User:Shoujun/Qipao

A qipao (旗袍; pinyin: qí pao; Wade-Giles: ch'i-p'ao; literally means banner dress) or cheongsam (長衫; pinyin: chang shan; Wade-Giles: ch'ang-shan; literally means long robe) is a body-fitting dress which originated from the Manchus and was modernized in Shanghai. Its distinctive features are the frog buttons, mandarin collar, and slits. It is usually made of silk and is brocaded with Chinese symbols.

History

When the Manchus conquered China and established the Qing Dynasty, the Eight Banner system was created. It consisted of mostly Manchus who as a group were called the qiren (旗人; pinyin: qí ren; Wade-Giles: ch'i-jen; literally banner people). Manchu women typically wore a dress known as the qipao which fit rather loosely and straight down the body. The dress proved popular enough to survive the Xinhai Revolution and, with later refinements, became the archetypal dress for Chinese women.

With the Qing Dynasty toppled, many Manchus began wearing Han-style clothing, abandoning the qipaos. The modern innovation of the qipao was first developed in Shanghai during the 1920s. The qipao was called the cheongsam by this time. The dress was slender with a high cut and was made to fit with the figure of the body. It contrasted sharply with the Manchu qipao which was designed to conceal the figure and be worn regardless of age. The Shanghainese designers introduced high-necked sleeveless dresses, bell-like sleeves, and the black lace frothing at the hem of a ball gown. By the 1940s, qipaos came in transparent black, beaded bodices, matching capes, velvet, and checked fabrics.

The Cultural Revolution ended the qipao and other fashions in Shanghai, so the Shanghainese immigrants and refugees brought the fashion over to Hong Kong. Recently there has been a revival of the qipao in Shanghai and elsewhere in Mainland China. The Shanghainese style now functions mostly as a stylish party dress.

Symbols

Main article: Chinese symbolism

Culture

The movie In the Mood For Love is notable for using a variety of qipaos to display the emotions of Maggie Cheung's character; therefore it was nicknamed The Cheongsam Show. Maggie Cheung wore a different cheongsam for each scene (46 total). But not all of the scenes were included in the final version of the film.

Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi wore qipaos for the 73rd annual Academy Awards.

External links

• Chinese Qipao About.com entry
• The Cheongsam Emporium
• Qipow!
• Evolution of the Qipao
• A Brief History of the Cheongsam
• cheongsam@Everything2.com
• Qipao Research
• Chinese Motif
• Cheongsam's History
• Qipao in Chinese
• Chinese Dresses
• Interesting Facts
• The World of Cheongsam
• Qipao and Tang Dresses
• The Cheongsam
• The Modernized Chinese Dress