The history of cheongsam, a traditional garment with unique Chinese characteristics, can be traced back to the deep garments of the pre-Qin and Han dynasties. After thousands of years of evolution, it finally reached its peak during the Republic of China. The development history of cheongsam can be summarized as the following stages:
1⃣️Origin and early development
Cheongsam originated from the clothing of the Manchus in the Qing Dynasty. It was originally worn by both men and women. Men’s robes were called robes, and women’s robes were called gowns.
Over time, cheongsam became popular in the Central Plains region and evolved into a unique style.
Characteristics of cheongsam: In the early days, the cheongsam had a wide body, straight lines, and was long to the feet. It was straight-tube style, with wide lace on the collar, sleeves, lapels, and skirts. It was wide, narrow-sleeved, low-necked, straight-tube style, with slits on both sides or all four sides to facilitate movement on horseback.
The cheongsam of this period retained many characteristics of Manchu costumes.
2⃣️Changes during the Republic of China
At the beginning of the 20th century, influenced by Western clothing culture, cheongsam began to undergo significant changes.
The cuffs gradually shrink, the piping is no longer wide, and the tailoring of the cheongsam pays more attention to the waist curve and makes it more fitted.
The 1930s was the golden age of the cheongsam. The rise of Shanghai-style cheongsam made the cheongsam more Westernized in terms of tailoring and theory. Designs such as chest darts and waist darts were adopted. The cheongsam became longer and tighter, with high slits, showing the sophistication of oriental women. and openness.
3.Modern changes
During the Anti-Japanese War, the design of cheongsam paid more attention to practicality and simplicity, with the length shortened and sleeves reduced or eliminated.
In the early days of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, cheongsam experienced a period of low ebb, but it was still popular overseas.
In the 1990s, with the deepening of cultural exchanges and the promotion of film and television works, cheongsam re-entered people’s vision, with new styles and details becoming increasingly more exquisite.
4.The revival of contemporary cheongsam
Contemporary cheongsam is not only popular in China, but also moves to the world stage as an important symbol of Chinese traditional culture.
In various important occasions and activities, cheongsam has become an important garment to showcase the style and traditional culture of Chinese women. 🌼
Generally speaking, the development history of cheongsam is a process of continuous evolution and innovation. It integrates Chinese and Western clothing cultural elements and shows its unique charm and charm‼
