The first and "traditional"
qipao when introduced to the larger Han population was wide, baggy and rather loose. It covered most of the woman's body revealing only the head, hands, and the tips of the toes. The loose baggy nature of the clothing also served to deemphasize and conceal the figure of the wearer regardless of age. However, with time the
qipao were tailored to become more form fitting and revealing. The modern version, which is now recognized popularly in China as the "standard"
qipao, was first developed in Shanghai around 1900, soon before the end of the Qing Dynasty. People eagerly sought a more modernized style of dress and transformed the old
qipao to suit their tastes. Slender and form fitting with a high cut, it contrasted sharply with the traditional
qipao. In Shanghai it was first known as
zansae or "long dress" (長衫 = Mandarin: chángshān, Shanghainese:
zansae, Cantonese:
chèuhngsàam), and it is this name that survives in English as the "cheongsam".











0 comments:
Post a Comment