Chinese costumes, otherwise called "Hanfu", are very peculiar, as is the culture of the country itself. They differ not only from the usual clothes in Europe, but also from Asian counterparts, albeit a bit more intimate.
Over the entire existence of the Celestial Empire, approximately 56 ethnic groups have formed on its territory, each of which has its own traditions and, of course, clothing styles.
In fact, the Chinese costume is a one-piece image, formed from the individual elements of the outfits of various ethnic groups.
Appearance story
In itself, the emergence of traditional clothing occurred a very long time ago, a little more than two thousand years BC. e., when the population of the Middle Kingdom learned to make various fabrics from silk, hemp and cotton.
A characteristic feature of the garments was the cut, common to all classes, and Chinese costumes differed, in fact, only in the quality of the material, the sophistication of the patterns and other "decor". At the same time, most of the solemn elements developed from everyday dresses, something, on the contrary, lost its status and passed into general use.
The history of the Chinese costume, which was the prototype of the current one, began after the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which overthrew the Qin Dynasty. The official clothes of high and middle classes, whose decor had a symbolic and hierarchical meaning, left the way. The traditional women's skirt also sunk into oblivion, making the outfits of Chinese women indistinguishable from men's.
All traditional Chinese costumes are oar and are divided into two types according to design features. Today, the "Hanfu" is worn only for ceremonial events, but in the Middle Kingdom there appeared communities reviving this type of clothing.
Costume Types
The most common type is called kimono. Its characteristic feature is a rather simple cut: the shelves and the back are made of two paintings of the same length, with a fold in the region of the shoulder line. A central seam on the back and the absence of longitudinal on the shoulders, as well as rounded cutouts just below the armpits, allow you to distinguish kimonos from other clothes.
For clothes of this type, a side seam is flared or there are additional wedges that make it more spacious. Another recognizable feature is the round neckline of the gate and the stand-up collar, the height of which depends on fashion trends.
Usually, the edges of the collar, sleeves and hem are finished with silk braid.
The second type of similar clothes practically does not differ from the first, except for the presence of longitudinal seams on the shoulder line.
At the same time, a Chinese folk costume of any type can have both symmetrical and asymmetric cuts, that is, the sides of the shelves either converge back-to-back or overlap. At the same time, there are also fasteners that hold the floor and are located on the right at the base of the neck.
Belt clothing (upper and lower pants) does not differ in cut. It is always straight and without pockets, the legs are wide and connect at an angle of more than 90 degrees. When worn on a person, such harem pants can reach the armpits because of an additional strip of fabric - a belt sewn at the waist level.
The shoulder and waist elements of the costume differ in seasonal variations: the summer one has no lining, unlike the autumn-spring one, while the winter one is completely sewn on quilted cotton.
Color meaning
Different peoples of the world mean the meaning of flowers in different ways, and the Middle Kingdom is no exception. Moreover, during the reign of the Zhou Dynasty, Chinese folk costume showed the social status of its owner by the width of the sleeves, the length of the robes and decorations.
At that time, the color scheme of the dress was regulated by the occupied rank. For example, the imperial family dressed in yellow, seasoned warriors in red and white, and the young wore blue. The dignitaries were meant to wear brown suits.
The value of the shades has survived to this day. So, red means triumph and success, it is attributed to the elements of fire; yellow - an element of the earth, fertility and prosperity; blue was more associated with nature, wisdom and unpredictability of the wind, white was associated with cold and metal, therefore it meant death and mourning, and brown color spoke of the humility and humility of the wearer.
