Cheongsam (旗袍), the traditional cloth of Chinese females in the Republic of China, is reviewed as the most gorgeous culture in the long history of Chinese fashion culture. On May 23rd, 2011, cheongsam production technique was listed into the third state-level non-material cultural heritage protection. During the 22nd APEC meeting held in Beijing in Nov 2011, cheongsam was chosen as the cloth of leaders’ wives participating in the meeting.

Cheongsam (旗袍), the traditional cloth of Chinese females in the Republic of China, is reviewed as the most gorgeous culture in the long history of Chinese fashion culture. On May 23rd, 2011, cheongsam production technique was listed into the third state-level non-material cultural heritage protection. During the 22nd APEC meeting held in Beijing in Nov 2011, cheongsam was chosen as the cloth of leaders’ wives participating in the meeting.

Red is the representative color, displaying the long history and traditional culture of China and mainly showing the elegant and implicit charm of oriental women. The patterns of cheongsam generally derive from traditional Chinese ornamentation including bamboo, plum blossom and Chinese painting.

Historical development

Some scholars said that in order to pursue the ideological emancipation and the right, women in the beginning of the Republic of China wore robes following the men. Maybe that is one of the reasons why cheongsam became popular. After the Han Dynasty, women had no choice but to wear a coat and dress. Robe was the patented choice of men.

In the early Republic of China, under the flooding of western culture and ideas, youngsters, especially young femininity bravely sought for the liberation. One of the phenomenons was the change of clothing. The females viewing the robe had a general mood at that time. After the Northern Expedition (1926-1927), cheongsam regained women’s temperament.

Since the 1930s, cheongsam was viewed as the standard clothing of Chinese women from folk women to wives of officers. It went so far as to formal dress of social interaction. Cheongsam achieved the golden time in the 1930s and 1940s. Its style matched with the prevailing European women’s dress at that time. At the end of the 1930s, “improved cheongsam” appeared, and the production technique and structure of which were more westernized. From then on, cheongsam fell into a pattern. Following ones just made some change in the way of length, features and decoration.

Source: www.tourbeijing.com