Cheongsam Culture In The Republic Of China

Since 1840, modern culture has been impregnated with Chinese culture. Many coastal cities, especially the metropolis such as Shanghai, have been attracted by western culture.

Cheongsam, popular in the 20s of this century, was born out of Manchu women in the Qing Dynasty. clothing It was stereotyped by women in the Republic of China in the way of absorbing western costume. At that time, there was no professional clothing research center. The changes in clothing styles were constantly changing under the influence of the fashion of the ages.

1920s cheongsam

From 1920s to the end of 40s, Chinese cheongsam has been popular for more than 20 years, and its styles have undergone several changes, such as the height of the collar, the length of the sleeves and the height of the slit, which has made the cheongsam completely rid of the old fashions, changing the old appearance of the Chinese women's long arms and arms, showing the female body and the beauty of curves perfectly, which is suitable for the prevailing fashion and has made a great contribution to women's liberation. The cheongsam cheongsam was most popular among the female students at that time. It followed suit all over the country, almost becoming the typical dress of the new Chinese women in the late 20s. It is worth mentioning that at that time, the fashionable girls, celebrities, movie stars and so on, who led the fashion trend, also promoted the development of cheongsam style. Among them, Tang Ying and others were the earliest fashion companies in Shanghai. Since 30s, cheongsam has become almost the standard garment of Chinese women. Cheongsam has even become a dress for social occasions and diplomatic activities. Later, cheongsam went abroad to imitate the dress of other women.

Cheongsam in 30s and 40s

30s and 40s are the golden age of cheongsam and the most glorious period of modern Chinese women's clothing. The cheongsam style is very long at this time, which is consistent with the fashionable dress of women in Europe at this time. At this time, Qipao has completely jumped out of the banner of the banner of the female robe, and it is entirely a new style of "Chinese and Western combination". First of all, there is a saying of "clique". Local cheongsam is westernized, and Western-style handles are used outside the collar and sleeves, such as lotus leaf collar, western style lapel, Hollywood sleeve, etc. Although the application of these reforms is not extensive, it indicates the freedom of thought at that time, and the original program of Qipao is no longer necessary. The match between cheongsam and Western style coat is also a feature of the "clique", which makes the cheongsam enter the international clothing family and can combine with many modern clothes. In today's words, it has "internationalized and modernized". The cheongsam in 20s is still wide and straight, and the cheongsam's hem is bigger than the prevailing big sleeves at that time, and the whole robe is also "upside down". But shoulders, breasts and even the waist have been fitted. Eileen Chang said: "the cheongsam of Chu Xing is cold and upright, with the Puritan wind. "This is good at observing and describing. Latest fashion In the 20s, the "cold and upright" must be the impression of her childhood. {page_break}

In the late 30s, "improved cheongsam" appeared. The cheongsam's cutting structure and structure are more westernized, and the Qipao is more suitable for the use of chest and waist provinces, while shoulder joints and sleeves are also formed, so that shoulders and armpits are fitted together. Someone also makes the softer shoulder pad "beauty shoulder". This shows that women begin to abandon the old ideal shape angle characterized by shoulders. These cuts and structural changes were completed in Shanghai. Mr. Jin Taijun, the descendant of Shanghai Hongxiang company, firmly believes this. Although he himself did not personally experience the whole process, but when he worked in Hongxiang in 40s, he could get much information from his teacher. The cheongsam is mature and has been set up. The cheongsam will no longer jump out of the basic form determined by the cheongsam in 30s. It can only make some changes in its length, weight and decoration. The cheongsam, which is loved by women all over the world, is typical of Cheongsam in 30s. The cheongsam in 30s is modeled after the Shanghai style cheongsam.

In 20s twentieth Century, influenced by western dress, cheongsam gradually became popular among women. There are many styles of cheongsam, such as Ruyi, pipa, slanting and double breasted, with high collar, low collar, no collar, long sleeves, short sleeves and sleeveless sleeves, slit high slit, low slit, long cheongsam, short Qipao, Qipao, single cheongsam and so on. The improved cheongsam became almost the standard garment of Chinese women in 1930s.

At this time, the fashion center has been moved from Su Yang to Shanghai. Shanghai is also a major town for women to seek liberation. Missionaries, businessmen and revolutionaries competed in the establishment of women's studies, and set off a wave of feminist movement. Seeking liberation society's atmosphere to wash away the conventions and customs of dress adornment, tending to be concise and tonal, striving for elegance, and paying attention to embody the natural beauty of women. Cheongsam originally appeared in the form of waistcoat, with the length of the vest and the back of the foot on the short coat. After changing the long waistcoat into a sleeved pattern, it becomes the rudiment of the new cheongsam. It is said that the most popular female student in Shanghai is the founder of cheongsam. At that time, female students, as the representatives of intellectual women, became the ideal image of the society. They were symbols of civilization and the forerunner of fashion, and even the fashionable personages of social celebrities were all dressed up as female students.

Qipao originated from the banners of the banners, and Beijing was the largest place where the banners lived. So until the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, cheongsam belonged to Beijing culture. The banners of the Qing Dynasty include men's robes and women's robes, but because Qipao are women's garments, they can also be said that Qipao is derived from the robe of a flag girl. At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, the robe of the flag girl, which was thin, tight, tight and slim, was enlarged and mattress at the end of Qing Dynasty. After the revolution of 1911, the banners overthrew their robes and wore gowns and trousers. Therefore, in twentieth Century, there were few cheongsam in the 10 years, and there was a slight recovery in 20s. Cheongsam has undergone qualitative changes after the change. The main place for this change is Shanghai.

In the late Qing Dynasty, there were three main differences between the robe of the flag girl and the cheongsam of the Republic of China.

1. the banners of the flag girls are wide and straight, and do not show their physique; in the Republic of China, the Qipao is open to the waist, showing their posture or female curves.

2. of the gowns of the flag girl wore trousers, embroidered trouser legs in the slit, underwear and stockings in the qiongpao, and exposed legs at the slit.

3. the dress of the flag girl is mostly heavy brocade or other jacquard fabrics, and the decoration is cumbersome. In the Republic of China, Qipao fabric is lighter, more printed fabrics and simpler decoration.

It is these three differences that make Qipao a qualitative change from traditional gowns to a new variety that can be compared with western dress. The gown is a coat. It is a kind of clothing that emphasizes function (cold, shelter, identity, etc.). Its aesthetic meaning is traditional implicative. Skirts, French robe or one-piece dress in English, although they also have the same historical and functional tradition as Chinese robes, show the female body curve is also one of its long tradition. Modern skirt has strengthened this characteristic, from implicit, idealized, partial performance to exposure, sexy and whole body performance. The performance of modern western skirt shows that the cheongsam of the Republic of China is incomparable. After the founding of new China, the number of women wearing cheongsam declined sharply. A famous person once said regrettably: "for a woman with a better figure, it is a great loss not to wear cheongsam."

In 1911, the storm of the revolution of 1911 broke out, overthrew the rulers of Manchu, destroyed the last feudal dynasty in Chinese history, cleared the political obstacles for the popularization of western style clothing in China, and threw aside the traditional harsh ethics and the concept of weathering, and lifted the shackles of hierarchy. The free transformation of clothing towards civilians and internationalization has come to an end, and the cheongsam has thus lifted the traditional heavy burden. Because of the demise of Manchu ruling regime, cheongsam wears very little at this time. Western style Chinese dress is bustling and mixed. The old flag robe was abandoned and the new cheongsam was started in the troubled times. {page_break}

At the beginning of the Republic of China -- Qipao that had slipped quietly.

At the beginning of twentieth Century, China's political situation was unsettled. The revolution of 1911 abolished the monarchy, founded the Republic of China, cut off braids, made it easy to serve colors, destroyed and destroyed, overthrew the feudal rulers of Manchu, and sent the crown and rank system belonging to the feudal dynasty into the Museum of history, all of which created conditions for the extension of the new cheongsam.

After the revolution of 1911, the characteristic costumes of "Dala wing" and "flower pot bottom" disappeared overnight.

In 1924, the last emperor Pu Yi was excommunicated from the Forbidden City. Before and after 1920, the spring tide of the new culture movement awakened people's desire for beauty.

During this period, Shanghai became a new display platform for women to dress up. The pursuit of fashionable and fashionable clothes became the prevailing social fashion. Fashionable women had double sensitivity to politics and fashion.

Influenced by Japanese style clothing, "new clothes of civilization" became popular in the early 1910s and early 20s, and the black skirts of female students and female teachers became fashionable.

20s - big sleeves and new styles.

In the early 1910s and early 20s, there was a fashionable new dress in urban women. 30s - Golden Age (I)

From 1920s to 40s, it was the most brilliant period of modern Chinese women's dress, and 30s was the peak of this period. At that time, Qipao laid an irreplaceable position on the stage of women's wear and became a typical representative of Chinese women's wear.

40s -- Golden Age

The process of cheongsam to the classics can be basically completed in 30s, and 40s is the continuation of its golden age in time.

From 20s to 40s, it was the most brilliant period of modern Chinese women's dress, and 30s was the peak of this period. At that time, Qipao laid an irreplaceable position on the stage of women's wear and became a typical representative of Chinese women's wear.

After entering 30s, the cheongsam style is perfect and mature. It can be called classic. It makes it difficult for the cheongsam to jump out of the shape of the cheongsam.

The cheongsam, known as the Chinese dress cheongsam (Hai Pai cheongsam), is known as the cheongsam in 30s. Cheongsam culture was completed in 30s, and 30s is the golden age of cheongsam.

It can be said that at that time China had real fashion, fashion in the modern sense. The importation and importation of foreign materials, the clothing columns that have been opened by newspapers and magazines, and the beautiful calendar of fashionable calendar beauties, all undoubtedly promote the emergence and popularity of fashion. As the cheongsam's slender fitness just caters to the thin and exquisite figure of Southern women, it is very popular in Shanghai.

The Shanghai style cheongsam with the characteristics of western style clothing soon became popular in Shanghai from all over the country. In this way, as the important representative of Shanghai style culture, the cheongsam of Shanghai style became the mainstream of Cheongsam in 30s. The cheongsam in 30s, also known as the cheongsam of Shanghai style, is the mainstream of cheongsam.

In the late 30s, the improved cheongsam also absorbed western style cutting methods on the structure, which made the robes fit more appropriately. Although the cheongsam is born out of the Qing banner gown, it is quite different from the old system, and becomes the standard clothing of modern Chinese women with the characteristics of Chinese and Western dress.

At the beginning of the founding of the people's Republic, people's pursuit of dress beauty has completely transformed into a craze for revolutionary work. The leisurely and comfortable lady's image represented by cheongsam has lost its living space in this atmosphere.