Chinese Dress and culture

Chinese Dress and culture

In China today, people often say “衣食住行” (yi-shi-zhu-xing, clothing, food, shelter, and transportation) and place “clothing” on top of the list. With the development of society, clothes do not only mean to cover up one’s embarrassment or protect one from the cold, but a symbol of beauty, rank, ceremony, and dignity, and most important of all, the culture carrier.

As one of the earliest civilized nations in the world, China also takes the clothing lead in world history. With the fast development of silk, dye and textile industry, China once led by various cloth texture and style design in dress, from the unlined long gown and mandarin jacket (worn by men) to skirts and the characteristic “旗袍” (qipao, mandarin gown for women). In ancient China, the dress people wore could easily tell the rank and the class they were in: the ordinary people, the ruling class, “帝王将相” (di-wang-jiang-xiang, kings and princes, generals and ministers) and the ruled class, “奴仆罪犯” (nupu-zuifan, slaves, and criminals). So words about dress also tell the culture it carries. 

About the “Head”

“服饰” (fushi), the two words, mean “dress and personal adornment,” and now we will start first from the “head.” The first word about the head is “冠” (guan), which means the kind of hat worn by ancient Chinese aristocrats. But that type of hat was different from the ones we wear today because the hat worn at that time was to bind up men’s hair at the top of the head and, meanwhile, served as a personal ornament. In ancient China, when an aristocrat came to the age of twenty, a hat rite (冠礼, guanli) was usually held for him, meaning he was different from the ordinary people but an image of high-rank official and noble lord. At that time criminals, or those who do not understand etiquettes, wouldn’t have to wear hats. So in China today a very common saying is “免冠谢罪” (mianguan xiezui), meaning “to take one’s hat off to apologize for an offense.” More collocated sayings with “冠” are:

•  “冠盖” (guangai): High officials and noble lords; “盖” means here “the cover of a cart or horse carriage;”
  
• “冠盖如云” (guangai ruyun ): A large gathering of high officials;
  
• “冠盖相望” (guangai xiangwang): Constant exchange of high officials’ visits between two nations;
  
• “沐猴而冠” (muhou er guan ): A monkey with a hat on—a worthless person in imposing attire.

Another popular saying today with “冠” is “冠晃堂皇” (guanmian tanghuang), also coming from the personal head ornament. “晃” was another word for the head ornaments of high officials then, meaning “seriousness and dignity.” “堂皇” referred to “the spacious palace halls where high-ranking officials meet to discuss important issues.” But “冠晃堂皇” has been used since then with a strong negative and ironic sense, meaning “those who say impartially before the public but do things evil behind.” They are also called “伪君子” (weijunzi, the hypocrites) today who are much hated by the ordinary people.

Men used to bind up their hair, so came the words “结发” (jiefa) and “束发” (shufa) which mean “being adults.” Before the Qin Dynasty, children, criminals, the common people, and the minorities did not wear hats. Instead, they put on towels, but the criminals and slaves would cover up their heads with green cloth. The towel that men used to cover their head up was called “帻” (ze), a symbol of low social status. But after the Han Dynasty (206 B. C.—24 A. D.), people wearing hats also put on their heads with towels. In Tang Dynasty (618 A. D.—907 A. D.), it was common that scholars were in the habit of putting on their heads towels, which were called “缠头” (chantou), the scarf that twine the head. But later on, “缠头” in fact always referred to the silk towel given to prostitutes by brothel frequenter (嫖客, piaoke).

“巾帼” (jinguo) and “拙荆” (zhuojing) are the words used about head ornaments for female. “巾” refers to the scarf used by the female. So the popular saying “巾帼英雄” means the “heroine.” “拙荆” used to be a modest way of addressing from highly-educated husbands to their wives, because “荆” is the thorn used as hairpins by women during ancient times. So the expression “荆钗布裙” (jingchai-buqun, hairpins and hemp skirts) implies “woman with a plain, simple dress.”

Another important word used today about the head is ‘‘帽” (mao, cap), deriving from ‘‘巾” but contains much richer implications. For example, ‘‘高帽.” “戴高帽” (dai gaomao) is a common expression to mean “flatter, curry favour too.” But over the past few decades, “帽子” has always been linked with politics in China. In 1957, for example, those who were labelled “the Rightist” were called “戴帽” (some even wore a tall paper hat as a symbol of shame) and were made parade through the streets. But after a few years when they “correct their errors and make a fresh start” and could match up with the political trend, then “the Rightist” cap was removed, which was called “摘帽” (zhaimao, cast off the label). When one was pressured politically, the expression was “扣帽” (koumao, put a political label on). So in those days, the “cap” had always been in the hands which are in power, and they can give whatever punishment to people at their will and at any time.

There are other commonly used expressions today with “帽.” In basketball, for example, “dunk shot” (扣篮, koulan) is a terrific skill of players, but when the defending side has succeeded in preventing this from happening, it is called “盖帽” (gaimao. Also used for anything “terrific” in life during the 1980s). “乌纱帽” (wu shamao) is the “black gauze cap” worn by feudal officials. So when people say “丢 (diu, lose)乌纱帽” today, it certainly means “be dismissed from office.” Another interesting expression is “戴绿 (lv, green) 帽子,” (the husband wears a “green cap”), which means the husband is “a cuckold!”

About Chinese Dress

When we say “衣裳” (yishang, clothes) today, we mean the “upper outside garment” (上衣, shangyi) people wear. “衣” is the name for clothes in general, and “裳” refers to “skirt,” but not the “skirts” women wear today because women in ancient China wear long gowns; men wear “衣” and “裳,” clothes in general. There were many ways of naming men’s upper garments then. For example, “襦” (ru, the short jacket), “禅” (chan, thin jacket), “褒” (xie, underclothes), etc. A very useful word related to the Chinese dress was “袒” (tan, leave uncovered), which means “to show off one’s arm and shoulder by taking off the sleeves.” There are right and left sleeves, but, in ancient China, there were practices of people showing off either the right arm or the left arm, which carried strong cultural implications.

When dukes and princes did something wrong and asked for punishment before the Emperor, they used to throw off their right sleeves and showed the right arm and shoulder out to be seen in public, which was called “右袒” (you tan); but when they “行礼” (xing li)—give their solutes before the Emperor, they usually showed their left arm and shoulder out.

In Modern Chinese, a general expression is “袒护” (tanhu), about which there is a story. In the Han Dynasty when an emperor died, dukes and ministers, all took advantage of the time to seize the imperial power. One duke asked all the ministers to take off their right sleeves and showed their right arms out as a sign of giving support to him; meanwhile, another duke tried to invite support by asking supporters to show out the left arms and shoulders. Since then “袒护” has become an expression to mean “to give unprincipled protection to, be partial to.”

In winter, rich people wear “裘” (qiu, fur coat) and “袍” (pao, gown) to prevent from cold. Fur coats from the furs of “狐” (hu, fox), “貂” (diao, marten), and “貉” (hao, raccoon dog), etc. are rather expensive and are thus symbols of wealth and rank. Another word “袍,” on the other hand, is a “cotton-padded coat” and is usually made for poor people. A story goes that Confucius tries to encourage his students, typically poor, to be more attentive to learning than to dressing. So when his students stood together with those who had fur coats on, Confucius believed that his students were not at all shameful or diminished!

Many words about “dress” in ancient China are still used today but are culturally connotative. Take “领袖” (lingxiu) for example. “衣领” (yiling, collar) and “衣袖” (yixiu, sleeves) are prominent parts of the upper garment. So “领袖” is used today to imply “people who have outstanding abilities in leadership.” Another expression is “襟怀” (jinhuai), coming from “衣襟”, which means literally “the crossing of two pieces of a jacket front,” but both “襟怀” and “胸 (xiong) 怀 refer to “the breadth of mind; tolerance”; “缙绅” (jinshen) is a saying to mean “the dressing style of ancient officials,” so it implies “officials or people of high social status”. “绅士” (shengshi), and “士绅,” derived from “缙绅,” are often heard today, meaning “gentlemen.” “裙钗” (qun chai) is the dress and head ornaments for female. “裙” is “skirt, petticoats,” and “钗” is women’s head ornament. So “裙钗” refers to “female” in general. Similarly, there is an expression “石榴裙” (shiliu qun, pomegranate-red skirt), and a popular saying today is “拜倒在石榴裙下” (baidao zai shiliu qun xia) “be infatuated with a woman.” Another interesting saying is “裙带关系” (qundai guanxi). “裙带” is the best decoration for a skirt or dress. “关系” is “relation, connection.” So “裙带关系” implies “with the help of female relatives; through petticoat influence.” But today the expression emphasizes more “不正之风” (buzheng zhi feng, malpractice, unhealthy tendency) esp. the “web-like connection net” in officialdom.

“袖” today means more culturally than literally. In ancient China “袖” in upper garment used to be long and broad. So there is an expression “袖手旁观” (xiushou pangguan), which implies “someone ignores what has been happening aside since he’s/she’s putting the hands inside the wide sleeves; looks on/stands by with folded arms, look on unconcerned.” Another collocated saying is “红袖添香” (hongxiu tianxiang). “红袖” here means “women.” The saying implies “a woman’s beauty and setting-aside add to the atmosphere for the gentleman’s reading.” “长袖善舞” (changxiu shan wu) is another saying popular among people. “袖” does have a close relationship with “舞” (dance), but today it, in fact, implies “someone who is good at making use of the relations with people, to assure his/her success by seizing every chance he/she has.”

The followihg are some more common collocations with “衣” :

• “衣不蔽体” (yibu biti): be dressed in rags; have nothing but rags on one’s back
  
• “衣冠楚楚” (yiguan chuchu): be elegantly dressed; (often used for men “posing as a person of high morals”)
  
• “衣冠禽兽” (yiguan qinshou ): a beast in human clothing; (a derogative saying often for “men who are morally degenerated esp. in violating women though he looks like gentle”)
  
• “衣架饭囊” (yijia fannang): a clotheshorse and a food bag—a useless person; a good-for-nothing;
  
• “衣锦还乡/荣归” (yijin huanxiang/ronggui): go back to one’s old home in silken robes (i. e. after acquiring wealth and honor)
  
• “衣衫滥褛” (yishan lanlv): shabbily dresses; in rags
  
• “衣食住行” (yi-shi-zhu-xing): food, clothing, shelter, and transportation— necessities of life

About the “Foot”

Shoes are called differently in ancient Chinese. The commonest names are “屦” (ju) “履” (lv) and “屐” (ji), etc. Though shoes are usually made from leather, flex, straw, and silk, etc., only people of wealth and rank can afford shoes of leather or silk. Ordinary people or offenders have to wear straw sandals, which are also worn in funerals. Straw sandals are called “屣” (xi), and are symbols of “lowly and humble.” As straw sandals are rather easy to take off, “taking off straw sandals” then is called “弃屣” (qi xi), or “脱 (tuo) 屣,” which implies today “something easy to do,” but “脱屣” usually carries a strong derogatory sense. A more common name for “shoes” is “履,” which also forms many collocated sayings. For example, “西装革履” (xizhuang gelv, a man in Western suits and on leather shoes—be elegantly dressed); “如履薄冰” (rulv bobing, as though treading on thin ice–acting on extreme caution); “履险如夷” (lvxian ruyi, go over a dangerous pass as if walking on level ground—cope with a crisis without difficulty); “步履轻盈” (bulv qingying, women’s walking style—light steps because of slim figure); “步履瞒珊” (bulv panshan, walk haltingly, hobble along); “步履维艰” (bulv weijian, have difficulty walking—business, work, etc. is difficult to move forward), etc. Another interesting expression, which is known to all, is “削足适履” (xuezu shilv, cut the feet to fit the shoes—to copy, without making necessary changes).

In modern Chinese, “鞋” (xie) is the exact word for “shoes,” and “鞋” has also formed many idiomatic sayings. For example, “穿小鞋” (chuan xiaoxie, give somebody tight shoes to wear, implying “make things harder for someone by abusing one’s power”), “穿新鞋, 走老路” (chuan xinxie zou laolu, tread the old path in new shoes, implying “make no real change”), etc. But another popular saying is “破鞋” (poxie), which is a strongly abusive language, implying “a loose woman in sex.”

About Clothes Texture

Clothes are different not because of their style and design, but because of the cloth texture too. With the development of silk dyeing industry, silk clothing is various in color and so they are called in many ways, such as ‘‘绢 (juan), 缣 (jian), 素 (su), 纨(wan), 纱 (sha), 绡 (xiao), 绸 (chou), 罗 (luo)”, etc. These words tell how silk is made and dyed in various ways and, at the same time, show also the class difference when people are dressed in different silk.

“缣” is usually made of douppioni silk and colored yellow, so it is also called “黄绢” (huang juan). “素,” white, unbleached and undyed, is usually the color for funerals during ancient times and has been passed down to the present day. So “素衣,” “素冠” and “素裳” all refer to the white clothes people wear for the funeral. Since “素” is pure white silk, there are many collocated sayings with “素.” For example, “朴素” (pusu, simple and plain), “素净” (sujing, plain and neat), “素面” (su mian, vegetarian noodles), “尸位素餐” (shiwei sucan, hold an office and enjoy all the privileges without doing a stroke of work), etc.

The expression “纨绔” (wan ku) is very much used in literature today. “绔” is the delicate kind of raw silk; “绮” stands for “trousers.” “纨绔” then means “the silk trousers on rich men, esp. youngsters of the rich. Probably descendants of most rich families are good-for-nothing men, and because the ordinary people usually hate them, “纨绔子弟” (wanku zidi, sons and grandsons of the rich families) then becomes a strongly ironic expression. It implies “败家子” (bai jia zi, spendthrift), as they idle about and fools around, living not by honest labor but by taking advantage of the mass.

Since the ordinary people never have the chance to touch the silk dress “褐” (he, coarse cloth) and “布” (bu, cotton cloth), made from flex, poor-quality wool, and coarse cotton, have become common for the general public. “褐” is heavy-weighted, coarse and not warm at all, so later people use cotton instead for their dress. And “布衣” (bu yi, cotton clothes) has become the expression for the dress of the ordinary people, while “绫罗绸缎” (lingluo chouduan, silk, and satins) become the symbol of the rich.

Strangely, “文章” (wen zhang, article) is another expression related to dressing. “文章,” now “written words on paper,” used to refers to the “花纹” (hua wen, decorative pattern) and “纹理” (wen li, veins) of cloth. “文” has the same pronunciation as “纹,” which refers to “the crossing pattern of blue and red lines,” and “章” to “the crossing pattern of red and white lines.” People then call “the intercrossing of the three color lines,” pleasing and attractive to eyes, “文 章.” Later words logically organized and beautifully used and written on paper are called “文章” because they are not only pleasing to eyes but the mind. But doesn’t that tell that the people of the Han Nationality have been focusing on the aesthetics of words since a very early time?

About Personal Ornaments

Apart from the clothes they wear, ancient Chinese also paid great attention to personal ornaments, as their decoration not only adds to the attraction of personal beauty but also tell their social status. At that time, people often chose jade, jewelry, knife and sword as the personal ornaments, but typically jade. As jade was rare and known for its brightness and medical power, it had been much loved by people and become a life requisite of the wealthy class, and also a symbol of social rank. It was reported when ministers were asked to pay respects to the emperor in ancient China, jade on the ministers should send out a rhythmic sound as they walked along; furthermore, jade had always been used as a sacrifice to be offered for ghosts and gods or as “陪葬品” (pei zang pin, funerary objects) to high-ranking officials. Some people even took jade as medicine, as they believed it magic enough to be able to prolong their lives.

The traditional idea about jade has had a significant impact on the language. So the words “琼 (qiong), 瑶 (yao), 璐 (lu), 玫 (jiu), 璞 (pu), 璋 (zhang), 琮 (cong), 珑(long),” etc. have often been used to describe the various types of jade. In “《红楼梦》”, (Hong Lou Meng, A Dream of Red Mansions), one of the famous Chinese classics literature, “贾宝玉” (Jia Baoyu), the main character in the novel, was, in the description, born with a jade in his mouth so that his name had to be related with jade. As jade was noble and magnificent, “贾宝玉” had always been the hope of Jia’s family. For its magic power and significance, “玉” has often been used to mean “imperial.” For example,

• “玉帝” (玉皇大帝, yuhuang dadi): The Jade Emperor (the Supreme Deity of Taoism)
  
• “玉玺” (yu xi): imperial jade seal
  
• “玉颜” (yu yan): fair complexion
  
• “玉女” (yu nv): the Jade Maiden; see also “金童玉女.”
  
• “玉宇” (yu yu): a magnificent palace of immortal beings

In Chinese, when the word “玉” is added to the thing or object, it will soon seem to be different by nature and become expensive and valuable. For example, “玉枕” (yu zhen, pillow), “玉杯” (yu bei, cup), “玉食” (yu shi, food), etc. Interestingly, when a girl cries, her “tears” can be called “玉筋” (yu jin), and fragrant tea is called “玉茗” (yu min). People often associate the moon with “玉,” as the moon is usually clear and bright like jade. So there are the expressions “玉团 (yu tuan), 玉盘 (yu pan), 玉镜(yu jing), 玉弓 (yu gong), 玉钩 (yu gou), 玉轮 (yu lun),” etc., describing the different shapes of the moon when it is at different times.

Also, “玉” often goes together with “金” (jin, gold), as both of the words are much related to imperial. For example, “金口玉言” (jinkou yuyan, a golden mouth and pearly words—precious words; utterance that carry great weight); “金枝玉叶” (jinzhi yuye, golden branches and jade leaves—people of imperial lineage; royalty); “金童玉女” (jintong yunv, the Golden Boy and the Jade Maiden—attendants of the Taoist immortals); “金科玉律” (jinke yulv, golden rule, and precious precept), etc.