Chinese Traditional Costume Culture -- Tang Costume

　　 Tang costume

At present, Tang costumes are widely understood as the costumes worn by Chinese in the Qing Dynasty. In fact, it is more appropriate to call Tang Suit "Qing Suit", while "Tang Suit" is not a very suitable term, which originates from the "Chinatown" in foreign countries, so "Tang Suit" is the costume of overseas Chinese people, which is quite international. Tang clothing absorbed the styles and fabrics of Manchu clothing, and adopted three-dimensional tailoring of western clothing.

The "Tang costume" has undergone many improvements, making the mandarin jacket from the Manchu nationality back on the fashion stage. For example, nowadays Chinese clothes seldom use even sleeves, because even sleeves make clothes have no shoulders, and shoulder pads cannot be used, so the shoulders are not beautiful enough; The traditional Manchu style clothing (cheongsam, mandarin jacket) does not close the waist, and women lack curve beauty in wearing. Now Chinese style clothing has been changed to close the waist: in the past, the skirt hem was very narrow, and only a few steps could be taken when walking, but now the skirt hem has been enlarged to facilitate activities; Also like cheongsam, the traditional opening is particularly high. Although modern people are much more open than in the past, they still wear a bit awkward, so the opening is much lower.

The so-called "Tang Costume" on the mainland is basically the Chinese dress at the end of the Qing Dynasty. According to Ms. Yu Ying, the main designer of the Tang Costume worn by the heads of state at the APEC meeting, the Tang Costume should be the general name of the Chinese dress, mainly because foreign countries call the place where Chinese live "Chinatown", so the clothes worn by "Chinatown" should naturally be called "Tang Costume". In addition, some overseas Chinese also say that Chinese clothing is called "Tang clothing", so the name of Tang clothing is also quite international. This so-called Tang costume evolved from the mandarin jacket in the Qing Dynasty. Its style structure has four major characteristics: one is the vertical collar, with an opening in the front center of the coat, and the vertical collar type. The other is the sleeve, that is, there is no seam between the sleeve and the clothes as a whole, and it is mainly flat cut; The third is the opposite or oblique placket; The fourth is the right angle button, that is, the disc button. The button consists of a knot and a loop. In addition, brocade fabrics are mainly used. These so-called Tang costumes are not Tang costumes. Futou gauze cap and round neck gown were the most important costumes for men in the Tang Dynasty. Futou is a kind of black cloth for Baotou. The Tang Dynasty was a time when "Zhuan Tou" was popular, and the style of "Futou" was also full of changes, especially in the more than 100 years from the early years of Wude to Kaiyuan in the Tang Dynasty, the shape of "Futou" experienced several major changes.

In the Tang Dynasty, men's clothes were mainly round necked gowns. The traditional coronal clothes are only used occasionally for grand occasions, such as sacrificing ancestors to heaven and earth, ancestral temples, etc., while others are based on "Fu Tou Robes". The use of gowns is very wide, ranging from emperors to officials, and even used as court clothes. Gowns The style of the garment is different from time to time. The sleeves of the early gowns were mostly large sleeves, but the large sleeves were not suitable for ethnic groups outside the region. Because of the cold in the north, it is not convenient to use large sleeves, but narrow sleeves that tightly wrap the arms. With the mutual penetration of the customs of the South and the North, this tight, narrow sleeved garment style was also accepted by the Han people, and became the representative of the Tang Dynasty garment style.

　　 History of Tang Costume

The origin of the term "Tang Costume" has a certain flavor of "export to domestic sales". Foreigners call "Chinese Street" "Chinatown", and naturally call Chinese clothing "Tang Costume". The name "Tang Suit" actually originated from overseas. In the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, the reputation reached far abroad. Later, overseas countries called the Chinese "Tang people". According to the Ming History · Biography of Foreign Zhenla, "Tang people are called Chinese by many people (foreigners). All overseas countries are like that." The Chinese residential areas in the United States, Southeast Asia and even Europe are also called "Chinatowns", and overseas Chinese call themselves Tang people, because the Tang Dynasty has been a proud dynasty for China since ancient times. It is not only natural to call the traditional Chinese style clothes worn by the Chinese people who live in Chinatown "Tang Suit", but also has long become a habitual name overseas and an internationally recognized title of Chinese people.

At the beginning of the 20th century, under the social background of "Chinese and Western clothing go hand in hand", the compatriots in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao distinguished Chinese and Western dress with "Tang" and "Western" clothing. At the APEC meeting in Shanghai in 2001, China, as the host, invited leaders of Asian and Pacific economies to wear "Tang Costumes", which set off a peaceful and festive new trend of "Tang Costumes". This is not only the integration of tradition and modernity, but also the inevitable trend of fashion, and also the embodiment of China's status and demeanor in the international family. The origin of Tang costume is very close to people, so it is easier to reintegrate into people's life. For example, if you wear a Tang suit jacket, you can also wear trousers and leather shoes It can cover windbreaker on the outside and lining high collar shirt on the inside... This characteristic is a practical factor beyond the cultural level of the resurgence of Tang clothing, but this factor is also indispensable in popularity. Because of this, the gowns with large sleeves worn by the real Tang Dynasty people, or even the Ming Dynasty gowns closer to people, are basically unlikely to return to popularity. Their regression may take another form, that is, elements. So, at that time, China was eager to find the characteristics of its own national costume and show foreigners its Chinese style, but it did not know what the Han nationality costume was (there was no concept of Han nationality costume at that time), so it chose the image of the Chinese in the eyes of foreigners as "Tang costume", rather than the traditional costume of the real Han nationality. In fact, this kind of practice has the flavor of rushing to the doctor. In the end, the popularity of modern Chinese costumes and cheongsam has become the biggest obstacle to the revival of the true Chinese traditional clothing, "Han style clothing".

The Origin of Tang Costume

Tang Dynasty Hanfu One is the traditional Ru skirt, which was generally popular in the early Tang Dynasty and basically followed the traditional upper and lower garment system of Chinese women since the Eastern Han Dynasty. People always talk about clothes nowadays. In fact, clothes are clothes, clothes are clothes, clothes are worn on the upper body. In fact, clothes refer to modern skirts, which are separated from clothes. This kind of women's dress is not one-piece, but in two pieces until the end of the Ming Dynasty. The wearing method of the coat is basically to turn the right lapel over the collar or tie a knot on the opposite lapel, and tie a long skirt belt around the lower skirt. The coat is either tucked in or naturally loose. Later, this loose coat continued to lengthen, covering the knee, and later developed into the back of the Ming Dynasty. {page_break}

With the development of the Tang Dynasty, women's blouses were generally divided into Ru, jacket and blouse. Ru is a kind of jacket or cotton padded clothes with narrow and short body. The jacket is longer than Ru and shorter than the robe. The body is loose, and there are also sandwiched or cotton padded clothes. Ru and jacket have narrow sleeves and long sleeves. The shirt is a sleeveless single garment, which is used to absorb sweat. It can be divided into two types, namely, the right lapel and the opposite lapel. Shirts can also be worn outside in spring and autumn, but they are different from those with short sleeves, which have developed into backs or half arms. In the past, the shape of the skirt has always been a rectangular square piece straight skirt, a little similar to the kimono skirt. The style of the square skirt is rigid, so women can't show their beauty when they wear it. Therefore, in the Tang Dynasty, the skirt was popular in the form of high waist, chest girdle and wide swing, which could not only show the curve beauty of the human body structure, but also show a rich, natural and elegant style. The structure of this skirt must be organically adapted to the main structure of the human body, so it is a kind of pleated oblique skirt with an arc bottom, or flared skirt. By the way, it is worth mentioning that this kind of skirt with a high waist tied to the chest also affects the dress style of women in North Korea and South Korea.

It was in the middle and late Tang Dynasty that the traditional Chinese aesthetic concept was strengthened in the clothing, and the clothing began to return to the ancients. From showing women's figure to the Qin and Han Dynasties, it gradually recovered to the style of loose clothes with large sleeves, elegant and fairy like, and the clothing style became fatter and fatter. This style has shaped the basic concept of late Chinese women's clothing, which is loose and fat with the body, This naturally became the object required by the ethics later, which was soft and natural, invisible and lustless. Women's dress in the mid and late Tang Dynasty is gorgeous and grand, which is generally similar to a dress. They wear a bra directly inside. The bra was originally underwear, which was combined with a skirt in the Tang Dynasty. It is loose and natural without a belt.

Put on the blouses directly outside. The blouses are usually gorgeous, and they are basically dragged to the ground. Some of them are more than several meters long. For example, some have 4 feet sleeves and 5 feet train. Therefore, as in later Europe, the length of the hem determines the status of women. The blouses are generally wide sleeved, and wide sleeves are the wide sleeves that people often see. The wide sleeves of the Tang Dynasty are basically square, similar to today's kimono sleeves. In addition, there is a kind of dress in the late Tang Dynasty, which was worn by the court's life wives, called the chai dian dress. It is a further proof of the transition from women's dress in the middle and late Tang Dynasty to the ancient ceremonial dress. This style is layered with many layers, heavy and draping, which is troublesome to wear. First, put on many layers of wide sleeved blouses, and then put on the great heavy skirt, the famous "Tang skirt", and then put on the wide sleeved blouse. Although it is tedious, it gives a sense of stability and layering. It is worth mentioning that the famous ancient Japanese court kimono "Twelve Dans" evolved from this dress. The Japanese call it "Tang clothes", that is, the clothes passed down from the Tang Dynasty. The style has basically not changed much, but has added a few Japanese national characteristics in style.

　　 Types of Tang Costumes

Women's clothing in the Tang Dynasty changed a lot. Women's clothing can be classified into three types

1. Narrow sleeve shirt and long skirt

2. Hu Fu

3. Women wear men's clothes.

These three kinds of clothes with different characteristics constitute the mainstream of women's clothing in the prosperous Tang Dynasty. Women in Hu and men's clothes are a major feature of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.

The original meaning of Tang Suit is Han Suit in Tang Dynasty

It was generally popular in the early Tang Dynasty, basically following the traditional upper and lower garment system of Chinese women since the Eastern Han Dynasty. It is obviously different from the concept of modern Tang costume. In the modern sense, Tang costumes generally refer to the costumes with Chinese style.

In fact, clothes are clothes, clothes are clothes, and clothes are worn on the upper body. In fact, clothes refer to modern skirts, which are separated from clothes. This kind of women's dress is not one-piece, but in two pieces until the end of the Ming Dynasty.

The wearing method of the coat is basically to tie the right lapel or tie a knot on the opposite lapel, and tie a long skirt belt around the lower skirt. The coat is either tucked in or naturally loose. Later, this loose coat continued to lengthen until it reached the knee, which later developed into the back of the Ming Dynasty (Peizi).

With the development of the Tang Dynasty, women's blouses were generally divided into Ru, jacket and blouse.

Ru: It is a kind of jacket or cotton padded clothes with narrow and short body.

Coat: It is longer than Ru but shorter than robe. The body is loose. There are also sandwiched or cotton padded clothes. Ru and jacket have narrow sleeves and long sleeves.

Shirt: It is a sleeveless single garment, which is used to absorb sweat, and has two kinds of lapels and right lapels.

Shirts can also be worn outside in spring and autumn, but they are different from those with short sleeves, which have developed into backs or half arms. In the past, the shape of the skirt has always been a rectangular square piece straight skirt, a little similar to the kimono skirt.

Square skirt

The style is rigid, so women can't look beautiful when they wear it. Therefore, in the Tang Dynasty, the skirt was popular in the form of high waist, chest girdle and wide swing, which could not only show the curve beauty of the human body structure, but also show a rich, natural and elegant style.

The structure of this skirt must be organically adapted to the main structure of the human body, so it is a kind of pleated oblique skirt with an arc bottom, or flared skirt.

Second, in the middle and late Tang Dynasty, the traditional Chinese aesthetic concept was strengthened in clothing, and the clothing began to return to the ancients. From showing women's figure to the Qin and Han Dynasties, the clothing style was full of clothes with large sleeves and elegant and fairy like style, and the clothing style became fatter and fatter. This style has shaped the basic concept of Chinese women's clothing in the later period, which was loose and fat with the body, This naturally became the object required by the ethics later, which was soft and natural, invisible and lustless.

Women's dress in the mid and late Tang Dynasty is gorgeous and grand, which is generally similar to a dress. They wear a bra directly inside. The bra was originally underwear, which was combined with a skirt in the Tang Dynasty. It is loose and natural without a belt. It is a further proof of the transition from women's dress in the middle and late Tang Dynasty to the ancient ceremonial dress. This style is layered with many layers, heavy and draping, which is troublesome to wear.

First, put on many layers of wide sleeved blouses, and then put on the great heavy skirt, the famous "Tang skirt", and then put on the wide sleeved blouse. Although it is tedious, it gives a sense of stability and layering.

It is worth mentioning that the famous ancient Japanese court kimono "Twelve Dans" evolved from this dress. The Japanese call it "Tang clothes", that is, the clothes passed down from the Tang Dynasty. The style has basically not changed much, but has added a few Japanese national characteristics in style.

　　 Classification of Tang Costumes

expose one 's chest and back

Among women, there is topless

The image of bare arms. On the mural on the east wall of Princess Yongtai's tomb, there is an image of a woman of the Tang Dynasty with a high bun, bare chest, red silk on her shoulders, a yellow narrow sleeved blouse, a green floor length skirt, and a red belt hanging down her waist. Thus, she has a more vivid understanding of the "powder chest half conceals the dark snow" and "when sitting, the clothing belt haunts the grass, and when walking, the skirt sweeps the plum blossom".

Not everyone can do slow skirt with half open chest. In the Tang Dynasty, only people with identity could wear bras. Princess Yongtai could be half naked, and singing girls could be half naked to please the ruling class, while women of ordinary people were not allowed to be half naked. At that time, the Tang Dynasty's semi bare chested dress was somewhat similar to the modern western evening dress, except that the shoulders and back were not allowed to be exposed.

The collars of women's clothing in the Tang Dynasty include round collar, square collar, oblique collar, straight collar and chicken heart collar.

Short Rue Long Skirt

The feature is that the skirt waist is tied higher, usually above the waist, and some are even tied under the armpit, giving a beautiful and slender feeling.

"Luo Shan's leaves are heavily embroidered, with a trace of gold, phoenix and silver goose". "Meidai wins the color of Xuancao, and Red Skirt is jealous of pomegranate flowers.". The skirt of the Tang Dynasty was gorgeous in color, with red, purple, yellow and green competing for beauty, especially the red skirt. Red skirts are popular in the street, which is not the patent of the modern people. As early as the Tang Dynasty, the pomegranate colored dance skirts have been everywhere.

Perhaps due to the influence of the theory of Yin Yang and Five Elements, Concubine Yang likes the yellow dress best, which is a symbol of status.

"Slow coming skirt with half bare chest" reflects the degree of social openness at that time from one side.

Collar robe, chest length Ru skirt

The modern Han kapok Dao Tang Costume is improved from the traditional Tang Costume. It uses modern fabrics and improved tailoring methods, especially the women's Tang Costume (full breasted Ru skirt). On the premise of not losing the traditional charm, it also has fashion characteristics, and has won more and more female compatriots' favor. {page_break}

Pictures of APEC Leaders' Clothing in 2001

　　 New Tang Costume

The new Tang costumes refer to the costumes of the 20 Chinese and foreign leaders at the APEC meeting in 2001. The clothing style and appearance of APEC leaders are summarized as follows.

Coat (male):

Upright collar and placket, and the seam between the collar and the placket is piped with inlaid color; Two pieces of the front garment are not cut or folded, and a row of seven grape buttons are nailed at the front placket. Two pieces of the back garment are sewn together, and two pieces of sleeves are sleeved. Shoulder pads are installed at the shoulders, and the left and right side seams are open.

Coat (female):

Upright collar, facing up, cuffs, neckline and placket seams are hemmed with color inlay; The front garment has two waist darts and chest folds, and a row of six grape buttons are nailed at the front placket. The back garment has two waist darts and butt seams. Two sleeves are sleeved, shoulder pads are installed at the shoulders, and the left and right side seams are open.

Shirt (male):

Standing collar and facing collar; Two front clothes and one left breast pocket; Nine dragons are nailed at the front flap

The fly buttons are arranged into three "king" characters, one piece of back garment, two layers of shoulders, one piece of long sleeve, and three dragonfly buttons are arranged into one "king" character at the wide sleeve mouth.

Shirt (female):

Standing collar and facing collar; Color inlay shall be used to insert lines at the cuff, collar and the seam of the placket; Two front garment sections are folded at the waist, and five dragonfly buttons are nailed at the front placket; The back garment has a waist dart and a short sleeve.

In addition to being lucky, the biggest success of the seemingly simple but actually not simple coat and shirt styles is that they firmly grasp the characteristics of traditional clothing. Upright collar, facing and hand made cloth buttons. Chinese traditional clothing has a history of thousands of years

Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing also have a history of nearly a thousand years. However, no matter how the time of the dynasty changes, or how the clothing style changes, some parts are basically unchanged. For example, the collar only has a stand collar and no collar, the placket only has a facing and diagonal placket, and the sleeves only have straight sleeves and even sleeves. Most buttons are made of cloth. These basically unchanged traditional clothing features are obvious to all.

Of course, if the style of this dress only has traditional features and no modern style, it will not be successful. For example, because the shoulders and sleeves of traditional clothes are not separated, the front and back pieces of the clothes are also connected. Although they are more comfortable to wear, they look less beautiful. While modern clothing puts beauty in a prominent position, emphasizing the perfect combination of clothing modeling and body shape, especially in the shoulder sleeve part, which is an innovation of modern modeling on traditional modeling. Therefore, the reasonable combination of modern shoulder sleeve modeling to traditional clothing is also worth noting.

To sum up, the success of the style design of APEC leaders' clothing in 2001 was that it fully reflected the characteristics of traditional clothing, and accurately borrowed the shape of modern clothing.

Today's "Tang costume" is only a combination of the traditional and modern Chinese mandarin jacket from the Qing Dynasty. It absorbs the styles and fabrics with cultural appeal of traditional clothing since the Qing Dynasty, and adopts the three-dimensional cutting of western clothing, making the mandarin jacket from the Qing Dynasty back on fashion stage.

This "Tang costume" has undergone many improvements. For example, today's Chinese clothes rarely use even sleeves, because even sleeves mean that the clothes do not have shoulders, nor can they use cushions, so the shoulders are not beautiful enough: traditional Manchu clothes (cheongsam, mandarin jacket) do not shrink the waist, women wear a lack of curvaceous beauty, and now the Chinese clothes are all changed to shrink the waist: in the past, the skirt hem was very narrow, and only a few steps could be taken when walking, but now the skirt hem has been enlarged, Facilitate activities; Also like cheongsam, the traditional opening is particularly high. Although modern people are much more open than in the past, they still wear a bit awkward, so the opening is much lower.