The Three Main Types Of Ancient Chinese Clothing

Ancient Chinese culture was very sophisticated in many ways. It brought us paper, gunpowder and beautiful materials (like silk). There is archeological evidence of fine clothing making abilities going back nearly 5,000 years. This is evident in the three main types of ancient Chinese clothing: the ch’ang-p’ao, the pien-fu, and the shen-i. The ch’ang-p’ao is ancient Chinese clothing that is meant to cover the entire body, from the shoulders all the down to the floor, covering the heels. It is a garment made of one piece of material. The pien-fu is actual more of a ceremonial costume of two pieces. Its top is very like a tunic. It goes to about the knees. The rest of the outfit is a second piece that is like a skirt (for women) or pants (for men). This portion goes to the ankles. The shen-i is a combination of the two. There are two portions of this type of ancient Chinese clothing, but the tunic and the skirt (or pants) are sewn together, making it basically a one piece garment. This is also the most widely worn of the three. Ancient Chinese clothing is distinguished by a loose fit and very large sleeves, no matter

which of three types of garment it was. The design and structure of the clothing was very simple and plain. Economy of stitching was used in putting together this clothing, so it was not very ornate in design. To make up for this, elaborate embroidery on hems and on the soldiers added beauty to the clothing Additionally, much of the clothing could be worn with sashes, drapes, and bands. Ancient Chinese clothing was so sophisticated, and the culture so engrossed with color, that there was a complete system of color and contrast in the clothing worn. The distinctive designs made the clothing very beautiful, and ancient Chinese clothing styles are sometimes worn today for formal occasions.