Chinese Culture: Clothing and Appearance

Questions and Answers

Describe the average Chinese person.

Slanted/almond-shaped eyes, triangular cheeks, black hair/eyes, and a skin tone that is perceived as yellowish by Westerners.

How were the northern Chinese different?

Northern Chinese tend to have a longer face with smaller eyes, slimmer nose, brighter skin tone, and flatter cheeks.

What did clothing symbolize in ancient China?

Status and profession.

Poor people made their clothes out of?

Hemp or ramie. Signup and view all the answers

The rich made their clothes out of?

Silk. Signup and view all the answers

When was white worn?

When mourning. Signup and view all the answers

When was red worn?

To show joy and happiness, and by a bride at a wedding. Signup and view all the answers

During the Sui Dynasty, the poor could only wear __________.

black or blue. Signup and view all the answers

During the Sui Dynasty, only the emperor could wear?

Yellow. Signup and view all the answers

Why was cotton popular with the poor?

Because it was cheaper. Signup and view all the answers

Men's tunics reached their _ while women's reached the _.

knees; ground. Signup and view all the answers

Why were sashes worn?

For ornamentation and to keep clothing together. Signup and view all the answers

What shade of clothing did the common Chinese wear?

Lighter clothing. Signup and view all the answers

What was the original Chinese clothing called?

The Han Chinese clothing. Signup and view all the answers

What are the 3 variations of the Hanfu?

The Pien-fu, the Ch'ang P'ao, and the Shenyi. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the Pien-fu.

The Pien-fu was a two-piece ceremonial costume consisting of a tunic top extending to the knees, worn with an ankle-length skirt or trousers. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the Ch'ang P'ao.

The Ch'ang P'ao was a one-piece ankle-length tunic dress. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the Shenyi.

The Shenyi was a two-piece top and trouser/skirt outfit that was cut separately and sewn to make a one-piece garment. Signup and view all the answers

What were the cuffs called?

Yi. Signup and view all the answers

What was the knee-length skirt called?

Shang. Signup and view all the answers

A long piece of fabric that reached the knees is called a?

Bixi. Signup and view all the answers

How did higher ranks have an effect on clothes?

This influenced the length of a skirt, the wideness of a sleeve, and the amount of ornamentation. Signup and view all the answers

What variation of the Hanfu became mostly worn by males?

The Shenyi. Signup and view all the answers

What two colors belonged to the emperor?

Yellow and purple with the dragon emblem. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Qipau?

One piece dress with 2 wide openings at each side of hips. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Physical Appearance of Chinese People

Average Chinese individuals often have slanted or almond-shaped eyes, triangular cheeks, black hair and eyes, and a skin tone viewed as yellowish by Westerners.
Northern Chinese individuals typically have longer faces, smaller eyes, slimmer noses, brighter skin tones, and flatter cheeks.

Clothing Symbols in Ancient China

Clothing in ancient China symbolized a person's status and profession.
Poor people commonly made their clothes from hemp or ramie, while the wealthy preferred silk.

Color Significance in Dress

White clothing was worn during periods of mourning.
Red clothing symbolized joy and happiness and was traditionally worn by brides at weddings.

Dress Code During the Sui Dynasty

Poor individuals were restricted to wearing black or blue during the Sui Dynasty.
Only the emperor was permitted to wear yellow.
Cotton was a popular fabric among the poor due to its affordability.

Men's and Women's Garments

Men's tunics typically reached the knees, while women's dresses extended to the ground.
Sashes served both ornamental purposes and as fasteners to secure clothing.

General Clothing Traits

Common Chinese individuals generally wore lighter clothing.
Traditional attire was referred to as Han Chinese clothing.

Variations of Hanfu

Hanfu had three major variations: Pien-fu, Ch'ang P'ao, and Shenyi.
The Pien-fu consisted of a two-piece ceremonial outfit with a knee-length tunic and an ankle-length skirt or trousers.
The Ch'ang P'ao was a one-piece tunic dress, reaching ankle length.
The Shenyi was a combination of a separately cut top and trouser/skirt, designed to create a one-piece look.

Clothing Features

Cuffs were known as "yi."
The knee-length skirt was called "shang."
A long piece of fabric reaching the knees was referred to as "bixi."

Influence of Rank on Attire

Social rank affected the length of skirts, width of sleeves, and the level of ornamentation on clothing.
The Shenyi variation of Hanfu was predominantly worn by males.

Imperial Colors and Symbols

The emperor's colors included yellow and purple, both featuring the dragon emblem.

Qipao Description

The Qipao is a one-piece dress characterized by two wide openings at the sides, designed to fit at the hips.

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Description

Explore the physical traits and clothing symbolism prevalent in Chinese culture. This quiz covers the appearance characteristics of Chinese people, the significance of clothing during ancient times, and the dress codes that defined various social statuses. Test your knowledge on how clothing reflects societal roles in China.