Chinese national costume description. National clothes of China. National headdresses of China

The national dress of China is hanfu, which means clothes of the Han Dynasty. For formal and very important events, they used a Hanfu outfit made of red and black fabrics, white was considered mourning and was used very rarely, emperors, his family and entourage wore gold and yellow.

Since the mid-30s of the last century, when the Chinese monarchy ceased to exist, qipao has become a typical example of national Chinese clothing for women. In English-speaking countries, qipao is better known as cheongsam, which translates as a shirt. The first qipao robes were sewn quite simply. They consisted of a piece of fabric with two seams and a stand-up collar, had five buttons and a slit in the front.

National Chinese clothes and traditions

Chinese women's national clothes were made from various fabrics - it depended on wealth. Cotton and hemp fabrics were used by the middle-class population, silk fabrics were used by local aristocrats. Pants sewn without zippers or buttons and having an oblique seam on the stomach have become traditional clothes for pregnant women. It was believed that such a robe helped prevent evil spirits from penetrating into the belly of a pregnant woman. In China, it is believed that a woman's small foot is very beautiful. In order for the leg not to grow, from early childhood, shoes were put on girls. This procedure caused severe pain, leg disease, and in some cases even disability.

National clothes of China are in fashion today. On the streets of the city, in offices, you can meet a woman in qipao. You can add short blouses, jackets and sweaters to national clothes. The main difference between traditional Chinese clothing is the softness and elegance of the cut, traditional embroidery, knot buttons and braid.

National clothes and national cuisine, which have developed over the centuries, can tell much more about the material and spiritual culture of any country than all history textbooks combined.

Chinese civilization is one of the five oldest civilizations on the planet, originated in 2-3 thousand BC, and for a long time this country lived in isolation from its neighbors and did not experience other people's influence. This left its original imprint on the development of the culture of the Celestial Empire and was reflected in the national costume. Some countries of the world have completely abandoned their national costumes, and they can only be seen in ethnographic museums. But in China, even today, national motifs that have come from time immemorial prevail in the clothes of the population.

The clothes of Chinese citizens are not influenced by fashion and modernity. She lives her original and unique life outside of time and space.

Of course, social status and material well-being have had an impact on clothing since antiquity. So, for example, powerful, rich and noble people in ancient China wore multi-layered, bright clothes made of silks of various textures.

The middle strata of the population wore no more than two layers of clothing, while the poor wore cotton trousers and shirts, both men and women.

It was the same with the color scheme: the upper strata of the population wore clothes of bright, eye-catching colors, while the lower ones chose dark, nondescript colors.

Chinese men's national clothes

Men's national clothing for men in China was an undershirt without fasteners and wide trousers. They were sewn from hemp, cotton or silk fabric, it depended on the wealth of the owner. It was considered indecent to show the bottom pants, so the outerwear was very long, and the so-called pants were put on the legs - leggings, which were attached to the sash with ribbons. In Northern China, due to the severe cold, they wore quilted trousers and cotton-lined legs.

Double-breasted robes or wadded sweaters without any fasteners with a smell on the right side were put on top. The Chinese considered the left side unlucky and those who wrap their clothes to the left were called barbarians. The width of the sleeves attracted attention: the higher the social status of a person, the wider the sleeves of his clothes (sometimes they reached 3 meters). During work, such sleeves were tied with special ribbons and crossed under the chest.

In winter, the Chinese wore wadded robes (even a few) or wadded dresses. Wealthy people could afford coats made of dog, monkey or goat fur. The very rich afforded fur coats made of sable or silver fox, but the most valuable were fur coats made of golden astrakhan fur. Over fur coats, special painted silk robes of bright scarlet color were worn.

According to Chinese customs, it is indecent to show one's lower limbs, so a wide piece of fabric, the so-called "shan", was tied around the belt. It was attached to the belt with a wide sash, which also served as a waist bag. Items important for every person were kept in it: flint and steel, a knife, an archery ring, etc.

An important role in the costume was played by the color red-black colors were considered truly masculine. The emperor and mandarins (his ministers) could wear yellow and orange robes, symbolizing power and wealth.

On clothes with the help of colored ink, hieroglyphs in an ornament of bats were applied, most often “longevity” and “happiness”.

Women's Chinese national costume

The women's national costume in China largely repeats the men's. The underwear also consists of pants and a shirt, dressing gowns or sweaters are put on top. In the Tang era, wide skirts appeared, which were held on the hips with brightly colored sashes. But women's clothing was distinguished by exquisite embroideries and patterns. These patterns were highly symbolic. Various flowers and plants personified different seasons, the image of a butterfly symbolized the family hearth and marital love, a pair of mandarin ducks - eternal marital fidelity. Sometimes especially skilled craftswomen could embroider entire plot pictures on their clothes.

National headdresses of China

A Chinese costume would not be considered complete without a headdress or elaborate hairstyle for both men and women. Since ancient times, it was considered indecent in China not to take care of one's appearance and, in particular, hair. Both women and men carefully lubricated their hair with perfume oils and essences, sprinkled it with colored powder, smeared it with wax and varnish.

Women wove bird feathers, flowers and leaves, threads of beads and pearls into their hair, men used dark braided cords to strengthen their hair.

According to the rules of etiquette, a man's head must be covered with a headdress. Young men wore small metal caps until they came of age, young people from wealthy families could afford caps made of precious metals, decorated with gems. At the age of twenty (in China, the age of majority) they performed a ceremony - putting on a hat, when the cap was replaced by an adult headdress.

The emperor himself and other noble people wore a complex headdress consisting of several layers, which was called "Mian".

The poor, on the other hand, wore wide-brimmed cone-shaped straw hats.

Noble Chinese women did not wear headdresses, they were replaced by complex hairstyles with wooden patterned hairpins crosswise. Elderly noble ladies could afford wigs.

Even today in the 21st century China is an original country with a unique culture and religion; the Chinese sacredly observe the traditions and customs of their ancestors. The national dress of China breaks all stereotypes, it is not subject to the fashion trends of Europe and America, it lives according to its own laws, only subject to it. And today, on the streets of the largest cities of this country, you can meet people in national clothes, decorated with complex bright ornaments with fans in their hands and in wooden sandals. This does not surprise anyone and does not cause excessive curiosity.

China has lived in isolation from other countries for so long that even today its culture does not lend itself to any new trends. The people of China are true patriots, sacredly guarding the heritage of their ancestors, they cherish their spiritual culture and their historical traditions.

Modern national Chinese clothing for men dates back to 1911, when the Xinhai Revolution, led by Sun Yat-sen, overthrew the Qing dynasty and founded the Republic of China. The National Party proposed to change the concept of the national costume in order to finally do away with the remnants of the past, class distinctions and any other hints of imperial rule.

During these discussions, Sun Yat-sen showed a preference for the simple, concise everyday clothing that is widely worn in the Chinese province of Guangdong. However, some modifications were made to the costume. Chinese fashion designers took into account his wishes, and as a result, a kind of jacket was obtained, fastened in the middle with knot buttons, with patch pockets and a traditional stand-up collar. He looked simple, elegant, and tasteful, and at the same time quite decorous and elegant. Sun Yat-sen set his own personal example by constantly wearing a similar suit in a variety of situations and occasions. It didn't take long for this type of Chinese national costume for men to spread throughout the country.

Nowadays, suits of this type are sewn from linen, cotton, natural and artificial silk. They come in one or two colors, with embroidery or printed designs. Chinese shirts and jackets of identical cut are also ubiquitous. Men wear such shirts and jackets not only with traditional trousers, but also with modern jeans and trousers. Often the upper part of the costume is decorated with traditional embroidery with Chinese ornamental symbols depicting dragons, tigers, phoenixes, etc.

Buying Chinese national costumes has become much more profitable

Shops of Chinese national clothes have become available to the Russian buyer. Women's suits, dresses, blouses and sleeveless jackets in traditional style are considered the fashion standard in China and win the sympathy of stylists from all over the world. Chinese national women's clothing will fit perfectly into a theme party or into the everyday wardrobe of an office worker. Models of dresses with a stand-up collar and wrapped like a bathrobe are comfortable and practical and look very elegant at the same time.
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In addition, you can easily buy Chinese national clothes in small sizes to create mother-daughter family sets. Elegant costumes will make you an oriental beauty at a dinner party or on a walk around the city. Our online women's clothing store will not leave any fashionista indifferent, and admirers of oriental culture will love to buy national dresses here.