Eastern Elegance

When I was little, my grandfather used to tell me fairy tales that were popular at his youth. They were fascinate and mysterious and shared the same beginning "long time ago". My most memorable one, of course, begins in the same way: 

Long time ago, there was a gorgeous fisher woman lived by the Jingbo Lake. She was not only beautiful but also clever and skillful. When fishing, she always felt hindered by her long and loose dress. Therefore, this intelligent woman decided to design a practical dress for her work. She got down to sewing and produced a gown with slits of both sides, which enabled her to tuck the front piece of her dress, thus making her job much easier. One day, the emperor visited Jingbo Lake and encountered this fisher woman. He fell in love with this woman at the first sight because of her beauty and wisdom. Later the fisher woman became the empress and brought her dress with her to the palace. Soon all Manchu women followed this fashion trend and that is how Qipao became popular. 

I was attracted by this story because I saw one picture of my grandmother wearing Qipao in my grandfather's desk. The Qipao was emerald with flower patterns in the front, and she looked elegant and graceful. So I was interested in the design of Qipao, the fashion from Qing Dynasty. 

Qipao is one of the most typical and traditional costumes of Chinese women, also known as Cheongsam. In the past, the collar was high and tide to keep warm. It was meticulously improved into the shape of a semicircle with both sides being symmetrical for an aesthetic purpose. It is generally short, however unlike a short skirt, Qipao displays Chinese women's modesty and softness. 

Easy to slip on and comfortable to wear, Qipao fits well the female Chinese figure. Its neck is high, collar closed, and its sleeves may be either short, medium or full length, depending on season and personal preference. The dress is buttoned on the right side, with a loose chest, a fitting waist, and slits up from the sides, all of which combine to set off the beauty of the female shape. 

The modernized version is noted for heightening the figures of women, and was popular as a dress for high-class society. As Western fashions permeated into Chinese culture, the basic design of Qipao changed as well, introducing high-necked sleeveless dresses, bell-like sleeves, and the black lace frothing at the hem. By the 1940s, Qipao came in a wide variety of fabrics with an equal variety of accessories. 

I love Qipao not only because the romantic fairy tale of it, but also because my grandfather loves the story. As he is telling the story, he is always holding the photo of my grandmother in Qipao. Every time the story ends in "Your grandma looked gorgeous in Qipao when she was young, and I really wish I could see her dress like that again." I saw my grandmother's Qipao well kept in her closet just like she accompanied my grandfather as always.