The Influence Of Clothing In China

Throughout time, style and fashion changed in China. Apart from being political figures, emperors and empresses were the ones who took the initiative to set out trends and the ones to decide who was permitted to wear what. During the ages of the emperors, fine robes were a sign of rank, lifestyle, esthetics and good taste. What one wore said where one stood in society and who one was to be. Styles change from dynasty to dynasty and the history is imprinted in the clothing. Depending on one’s political and economic status, the distinction between the different styles of clothing existed not only throughout the dynasties but many times through the dynasty itself. The Chinese resume the necessities of life within four words: clothing, food, habitation and transportation. Clothing is placed first for the Chinese, which represents the most important part of one’s daily routine. The characteristics of Chinese clothing can be resumed by: the vivid colors, the refined artisanship, and the decorations of the ornaments. The styles of clothing may differ from one nation to another. Ordinary Chinese wore basic clothes made of rough materials, but when the Communist Party came to power in China the fine robes and gowns like the xuanduan: “dark robe worn by women for …show more content…
It was all related to the mentality and the traditions of the Chinese at the time. The long clothing style was conformed for a perfect balance. It was not too short to not see the skin nor too long for it to not touch the ground. The Shenyi was worn by officials and the military during ceremonies and wars because of its simplicity and utility. The essential material if the Shenyi is "la toile de chanvre" and white silk. Some were made with colorful borders or had stripes. “Pour porterie Shenyi, il faut rouler le pan sous forme d 'un triangle à droite et ensuite l 'attacher aux reins avec un ruban en soie” (Mei