothing Sleeves became looser and larger Long skirt and shawl Quality of material was fine and delicate with lustrous decorations Silk Hair was coiled high in a bun “flower bun” “The rule of the wide belt” among government officials

Song Dynasty (960-1279) Simple and natural Collar edges and sleeve edges of clothes were decorated with laces or embroidered patterns Men wore leather shoes while women wore shoes with a round toe, sometimes decorated with various patterns such as flower or bird Colors were used to distinguish the ranks of civil officials

Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) Men’s costume had circular collars and featured broad sleeves Men wore black silk ribbon and drooping strap long enough to cover their hands White pleated skirts became very popular.   

Qing Dynasty (1644–1911) Manchu ethnic minority from the northeast took power An emperor’s gown required two and a half years of labor to complete Dragon Robe contained nine dragons embellished with gold Yellow was reserved as a color for celebrations Men's costume mainly included long gowns and mandarin jackets Style was slender and rectangular in form

Manchu Women Wore high platform shoes Distinct elaborate headdresses Forbidden to adopt foot- binding Distinct elaborate headdresses

Qipao 旗袍 Also known as Cheongsam “long dress” or mandarin gown Evolved from an ancient clothing of Manchu ethnic minority Stylish and often tight-fitting, the qipao that is known today was popularized during the 1920s in Shanghai by socialites and upper- class women From the 1930s, the qipao became auniform type of clothing for women Folk women, students, workers and high-status women all dressed themselves in cheongsam

Shenyi 深衣 Worn in ceremonies to pay respect to ancestors or funerals Made up of 12 panels of fabric sewn together, representing 12 months in a year. Worn for only the most formal of occasions.

Xuanduan 玄端 Xuanduan – like our black coat and tie The Chinese had a collection of formal dresses that were reserved for special occasions like traditional or religious events as well important personal events like weddings and funerals. Xuanduan – like our black coat and tie

Chinese Wedding Dress

Chin. Wedding Dress (Cont.)  In the Chinese culture the wearing of black denotes sorrow and grief. The same goes for other dark colors like grey and blue. These are the kinds of colors that are worn on funerals and not on weddings. The color of the wedding dress should reflect joy and happiness. This is why the two most prominent colors used for dyeing the wedding dress are red and white in the Chinese culture. According to tradition the color red reflects prosperity and love. This is why traditionally the Chinese wedding dress had red as its base color. Chengasm – a print of a dragon and a phoenix on the dresses. According to Chinese tradition, the union of dragon and phoenix symbolizes the natural balance that exists between man and woman.

4 New Terms Hanfu 汉服 Qipao 旗袍 Shenyi 深衣 Xuanduan 玄端

References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_Chinese_clothing http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/article/China/Chinese-Casual-&- Formal-Dress/1865 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_clothing http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/article/China/Traditional- Chinese-Clothing/1930 http://www.cultural- china.com/chinaWH/html/en/Traditions2241bye5957.html http://bbs.chinadaily.com.cn/viewthread.php?tid=504184 http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_chinaway/2003- 09/24/content_28374.htm http://people.cohums.ohio- state.edu/bender4/eall131/EAHReadings/module02/m02chinese.html