Chinese traditional costumes
2 min readChina boasts a brilliant history of clothing, some dating it to 4,000 years ago, when Chinese people invented silk. Around the 18th century, when the rococo style arose in Europe, it became a fashion for aristocrats to wear Chinese-style costumes to festive balls. In fact, as early as in the Tang Dynasty(618-907), China already led the world in its clothing industry. The clothes at the time were innovatively bright in color, light and soft in texture, flowing and graceful in style, and valuable in artistic terms, as evident in the extant Tang-style clothes preserved to this day in the Shoso-in Treasures of Japan raceful Tang-style Fashion.
An important moment of the APEC Summit occurs when heads of member states pose for the collective photograph of all in clothing provided by the host country -an opportunity favored by photojournalists. Each host country takes into consideration its aesthetic tastes and cultural traditions in the design of the garments. At the 2001 APEC Summit, China as the host country provided heads of state with Tang-style apparel, attracting worldwide attention for its rich and strong chinese characteristics.
This attire is named after the Tang Dynasty, a prosperous era in Chinese history The label”Tang-style apparel”gives recognition to ancient Chinese culture though not necessarily meaning this design was popular in the Tang dynasty The name today is simply a term for a special Chinese-style design in clothing Tang-style fashion in reality combines the Manchu clothing style of the Qing Dynasty(1616-1911) with the style of Western suits. Such designs are available for both men and women.
Tang-style apparel has four main elements: first, it is usually front-buttoned though most of womens costumes are buttoned on the left, a design not only displaying the characteristics of the Chinese style but looking quite graceful second, it always has a vertical collar, which sets off the wearers demeanor third, it has no seams between the sleeves and the main part of the costume fourth, it uses handmade stylish cloth buttons.
The designs, the source of the vivacity of the Tang-style apparel, present a strong national flavor. These designs, in round shapes, usually feature peony, plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum to sy mbolize fortune, dignity and purity; or feature Chinese characters meaning blessing, position, longevity, or double happiness. Today, Chinese people love to wear Tang-style clothing on happy occasions or during festivals wishing for blessing and happiness Tang-style attire is also favored by film directors. In the tv drama, The Oranges Are Red, directed by Li Shaohong(b. 1955), the heroine Xiuhe shows off dozens of Tang-style costumes. This wardrobe was designed on the basis of the robes worn by princesses of the Qing Dynasty with small vertical collars. Made of quality silks and embroidered with different kinds of flowers in the Chinese style, the outfits look refined and elegant with their high aesthetics gaining public appreciation.
