A dress with two names
The qipao is a women’s dress with a high collar, a fitted body, side fastenings and often a side slit in the skirt. In Cantonese-influenced English it is commonly called the cheongsam, and the two names are widely used for the same general garment. The Mandarin term qipao is often explained as meaning something like “banner robe,” which links to the history discussed below.
It is sometimes presented as ancient national dress, but that picture is not accurate. The qipao in its familiar form is a product of the early twentieth century, and it developed in a time of rapid social and political change. It is better understood as a modern style with older roots than as a garment worn unchanged for centuries.
Roots in banner dress
Under the Qing dynasty, the ruling Manchu people were organized into units called banners, and Manchu women wore long, relatively straight robes, which are the usual starting point for the qipao story. These robes differed from the two-piece dress more common among Han Chinese women at the time. Over the later Qing period, styles mixed, and the long robe gradually appeared in various forms.
The exact path from banner robe to the qipao is debated. Some accounts stress direct descent from Manchu women’s dress, others emphasize the influence of men’s long gowns and of Western tailoring. The most careful summary is probably that several influences combined.
The early twentieth century
After the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912, social life in cities changed quickly. Women’s education expanded, and more women appeared in public life. In the 1910s and 1920s, urban women, including students, began to wear a long, relatively simple gown that is often described as an early qipao. Its straight lines were seen by some as modern and practical, and some writers connect its appeal to ideas of equality, since the style resembled a man’s long gown.
Over the 1920s and 1930s, especially in Shanghai, the style evolved. Tailors fitted it more closely to the body, using darts and shaping that reflected Western methods of cutting. Hemlines rose and fell with fashion, sleeves shortened or disappeared, and slits were introduced for ease of movement. Collars, fastenings and decorative edging varied. Fabrics ranged from plain cotton to patterned silk, and new materials appeared as they became available.
Shanghai is often called a center of qipao fashion in this period, as an international port city with tailors, magazines, film and advertising helping spread new looks. Calendar posters, photographs and actresses helped create a recognizable image. Because trends moved quickly, there was no single “standard” qipao, and the dress changed from year to year.
Features of the cut
Although designs vary, several features commonly define the qipao:
- A mandarin or stand-up collar.
- Frog fastenings. Decorative knots and loops used as closures along the side or front. These knots echo the traditions of Chinese knots.
- A fitted silhouette, shaped to the figure by seams and darts.
- A side slit, ranging in height with the fashion of the day.
- Trim and piping, often along the collar, front edge and hem.
Embroidery, printed patterns and woven designs are all common, and the motifs often draw on flowers, birds and other auspicious images. Color choices can follow occasion. Red is a frequent choice for weddings, in line with the broader meanings in Chinese color symbolism, while other colors suit daily or formal wear.
Changing fortunes
After the middle of the twentieth century, the qipao followed different paths in different places. In mainland China, everyday dress shifted toward simpler, more uniform clothing for a period, and the qipao became less visible in daily life. In Hong Kong and in overseas Chinese communities, it continued as fashionable and formal wear for some decades, often worn to dinners and events and by working women in some jobs. In Taiwan and elsewhere, it also had its own history.
Later, the qipao returned to prominence in the mainland as a formal style, seen at weddings, performances, hospitality uniforms and national events. Designers also reinterpreted it, creating versions with new fabrics and cuts. Film and fashion outside China helped spread its image, though at times they reduced it to a stereotype. Opinions differ about how it should be portrayed, and wearers have their own views of what the dress means.
Symbol and image
Because it is so recognizable, the qipao has been used to stand for several different ideas: modernity in the early republic, elegance, nostalgia for an earlier era, and Chinese identity abroad. These meanings are not fixed and are often debated. Some people see it as a graceful expression of heritage, while others point out that it was shaped by modern commerce and Western tailoring, and that it does not represent every Chinese woman or every region.
The qipao is also sometimes compared with hanfu. They are quite different traditions: hanfu refers to older historical styles and has been the focus of a revival, while the qipao is a modern development that grew out of late imperial and early republican dress.
Making and wearing
A traditional qipao is often tailored to the individual. A tailor takes careful measurements, chooses fabric, shapes the body, sews the collar and creates the fastenings by hand. Handmade frog buttons can take considerable time. Ready-to-wear versions are common today and make the style more accessible.
For many people, wearing a qipao is an occasion choice: a wedding, a festival such as Chinese New Year, a graduation or a family celebration. In that sense it has a role similar to other festive dress, linking present occasions to a living, evolving idea of tradition.