Changshan (Chinese: 長衫; pinyin: chángshān; lit. Chinese: 長袍; pinyin: chángpáo; lit. Chinese: 大褂; pinyin: Dàguà; lit. 129 The changshan was actually developed by the Han Chinese through the modification of their own Ming dynasty’s Hanfu by adopting some Manchu men’s clothing elements in one of their Hanfu changshan. Chinese robe, which was derived from the Qing dynasty qizhuang, the traditional dress of the Manchu people, which were worn by Manchu men. The changshan was often worn by men with a magua, also commonly translated as “riding jacket” in English language. 129 In function, the changshan is considered the male equivalent of the women’s cheongsam (also known as qipao). The term changpao is also composed of the Chinese character chang and the Chinese pao《袍》, which is literally means “robe”. The term changshan is composed of two Chinese characters: chang《長》which can literally be translated as “long” in length and shan《衫》, which literally means “shirt”. The Mandarin Chinese word changshan is cognate with the Cantonese term Cheongsam (長衫). As general terms used in the broad sense, the changshan and changpao can refer to any form of long shirt and long robes respectively. In Hong Kong the term is frequently used to refer to the female garment, cheongsam, rather than the male garment changshan. Because of the long British presence in Hong Kong, that local usage has become reflected in the meaning of cheongsam in English, which refers exclusively to the female garment. What is now known as the Chinese changshan was developed by the Han Chinese during the Qing dynasty. Unlike the Mandarin term, however, the chèuhngsàam can refer to both male and female garments. 129 The Qing dynasty Chinese changshan started to be worn by the Han Chinese after the Manchu conquest. 129 and was modelled after the Manchu’s men’s changpao. The Han Chinese thus adopted certain Manchu elements when modifying their Ming dynasty changshan, such as by slimming their changshan, by adopting the pianjin collar of the Manchu, and by using buttons and loops at the neck and sides. 129 Despite the shared similarities with Manchu’s neitao, the Chinese changshan differed structurally from the Manchu’s neitao. The Chinese changshan only has two slits on the sides lacking the central front and back slits and lacked the presence of the matixiu cuffs; the sleeves were also longer than the ones found in the neitao. Chinese: 马蹄袖; pinyin: mǎtíxiù; lit. The Manchus in 1636 ordered that all Han Chinese should adopt the Manchu’s hairstyle as well as their attire of dress or face harsh punishment including death penalty. The precursors of both the changshan and the qipao were introduced to China during the Qing dynasty (17th-20th centuries). Han men and women were still allowed to wear the hanfu under some circumstances and/or if they fell under the exemptions of the Tifayifu policy. However, by the time of the Qianlong Emperor, however, the adoption of Manchu clothing dressing code was only required to the scholar-official elites and did not apply to the entire male population. The order of wearing Manchu’s hairstyle however still remained as a fundamental rule for all Chinese men. The traditional Chinese Hanfu-style of clothing for men was gradually replaced. Over time, the commoner Han men adopted the changshan while Han women continued to the wear the hanfu predominantly in the style of aoqun. Over time, the Manchu-style of male dress gained popularity among Han men. Changshan was considered formal dress for Chinese men before Western-style suits were widely adopted in China. The male changshan could be worn under a western overcoat, and topped with a fedora and scarf. This combination expressed an East Asian modernity in the early 20th century. The 1949 Communist Revolution ended the wearing of changshan and other traditional clothing in Shanghai. Shanghainese emigrants and refugees carried the fashion to Hong Kong, where it remained popular. Recently in Shanghai and elsewhere in mainland China, qipao dress short many people have revived wearing the Shanghainese changshan. Changshan are traditionally worn for formal pictures, weddings, and other formal Chinese events. It is made of silk. A black changshan, along with a rounded black hat, was, and sometimes still is, the burial attire for Chinese men. China, except during traditional Chinese celebrations but, with the revival of some traditional clothing in urban mainland China, the Shanghainese style functions as a stylish party dress (cf. Han, Qingxuan (2019-01-01). “Qipao and Female Fashion in Republican China and Shanghai (1912-1937): the Discovery and Expression of Individuality”. Garrett, Valery (2019). Chinese dress from the Qing Dynasty to the present day. Rhoads, Edward J. M. (2000). Manchus & Han: Ethnic Relations and Political Power in Late Qing and Early Republican China, 1861-1928. Studies on Ethnic Groups in China. Seattle: University of Washington Press.
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