Chinese Fashion Through the Dynasties

Summary

In this episode of 'Off Great Wall,' hosts Dan and Mike delve into the evolution of Chinese fashion across various dynasties. From the Shang Dynasty's knee-length tunics to the Qing Dynasty's unification attempt, they explore how clothing styles adapted to reflect social hierarchy and cultural beliefs. The Tang Dynasty's luxurious and relaxed attire highlights the era's prosperity. The Han Dynasty's dignified and elegant clothing, including the iconic 'hanfu,' left a lasting impact on Chinese culture. The video concludes with an invitation to viewers to subscribe and engage with the content.

Takeaways

• 👑 In ancient China, men wore dresses, and clothing styles changed with each new dynasty.
• 🎨 The Shang Dynasty established the basics of traditional Chinese fashion, featuring primary colors and simple garments.
• 🏰 The Zhou Dynasty saw the development of a strict social hierarchy, where clothing became a status symbol, with specific colors and decorations denoting rank.
• 👑 The color yellow was reserved for the Emperor, and wearing it by others could be punishable by death.
• 👗 The dress jacket, consisting of an upper short shirt jacket and a lower floor-length skirt, was introduced during the Zhou Dynasty and remained popular.
• ⚫ The Qin Dynasty, under Emperor Qin Shi Huang, attempted to unify clothing but was more successful in standardizing the color black, associated with the element water.
• 🌟 The Han Dynasty marked a golden age in Chinese history, with clothing being dignified and elegant, and the establishment of many cultural norms that persist today.
• 👘 The Tang Dynasty represented the peak of Chinese civilization, with clothing becoming more luxurious, loose, and revealing, reflecting the era's prosperity.
• 👚 Women's fashion in the Tang Dynasty included a variety of outfits, such as short skirt jackets, loose sleeve shirts, and low-cut gowns, often adorned with jade and other decorations.
• 🍽 The Tang Dynasty also popularized the 'pao' style, characterized by large sleeves, which was used for special occasions and is now a hallmark of traditional Chinese clothing.

Q & A

What was the basic attire during the Shang Dynasty?

The basic attire during the Shang Dynasty consisted of a narrow-cuffed knee-length shirt jacket tied with a sash, a narrow ankle-length skirt, and a piece of cloth that hung down to the knees.

How did clothing reflect social status during the Zhou Dynasty?

During the Zhou Dynasty, clothing became a statement of status and rank. The color, fabric width, and decorations on clothing indicated one's position in society.

Why was the color yellow significant in ancient Chinese clothing?

The color yellow was significant because only the Emperor was allowed to wear it, symbolizing his authority and status.

What was the first appearance of the dress jacket during the Zhou Dynasty?

The dress jacket first appeared during the Zhou Dynasty and consisted of an upper short shirt jacket or waist jacket tucked inside a lower floor-length skirt, a long silk belt with a ring that wore a piece of jade at the end, tied around the waist, and a cotton sha worn around the arms.

What color did Emperor Qin Shi Huang choose to unify Chinese fashion, and why?

Emperor Qin Shi Huang chose the color black to unify Chinese fashion, as it was associated with the element water according to the five elements theory, symbolizing the power of water to extinguish fire.

What was the typical clothing style during the Han Dynasty?

The Han Dynasty clothing was generally dignified and elegant, with typical styles including cicada-like hats, one-layer coats with twin diamond-shaped collars, sloping neckline, square sleeves, jade hanging decorations, and red shoes.

How did the color of clothing change in the Eastern Han Dynasty?

In the Eastern Han Dynasty, red replaced black as the dominant color, symbolizing the Han Dynasty's fire virtue.

What were the two robe styles during the Han Dynasty?

The two robe styles during the Han Dynasty were one with a diagonal opening and one with a straight opening.

What was the fashion style like during the Tang Dynasty?

Tang Dynasty clothing was luxuriant, looser, more relaxed, and more revealing than before. Women had several choices of outfits including short skirt jackets, loose sleeve shirts with long skirts, and low-cut gowns with high waist bands.

What is the traditional Chinese clothing style known as 'Ao', and what does it signify?

The style known as 'Ao', which translates to 'big sleeved shirts', is considered a trademark of traditional Chinese clothing. These garments were elegant, heavily embroidered, and worn by women on special occasions.

What was the significance of the hat styles during the Han Dynasty?

There were 13 types of hats during the Han Dynasty, and the style of a man's crown was an indicator of his rank in society.