Chinese clothing

Ancient Chinese literature traditionally credits the invention of clothing to the Yellow Emperor, Huangdi, and his wife, Leizu. In early societies, clothing symbolized authority and specific identities. The I Ching states that Emperors Yao and Shun hung their clothes and ruled the world, implying that the style of their clothing signified their status as being different from that of ordinary people. In addition, the unique costumes worn during military activities and ceremonial rites further laid the foundation for the emergence and development of a formal clothing system. Archaeological evidence traces the history of clothing back to the late Paleolithic period. Because ancient shoes were often made from animal skin, the Chinese words for 'leather' and 'shoe' share an etymological link. The earliest shoe styles were very rudimentary. It has been speculated that ancient people cut animal skins into rough foot shapes and connected them with thin leather strips to form the most primitive shoes. == Upper cave site ==

A bone needle and 141 ornaments made of stone, bone, shell, and tooth were discovered at the Upper Cave of the Zhoukoudian Peking Man site and dated to 19,000 years old. Archaeologists found seven small stone beads and 125 perforated animal teeth, many of which exhibited marks of long-term wear. Bones interred in the lower chamber of the cave bore traces of hematite powder. == The Neolithic Age ==

In the Neolithic period, people were found to use spinning wheels to weave threads. The Yuyao Hemudu site also unearthed a waist loom, with a cylindrical back loop that could form a natural weaving mouth, as well as a sheng (scroll). During this time, people also wore linen clothing. With the invention of textile technology, clothing materials became artificially woven fabrics, and silk production also began in the Neolithic Age. The form of clothing changed, and its functions were also improved. Cloak-style clothing such as headscarves and drapes soon became typical attire, and became a method of differentiating people from different social classes. After the emergence of textiles, headscarves developed into a standardized clothing style, widely used for a considerable period of time, in vast regions, and among many ethnic groups. They replaced the clothing components of the Paleolithic era and became the basic form of human clothing. In addition to general clothing, the Neolithic pottery also depicts the use of crowns, boots, headgear, and accessories. ==Shang dynasty==

In the Shang dynasty, the primary materials for clothing included leather, silk, ramie, and kudzu. The upper class favored naturally dyed silk and leather, while the lower class, due to limited access to silk, primarily used hemp, ramie, and kudzu fibers. As textile technology advanced, silk and ramie fabrics became increasingly significant. Artisans developed the skill to weave exceptionally fine silk, create geometric jacquard patterns, and produce ribbed yarn using warp looms. These fabrics were often richly dyed in deep, vibrant colors. ==Western Zhou dynasty==

During the Western Zhou dynasty, the hierarchical system was gradually established, and the Zhou dynasty established official positions such as "Si Fu" and "Nei Si Fu", which were in charge of royal attire. According to literature records and analysis of unearthed cultural relics, the Chinese coronal and attire system was initially established during the Xia and Shang dynasties and had been fully perfected by the Zhou dynasty. It was incorporated into the rule of etiquette during the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period. To express nobility and dignity, royal officials in different ceremonial occasions should have their crowns arranged in an orderly manner, and their clothing should also adopt different forms, colors, and patterns. From the human shaped cultural relics unearthed during the Zhou dynasty, it can be seen that although the decoration of clothing is complex and simple, the upper and lower garments are already distinct, laying the foundation for the basic form of Chinese clothing. == Qin and Han dynasties ==

Women's clothing During the Qin and Han dynasties, women's clothing typically featured long, wide, and loose sleeves, often paired with high-heeled clogs. Noblewomen also adorned their arms with a decorative scarf known as the Jingguo. This period also saw a trend toward diversification in fashion, with the most iconic example being the "Liuxian Skirt." According to the Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital, Zhao Feiyan was granted the title of Empress, and her sister commissioned the weaving of coordinated upper and lower garments, creating a splendid ensemble. Zhao Feiyan famously wore the "Yunying Purple Skirt," also known as the "Liuxian Skirt," which was a tribute from South Vietnam. This skirt, resembling today's pleated styles, was very beautiful. == Three Kingdoms ==

Women's clothing During the Three Kingdoms period, women's clothing also had unique characteristics, reflecting the aesthetic concepts and cultural styles of that time. A skirt or robe is one of the common attire for women. This type of dress is mostly long, with a wide hem, creating a dignified and generous atmosphere. The cuffs and stitching of the dress often carry exquisite embroidery, which may be floral, bird and animal, or other auspicious patterns, reflecting women's pursuit of beauty and love for life. In addition, women also enjoy wearing various hair and headgear to showcase their beauty and elegance. Common hair accessories include hair combs, hairpins, etc. These hair accessories are usually made of precious materials such as gold, silver, jade, etc., which may be inlaid with precious gemstones or jewelry, adding charm and charm to women. ==Sui and Tang dynasties==

Sui and Tang women are easy to dress up. The "half-arm" that spread from the court lasted for a long time, and later men also wore it. At that time, long towels were also popular. They were made of tusa with silver flowers painted with silver or gold and silver powder. One end was fixed on the chest strap of the half arm, and then put on the shoulder, and swired between the arms, called silk. There are various kinds of women's hair accessories in the Tang dynasty, each with its own name. Women's shoes are generally floral shoes, mostly made of brocade fabrics, coloured silk and leather. == Song dynasty ==

Song official uniform During the Song dynasty, there were roughly three types of Hanfu: official attire, casual attire, and traditional attire. In the Song dynasty, the fabric of official uniforms was mainly made of silk. Due to the old system of the Five Dynasties, the government would give brocade robes to high-ranking ministers every year, divided into seven different colors such as Song dynasty Lingjiu ball patterned brocade robes. The color of official attire follows the Tang system, with purple attire for third grade and above, red attire for fifth grade and above, green attire for seventh grade and above, and green attire for ninth grade and above. The official attire style is roughly similar to the long sleeved robe of the late Tang dynasty, but the first attire (such as the crown hat) is already a flat winged black gauze hat, called the straight footed fu head, which is a custom attire for rulers and officials. The official attire of the Song dynasty followed the fish wearing system of the Tang dynasty. Officials eligible to wear purple and crimson uniforms were required to wear a "fish bag" around their waist, which contained fish made of gold, silver, and copper to distinguish their official rank. The square and curved collar is also a characteristic of the court attire, which is the decoration of the lower part of the circle placed between the neckline of the court attire. The daily casual wear of officials in the Song dynasty, apart from their official uniforms and uniforms, mainly consisted of small sleeved round necked shirts and soft winged buns with drooping headbands, still in Tang style, but with more convenient casual shoes for daily living. The representative clothing of the Song dynasty's elderly is a wide sleeved robe with a cross necked (cross necked) collar and a Dongpo scarf. The robe is made of dark material with edges to preserve ancient style. The Dongpo scarf is a square tube shaped high scarf, which is said to have been created by the great literary scholar Su Dongpo. It is actually a revival of ancient cloth scarves, which were often worn by the elderly gentry of the Ming. Song Dynasty Lingjiu Ball Pattern Brocade Robe There were also various popular folk costumes in the Song dynasty. Men are popular with futou and drapes, while women are popular with flower crowns and caps. Women's hairstyles and flower crowns were the focus of their pursuit of beauty at that time, best reflecting the changes in attire during the Song dynasty. During the Tang and Five Dynasties, female corollas became increasingly delicate, while during the Song dynasty, corollas underwent further development and changes. Usually, flower and bird shaped hairpins and combs were inserted into hair buns, making everything unusual. == Yuan dynasty ==

The Yuan dynasty was an era of ethnic integration in Chinese history, and the costumes and clothing fully reflected this feature. Genghis Khan, the founder of the Yuan dynasty, built the Khanate since 1206, and after the destruction of Western Xia and Jin, its ethnic composition was mainly dominated by Mongols. Yuan dynasty due to the more acute ethnic conflicts, long in a state of war, textile industry, handicrafts have been greatly damaged. Palace service system for a long time to extend the Song, until 1321 Yuan Yingzong period only with reference to the ancient system, the development of the Son of Heaven and the hundred officials of the upper garment with the lower garment, on the tight under the short, and in the waist plus crease accumulation, the back of the shoulder to hang a large bead of the "quality of the zhisun" system, the Han people say "one color clothes" or "quality of the zhisun". This is inherited from the Han and Mongolian national characteristics of the clothing system. ==Ming dynasty==

Ming official uniform After the rule of the Mongols in the Yuan dynasty, the Han tradition was restored in the Ming dynasty, and Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang re-established the Hanfu clothing system. The Ming dynasty emperor wore a black veil folded over a scarf (with black veil wings and a crown), and the hat wings stood up from the back. In the early Ming dynasty, it was requested to restore the Tang style of clothing and headgear. The style of the legal attire was similar to that of the Tang dynasty, except that the imperial crown for advancing talents was changed to a Liang crown, and the crown styles such as the Zhongjing crown were added. Since the Tang and Song dynasties, dragon robes and yellow have been exclusively used by the royal family. Since the Southern and Northern Dynasties, purple has been considered expensive for official uniforms. In the Ming dynasty, due to the emperor's surname Zhu, Zhu was chosen as the official color. Additionally, due to the mention in the Analects of Confucius that "evil purple is the way to seize Zhu," purple was abolished from official attire. In the Ming dynasty, public uniforms were also made of Futou and round necked robes, but at this time, Futou was painted with black paint on the outside, with short and wide feet, and was called Wusha hat. Non official civilians were not allowed to wear it. The most distinctive feature of public uniforms is to use "patches" to indicate the grade, in addition to the color according to the grade regulations. A patch is a piece of silk material approximately 40–50 centimeters square, woven and embroidered with different patterns, and then sewn onto official clothing, with one on the chest and one on the back. Civil officials use birds as their complement, while military officials use beasts, each divided into nine levels. To commend the achievements of officials, clothing such as python robes, flying fish uniforms, and bullfighting uniforms are specially given. The python is a four clawed dragon, the flying fish is a python with fins on its tail, and the bullfighter adds curved horns to the python's head. When reaching the highest rank, jade belts are used. So the "python robe and jade belt" became the most prominent attire of high-ranking officials at this time. Ordinary round necked robes are distinguished by the length of the clothes and the size of the sleeves, with the older ones being respected. The wives and mothers of officials who were granted official titles also wore red long sleeved dresses and various types of Xia Pi, which were differentiated by patterns and decorations. In addition, high-heeled shoes are already worn by upper-class women, and there are two types of shoes: inner high sole and outer high sole. The clothing of both upper and lower levels of society has obvious levels. Cultural Protection In the field of cultural preservation, recent research has highlighted the effectiveness of modern digital technologies, such as CLO3D, in recreating traditional Chinese clothing from the Ming dynasty. This innovative approach allows for precise modeling of fabric texture, color, and garment structure, providing a valuable tool for historians and cultural preservationists (Yang et al., 2021). These developments are significant as they offer new methods for accurately preserving and understanding historical garments, which were previously reliant on traditional replication techniques. This intersection of technology and historical study presents an exciting advancement in the conservation of cultural heritage, making it an important addition to related Wikipedia pages. == Qing dynasty ==

The Qing dynasty time to implement shave the hair and change the clothing, Shunzhi nine years (1652), the "dress color shoulder ordinance" promulgated, since the abolition of the Ming dynasty's crowns, gowns, and all the costumes of the Han, but the Manchu dress at the same time absorbed the texture pattern of the Ming dynasty dress. Ming dynasty men were all stored hair in a bun, wearing loose clothing, wearing stockings, shallow shoes; Qing dynasty, shaved hair and braids, braids hanging behind the head, wearing thin horseshoe-sleeved arrows, tight socks, deep boots. But the official and the people's costumes are always clear-cut. The Qing dynasty is a Manchu ruler-based regime, Manchu Banner dress with the change of dynasty rushed into the customs. The customs and habits of the Banners influenced the vast Han-dominated Central Plains. == Republic of China ==

The Republic of China period was an important stage in the history of Chinese fashion. Chinese society experienced many changes and revolutions, and Western clothing and styles gradually affected China's fashion industry. China began to be exposed to Western culture and fashion. During this period, some Chinese began to wear Western-style clothing, while traditional Hanfu gradually faded out of the mainstream. Fashion during the Republic of China is considered the origin of modern fashion in China. Cheongsam Cheongsam is the traditional dress of Chinese women in China and the world, and is regarded as China's national treasure and women's national costume. It was formed in the 1920s and has since become the most common women's garment. Some scholars believe that its origin can be traced back to the deep clothes of the pre-Qin and Han Dynasties. There are still many controversies about its definition and the time of its creation. In 1929, the government of the Republic of China promulgated the Regulations on the System of Clothing, which designated the traditional Chinese jacket and skirt, as well as the cheongsam, as women's dresses. Zhongshan suit / Mao suit Zhongshan suit is a four-pocket garment with a stand-up lapel and a pocket flap designed on the basis of widely absorbing European and American costumes and synthesizing the characteristics of Japanese student clothes and Chinese clothes. In April 1929, the Chinese Zhongshan suit was announced as the legal uniform by order of the Nationalist Government. After the 1950s, Zhongshan suit became the official clothing of the national leaders to the common people. Early in the People's Republic, Mao Zedong inspired Chinese fashion with his own variant of the Zhongshan suit, which would be known to the west as Mao suit. Meanwhile, Sun Yat-sen's widow, Soong Ching-ling, popularized the cheongsam as the standard female dress. At the same time, clothing viewed as backward and unmodern by both the Chinese as well as Westerners, was forbidden. In 1949, the first plenary session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) opened with the election of Mao Zedong as Chairman of the Central People's Government, announcing the birth of the great new China at the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China. In this historic moment, Mao Zedong wearing Zhongshan suit on the Tiananmen Square tower solemn declaration of the image of forever in the history books, and this set of clothes with the world famous, Westerners called it "Mao Suit" (Mao uniform). The Mao Suit became the most fashionable dress of that era. Compared with the Zhongshan Suit of the Republic of China, the Mao Suit of the 1950s had a larger neckline and the lapel changed from small to large. The first People's Congress in 1954, men are to wear the Zhongshan suit as fashionable and progressive. While most of the women choose Su Lenin suit, this style of clothing learned from the Soviet Union for the double-breasted suit with open collar, if the lower part of the large lapel phase cover, buckle under the collar, it becomes two small pointed collar. The waist tied a cloth belt, two rows of three buttons, double lapel in the lower part of both with a dark slanting pockets, using gray or blue khaki, this system of clothing can shape the typical "female cadres" image, in the revolutionary era looks simple and solemn. Around the Destruction of the "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, cheongsams, and long hair. These items were regarded as symbols of bourgeois lifestyle, which represented wealth. Citizens had to avoid them or suffer serious consequences such as torture or beatings by the guards. ==Modern Fashion==

On the one hand, fashion styles in China tend to be diversified, and since 2023, styles such as "Dopamine," "New Chinese style" have been hot, reflecting the diversity of contemporary fashion and the This reflects the diversity of contemporary fashion and the young generation's pursuit of personalized expression. Consumers' understanding of fashion has gradually gone beyond simple trend-following, paying more attention to the expression of personality and emotion through clothing, and the style of clothing has become more versatile. It is worth paying attention to the fact that traditional clothing containing classical aesthetics, such as Hanfu and Tang suit, have continued to be popular among consumers in recent years. Data show that the Hanfu, show clothes turnover year-on-year growth rate of 376% and 212%, respectively, the number of consumers of men's Tang suit increased by more than 90% year-on-year.On the other hand, fashion styles tend to diversify. These unique styles are not only changes in the matching of clothing and apparel, but also the display of life attitude and cultural symbols. On the other hand, consumers' attention to materials and fabrics has driven the quality upgrade of the fashion industry. "Soft and comfortable", "not easily deformed", "multi-color optional", "windproof and warm" and so on have become popular apparel keywords which highlights consumers' high demand for clothing quality. This concern for quality is not only reflected in the appearance, but also shows the importance of the wearing experience and environmental protection characteristics of clothing. Hong Kong clothing brand Shanghai Tang's design concept is inspired by historical Chinese clothing. It set out to rejuvenate Chinese fashion of the 1920s and 30s, in bright colors and with a modern twist. Other Chinese luxury brands include NE Tiger, Guo Pei, and Laurence Xu. In the year 2000, dudou-inspired blouses appeared in the summer collections of Versace and Miu Miu, leading to its adoption within China as a revealing form of outerwear. For the 2012 Hong Kong Sevens tournament, sportswear brand Kukri Sports teamed up with Hong Kong lifestyle retail store G.O.D. to produce merchandising, which included traditional Chinese jackets and cheongsam-inspired ladies polo shirts. In recent years, renewed interest in traditional Chinese culture has led to a movement in China advocating for the revival of hanfu. As an increasing number of Chinese people like and attach importance to hanfu, hanfu no longer only appears in Chinese drama as in the past. Relatedly, the guochao () movement has resulted in younger Chinese shoppers preferring homegrown designers which incorporate aspects of Chinese history and culture, such as Shushu/Tong. It has been suggested that the most copied Chinese fashion of the 20th century is the Mao suit Zhongshan suit (simplified Chinese: 中山装; traditional Chinese: 中山裝; pinyin: Zhōngshān zhuāng) after the republican leader Sun Yat-sen (Sun Zhongshan). An unexpected influence on the suit came from the north — the Soviet Union. Amongst the famous and popular who have adopted the suit is Kim Jong Un of North Korea. Vietnamese leader Hồ Chí Minh is also known for wearing the Zhongshan suit. He had spent the 1920s polemicizing in communist circles in the Whampoa Military Academy, before fleeing to Hong Kong after the Nationalist purge of April 1927. China Fashion Awards China Fashion Design "Golden Peak Award", the best fashion designers, China's top ten fashion designers, emerging designers, the Golden Shears Award, the best professional fashion models, China's top ten professional fashion models, the best fashion photographers, the best fashion commentators and other awards have attracted much attention, and the annual award ceremony of China Fashion Awards has become an influential fashion event. An influential fashion event. ==Gallery==

File:Jin Wu Di.jpg|Emperor Wu of Jìn, by Yan Liben (600–673) File:Court Ladies of the Tang.jpg|Tang dynasty court ladies from the tomb of Princess Yongtai in the Qianling Mausoleum, near Xi'an in Shaanxi File:B Song Dynasty Cao Empress Sitting with Maids.JPG|Official Song dynasty portrait painting of Empress Cao, wife of Emperor Renzong of Song File:Yuan qu.jpg|Modern reconstruction of temple mural shows clothes of the Yuan dynasty File:孝安皇后.jpg|Ming dynasty Empress Xiao'an File:Portrait of Jiang Shunfu.jpg|A 15th-century portrait of the Ming official Jiang Shunfu. The decoration of two cranes on his chest are a mandarin square "rank badge" that indicate he was a civil official of the first rank. File:Portrait of Jiang Shunfu, badge detail.jpg|Detail of Jiang Shunfu's rank badge File:The Qianlong Emperor in Ceremonial Armour on Horseback.jpg|The Qing dynasty Qianlong Emperor in ceremonial armour on horseback File:UB Maastricht - Dapper 1670 - Kleding.jpg|Illustration of Chinese accessories from Olfert Dapper (1670): Gedenkwaerdig bedryf der Nederlandsche Oost-Indische maetschappye File:Hanfu Mariage01.jpg|Zhou dynasty-style Chinese wedding dress File:银镀金凤冠.jpg|Chinese silver crown File:孝端显皇后九龙九凤冠.jpeg|Fengguan of the Ming dynasty empress File:Veiled hat - Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute- The Story of Lady Wenji.jpg|Weimao in the Tang dynasty - Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute File:Tang dynasty woman wearing a cross-collared robe 唐周昉调琴啜茗图 (cropped).jpg|Tang dynasty woman wearing a cross-collared robe File:Tanghanfu.jpg|Hanfu in a famous Tang dynasty painting File:Zhouwenju-03-01x.jpg|Ancient Chinese who played Go File:蔣孺人像.jpg|Portrait of a Ming dynasty female official File:Gu Hongzhong's Night Revels 2.jpg|Gu Hongzhong's night revels File:鴟鴞帽2.jpg|Traditional Chinese hat File:Queen Mother of the West from a Wall-Painting in Han Dynasty Tomb.jpg|Queen Mother of the West from a wall-painting in a Han dynasty tomb File:忠靖冠服容像.jpg|Official Ming dynasty portrait File:Zhou Fang. Court Ladies Tuning the Lute (28x75) Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City (cropped).jpg|Zhou Fang. Court Ladies Tuning the Lute (28x75) Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City (cropped) File:人物像.jpg|Official Ming dynasty portrait File:Ricci Guangqi 2.jpg|Religion during the Ming dynasty File:Tangyin7big.jpg|Famous Tang Bohu paintings File:Gu Hongzhong's Night Revels, Detail 7.jpg|Hanfu during the Song dynasty File:晚明 命婦像.jpg|Portrait of a lady of the late Ming dynasty File:Pictura CARPE DIEM.jpg|Image of musicians in ancient China File:Looking in the Mirror and dabs on Rouge Powder.jpg|Daily life records of court women during the Song dynasty File:Mingnoblewoman1.jpg|Portrait of a Ming noblewoman File:Gu Hongzhong's Night Revels 1.jpg|Gu Hongzhong's Night Revels File:李流芳像軸.jpg|Portrait of Li Liufang File:Chinese bridal wedding gown.jpg|Chinese bridal wedding gown File:Traditional Chinese costume 01.jpg|Traditional Chinese clothing File:Traditional Clothing of China.jpg == See also ==