Clothing in Ancient China: Quiz and Flashcards

What physical characteristic do Northern Chinese people tend to have?

What was the significance of clothing in Ancient China?

What was the only color that only the Emperor was allowed to wear?

What was the significance of the color white in Ancient Chinese clothing?

What material became popular with the poor during the Yuan Dynasty?

What was the original Ancient Chinese clothing referred to as?

What is the primary difference between the Pien-fu and the Ch'ang P'ao?

What was the significance of the length of a skirt in ancient Chinese clothing?

Which of the following colors was exclusively reserved for the emperor and the imperial family?

During which dynasty was the fundamentals of the Hanfu created?

What was the significance of the dragon emblem on traditional Chinese imperial dress?

What was a distinctive feature of women's clothing in ancient China?

Physical Characteristics of Chinese People

Most Chinese people have typical East Asian phenotype, characterized by slanted/almond-shaped eyes, triangular cheeks, black hair/eyes, and a skin tone perceived as yellowish by Westerners
Northern Chinese tend to have longer faces with smaller eyes, slimmer noses, brighter skin tones, and "flatter" cheeks

Dress in Ancient China

Clothing symbolized status and profession in Ancient China
Rich people wore silk, while poor people made their clothes out of hemp or ramie
There were many rules about who could wear what, with the Emperor being the only one allowed to wear yellow
Colour of clothing symbolized emotion, with white worn during mourning and red worn to show joy and happiness
Red was also worn by the bride at a wedding

Ancient Chinese Fashion

Ancient Chinese fashion consisted mostly of loose-fitted robes
Women wore tunics that reached the ground, while men wore tunics that reached their knees
Sleeves were long and loose-fitting, and sashes were worn as ornamentation and to hold clothing together
Darker shades of clothing were preferred over light ones, with light colours mostly worn by common people

The Hanfu

The Hanfu was the original Ancient Chinese clothing that underwent modifications throughout the different dynasties
There were three variations of Ancient Chinese garments: the Pien-fu, the Ch'ang P'ao, and the Shenyi
The Pien-fu was a two-piece ceremonial costume, the Ch'ang P'ao was a one-piece ankle-length tunic dress, and the Shenyi was a two-piece top and trouser/skirt outfit
The Hanfu was made up of a knee-length tunic tied with a sash, narrow cuffs, a narrow knee-length skirt, and a long piece of fabric that reached the knees

The higher the rank, the better the clothes they wore
This included the length of a skirt, the wideness of a sleeve, and the amount of ornamentation
Gender-specific clothing emerged later, with women's clothing being more diverse with more ornaments, items, and styles

This quiz explores the physical appearance of Chinese people, including facial features and skin tone, as well as the dress of ancient Chinese people, including the significance of clothing in symbolizing status and profession. Learn about the differences in physical appearance between Northern and Southern Chinese people and how ancient Chinese clothing reflected social class.