The Colors of the Chinese Dress

One must be saying, what's a Qipao Chinese dress? And why do the colors matter? But if one has ever seen a motion picture with the plot taking place in olden Chinese times, or even Rush Hour, then you have seen these more traditional type of Chinese dress. These dresses are still worn to this day during formalities in Chinese, Chinese New Year and weddings.

These customary dresses began during the Ching (also known as the Qing Dynasty) Dynasty from 1644- 1911 AD. Even after the other throw of the Qing empire, the dress still managed to survive even during the course of Chairman Mao's rule, despite being considered capitalist. Many other areas of China that didn't conform to communist like Hong Kong and Taiwan still wore the dresses for special occasions. Because of the rise of Chinese neighborhoods and emigration of many Chinese to work or study abroad, the dresses can be seen during some occasions in Los Angeles and other high regions of Chinese communities.

The component down to its color option have symbolism and meaning in Chinese society and history. The color red for example means the color of good fortune, this symbolizes fire which means good fortune and happiness. This color option is discovered everywhere in China is by far the most commonly used color option in China. The layouts of gold and yellow on the red dress embody earth. Yellow is considered to be the center of everything, and is also an imperial color option of China. Black exemplifies water, neutral color. Green on the other hand is represented with prosperity, nausea, health, and harmony. Blue describes immortality. White is a representative of metal, and means brightness, purity, and fulfillment. The color schemes that are selected for the dress really depends on the individual. Each color scheme has a representation of a feeling, element, and many other actors.

Modern Qipao now a days are tailored and range from any color scheme to match any theme or event. It's common for Chinese people to even have more than just one Chinese dress. The fundamentals and the dress itself has not adjusted over the hundred of years, and today has become a way for China to represent itself to the world. As the belief of fashion emphasizes shorter skirts, it was common for Chinese woman to adjust the length of the skirt. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Qipao was opted to represent the female athletes for the Chinese delegacy. Since the dress is a sign of formality in Chinese culture, the dress is commonly worn by staff members who work in the Chinese airline sector, hotels in China, and eating venues in China. This dress also can be viewed as an icon of Chinese growing impact and patriotism worldwide. As many societies and countries try to harmonize modernity and progression with custom and history; the Qipao may be a way to bridge the gap between customary and contemporary. The one element of the dress that may of changed over the years may be the length of the skirt.