This is an analysis that would provide for a comparison of the court costumes of the Tang and Qing Period. This paper will be divided in five parts: an introduction of the importance of court costumes; a brief background about the court costumes during the Tang period; next would be the background regarding the Qing period; the comparison, which will point out the similarities and differences of the court costumes; and the paper will be ended with a conclusion, taking into consideration the key points that have been discusses all through out the paper.
The matters, materials, or resources used in this paper will be given recognition thru proper referencing in order to acknowledge the contribution of such materials to the content of this paper.
INTRODUCTION
The appreciation of the court costumes will enable the reader and the author be more knowledgeable as to the existence of matter, which are important to the existence and further understanding of the culture of one’s own country.
The country that will be used in this paper is China. China, one of the four oldest civilizations in the world, has a written history of 4,000 years and boasts rich cultural relics and historical sites. China has gone over a long history of primitive society, slavery society, feudal society and semi-feudal semi-colonial society and the present socialist society (China Today).
The focus of this paper is the distinction of the court costumes that was used in the Tang and Qing Dynasty. The author learned that both dynasty and period has different kinds of sets of court costumes, which have been the trademark of their period.
Watson and Ho (1995), has stated that Chinese costumes and accessories of the last two hundred years have been richly preserved both in kind and in image. Hence, the author would like to inform the readers that the discussion will be as colorful and full of life as what the costumes of both dynasties have during its time.
COURT COSTUMES OF THE TANG DYNASTY
According to Scott (1967), Tang dynasty was the golden age of Chinese Art and the period was considered as the Lively Tang Dynasty. There are a series of host of type of fabric or clothes in this time.
The court costumes during this time consist of a red upper garment and a red lower skirt, which is worn over white underwear, made of gauze. The officials are distinguished because they fastened a big bang made of gauze around their court garments. The additional accessories are the brocade ribbons, jade ornaments, jade bracelets, and black leather shoes and sock made of damask silk. The costumes can be considered as a uniform for all but the combinations of the accessories set the distinction as to the rack of the officials.
Furthermore, eunuchs are allowed to wear seasonal costumes. The most attractive costumes were those adorned with bird and beast patterns with brocades.
COURT COSTUMES OF THE QING DYNASTY
During this period, the number of court costumes differs from gender, which are prescribed and set. The sets or types of clothes prescribed are not only available for ordinary women but to the highest-ranking official of the government. The women during this time dressed depending of what is allowed by law. The difference of such clothes by women and other highest-ranking officials differs on the type of textile used. Such distinction is much appreciated because of what the people and other co-citizens might be able to perceive in the process of providing distinction to those who are to be given respect and not.
Men on the other hand are less complicated in terms of clothing because of the use of long gowns and Mandarin jackets. Furthermore, according Vollmer, Myers and Gallery (2004), the decorations during this time on the court costumes were all preserved by the correct or present people of China.
COMPARISON
The description of the court costumes provided in the above mentioned paragraphs are those graphical and specific illustration, which will give the readers a concrete and colorful association of the senses of their eyes and imagination. In this part, the author will provide the readers the comparison, focusing on the reason behind the existence of such costumes, the reason for the use of different kind of images, the area on which the current China has acquired in their present fashion sense and the necessity of the different kind of accessories.
As to the reason behind the existence of such costumes which are presumed to be the same for they are both the father of the China’s history. As stated during the Tang Dynasty different types fabric, however, the most used type of fabric in court is a soft clothe. According to Dafa (2003), the attire of the Tang dynasty attire had many different styles and was ever changing, which has been the reason why the whole dynasty was considered as the most splendid and unique kind of period in the entire history of China. On the other hand, Qing dynasty is described as the more intricate of all.
The author perceived that with that the Tang dynasty the essence of being colorful has indeed made the whole dynasty more colorful. On the other hand, due to the fact that the law and government prescribed the clothing which the members of the society must be able to wear. The complication of the clothing on the Qing dynasty was attributed to the fact that the government controls the behavior of the citizens.
On the designs and images, Tang dynasty was much more bold and the drawings or painting on the court. Benn (2002) stated that the process of having such images was an important precursor to the invention of printing in the Tang. Furthermore, the designs are done thru the used of dyes and the woodcarvings. On the other hand, the designs of the court costumes during the Qing are much more into embroidery and other type of designs that can be done thru the use of thread. The development of the use of different kinds of textiles is the reason why both dynasties have a different set of kind of tools and materials used in the designs in the costumes.
On the distinction on the type of images in incorporated in the costumes are also different. The images on the court costumes during the Tang dynasty was much bigger and size and restrictions are present. On the other hand, according to Dusenberry, Bier, Foresman, et. Al. (2004), the designs are prescribed by the government and any violation thereof is considered a sign of rebellion. The intentional departure from the prescribed dress code was sometimes employed as a form of political protest.
The last point of comparison is the impact or what elements of such court costumes remained or being used in the current scenario of China. The author perceived that the broader appreciation of the Tang dynasty’s court costumes has paved way to the colorful culture of eh present China. On the other hand, the impact of the court costumes from the Qing dynasty has created a more importance to the proper costumes to be worn. The implication of having rules setting the dress has given the Chinese people the necessity of setting different kinds of clothes to different kind of occasions.
CONCLUSION
The image of China for having a great, vast, and colorful culture sets it apart from other states of the World. The reason for this kind of culture is attributed to the existence of the number of dynasties that have made China as a whole.
The court costumes from the two subject dynasties are colorful and magnificent on their own name. Appreciation of the court costumes of the two dynasties is not hard, what is suffice is the fact that enough historical background is wide. The point of similarities and differences of the two subject dynasties are the way the people developed and the government has progressed. The designs are just only an addition to their differences but it does not have the biggest factor that the author can link to the evolution of the court costumes of the two dynasties.
The Tang Dynasty in terms of its court costumes is much more bolder and offers a wide array of designs and printings, which the author has attributed to the fact that the people in this era is into discovering one’s self from what the capabilities of human can do. On the other hand, the norms of the society during the Qing dynasty have already been established, as it has been the product of all the dynasties. The laws and regulations of the societies carry with it the fact that the people must be prevented from doing something that would cause nuisance to the society.
Hence, although both dynasties have set a great impact to the current scenario of China, the effect of which is on how the people will be able to perform their own ways but not deviating from what the law has prescribed.
REFERENCES
Benn, C. (2002). Daily Life in Traditional China: The Tang Dynasty. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
China Today; 2004; viewed 3 times; October 1, 2008; <http://www.chinatoday.com/general/a.htm#ECON>.
Chinese Tourism. (2007). Costume in the Qing Dynasty. China: China Travel
Dafa, F. (2003), Five Thousands Years of Culture from Heaven: Chinese Dress through the Ages. Europe: Clear Harmony.
Dusenberry, M., Bier, C, Foresman, S. (2004) Flowers, Dragons and Pine Trees: Asian Textiles in the Spencer Museum of Art. Hudson Hills.
Scott, H. (1967). The Golden Age of Chinese Art: The Lively T’ang Dynasty. Rutland, VT: Charles E. Tuttle.
Vollmer, J., Myers, M., Gallery, N. (2004). Silks for Thrones and Altars: Chinese Costumes and Textiles. Ten Speed Press.
Watson, W. and Hp, C. (1995). The Arts of China to AD 900. Yale University Press.
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