Cultural and Historical
INTRODUCTION
The China has a long history of the fashion, but the most important is the Han Chinese costume. In 794-897, Japan keep in touch with China, exchange their knowledge, of course the Han Chinese costume fly to Japan which is the Kimono as we known, my purpose of my report is to tell the influence of the Han Chinese costume to the China social identity, and influence of the Japan now a days.
1. The history and development of the Han Chinese costume
A. Explain the history of the Han Chinese costume
Han Chinese costume or other name is Hanfu which the clothing of the Chinese people. Hanfu refers to the pre-17th century traditional clothing, and thus a group of predominant ethnic in China. By the Han Chinese ethnic group, Hanfu encompasses all types of traditional clothing. Hence, as long as the history of the Han Chinese people, Hanfu has a history. In the 17th century, it was eliminated by Manchu invaders by force. As traditional Chinese clothing, although Qipao and Tangzhuang usually regarded, are not regarded as Hanfu by advocates of Hanfu revival. The reason is that, whom revival advocates accuse of having stamped out Hanfu in the first place, these were introduced by the Manchu’s. Recent clothing styles in China were Qipao and Tangzhuang are also relatively and can’t represent the entire history of Chinese clothing. Hanfu can be keith traced back to the Yellow Emperor, according to Chinese tradition, a great sage king of ancient China whom legend says ruled in the 27th century before Christ. For more than 3000 years, Hanfu itself has a recorded history, and it was worn by Han Chinese people by semi-legendary Xia Dynasty (c. 21st century BC-16th century BC) all the way to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Of more than three millennia, Hanfu has a history and is said to have been worn by the legendary Yellow Emperor. Hanfu especially in the elite circles, from the beginning of its history, was inseparable from silk, supposedly discovered by the yellow Emperor’s consort, Leizu. The Shang Dynasty 1600 BC- 1000 BC, the first solidly historical dynasty known in China, develop the rudiments of Hanfu. The Western Zhou Dynasty, in which the dynasty to follow the Shang, that established a strict hierarchical society as a status meridian that used clothing. Markers included the length of a skirt. Then in Eastern Zhou dynasty, the Deep robe or shenyi is appeared as a combination of tunic and skirt.
B. The style of the Han Chinese costume
The costume of the Han Chinese, since its commonly assumed beginnings in the Shang dynasty, clothing had changed and evolves with fashion of the days. Many of the earlier designs are more gender-neutral and simple in cuttings. With men commonly wearing pants and women commonly wearing skirts, later garments incorporate multiple pieces. Through wrapping of upper garments lapels or binding with sashes at the waist, clothing for women usually accentuates the body’s natural curves. As they evolved and only few styles are fossilized, each dynasty has their own styles of hanfu. In informal wear, this type includes tops (yi) and bottoms, and one-piece robes that wrap around the body once or several times (shenyi). This set of Hanfu consists of two or three layers. For footwear, obviously white socks and black cloth shoes are the norm. Daoists, Buddhists and Confucians may have white stripe chevrons. Semi- formal wear, is suitable for meeting guests or just going to meetings and thus other special cultural days, worn by nobility, upper class. Formal wear, which is worn only at certain special occasions like religious activities, important sacrifices or just by special people who are entitled to wear them such as emperors and officials. The court dress, in which is worn at very formal occasions, ceremonies that which are in the presence of a monarch. Since there is no reigning monarch in China anymore, the practical use of court dress is now obsolete in the modern age.
C. The development of the Han Chinese costume
The Chinese people are becoming more aware of this connection between themselves and their ancient culture. There were some people believe that the disappearance of the Hanfu is not abnormal. But there were also who believe that in every ethnic group’s costume is important and a valuable development and piece of the past. Nowadays, there were also people who feel Hanfu is no longer relevant or convenient; hence it is just consigned to China’s historical culture. In practicing of wearing the Hanfu has also had the benefit of development and propagation of the traditional culture of China. Traditional of that group and embodying the culture. Han Chinese traditional costume is Hanfu, thus it is representative of the nations; traditional culture. However, to revive Han Chinese clothing in everyday life, there is currently a movement in overseas Chinese communities and China, thus it incorporate in Chinese festivals or celebration. Today, western-style clothing is worn by most Han Chinese in everyday life. A lot of Southeast Asian national costumes, East Asian such as Japanese Kimono, Vietnamese and the Korean hanbok, were all influences from the Hanfu as historically these counties were part of the Sino sphere.
2. The specialty and modality of the Han Chinese costume
A. The specialty of the Han Chinese costume
Han Chinese costume or what we called Hanfu was regarded by Han Chinese people as very important part of their culture. The wearing of appropriate styles of Hanfu was an important part of courteous refined behavior. For Confucius Hanfu is considered a very important part of Chinese ceremony and ritual and many of his quotations contain references to Hanfu.
B. The modality of the Han Chinese
It varies on region on the clothing’s of china, economic situations and ethnic background. There are many symbols that have been used such as phoenix for decorative as well as economic purposes. As a part of historical reenactment, only Han Chinese clothing is presently worn, hobby, coming of age/ rite of passage ceremonies, ceremonial clothing worn by religious priests, or cultural exercises and can be frequently seen in Chinese television series, films and other forms of media entertainment.
3. The influence of the Han Chinese costume
Hanfu had a significant shaped the styles of traditional costumes of many other Asian countries due to the length of its history and China’s overwhelming cultural influence on the region. Before 1884 when the French invaded Vietnam, some countries such as Vietnam, which was frequently either a vassal state or under the direct control of China, have traditional dresses that are exactly the same as Hanfu. Japanese kimono and Korea Hanbok and other Asian countries traditional costumes do have some differences from Hanfu. Korean traditional dress is much more similar to Hanfu, compared with Japanese Kimono. Hanfu had a great impact on Asian countries, of all the traditional costumes in which they get influenced by Hanfu, the Japanese Kimono is different from the most original. Nevertheless, all traditional dresses that were mentioned earlier that was inherited the uniqueness of Hanfu style: Youren and sleeve. For Korean Hanbok and Japanese Kimono, some people in China today also mistake Hanfu.
4. The relationship between china and Japan (in 794-897)
In 749-897, during the early Heian period, the emperors were strong and relationships continued with China. This time to Heian-ko “the capital of peace and tranquility, the capital of Japan was moved yet again. Then eleven centuries later the name was changed to Kyoto. One family of courtiers and the power of the emperors declined over time. The affairs of the state, the Fujiwara, ended up dominating. Communications with China was suspended in 894 and the time from 897 on is referred to as the late Heian or Fujiwara, period. This was the time for the Japan to enhance and develop its own culture and society. The giants of Asia, China and Japan, account for nearly three-quarters of the region’s economic activity and more than half of the region’s military spending. In the past five years, despite their deep economic ties and a doubling of their bilateral trade, their relationship is increasingly strained, with dangerous implications for the United States and the world at large. Relations between China and Japan historically were clearly structured. One country was always more prosperous or powerful than the other. Before the nineteenth century, since the Meiji Restoration China was usually dominant, in 1868, Japan has generally been preeminent. At the same time has only recently emerged, the prospect that China and Japan could both be powerful and affluent, largely because while China’s economy and influence have grown rapidly, Japan’s have remained stagnant. To World War I, some liken current Sino-Japanese relations to the Anglo-German rivalry. As with the United Kingdom and Germany a century ago, the contest for regional leadership between China and Japan today is creating new security dilemmas, prompting concerns over Chinese ambitions in Japan and fears of renewed Japanese militarism in China. Partly because of rising popular involvement in politics, both the states are adopting confrontational stances, and resurgent nationalism exacerbated by revived memories of World War II. Issues confront to China and Japan, among the most pressing is their thirst for energy. Japan and China have had a long official and non-official relationship. In terms of in writing system, architecture, culture, religion, philosophy, law, and political and economic interaction, China has strongly influenced Japan with it. Japan moved towards modernization Meiji Reformation, when Western countries forced Japan to open trading in the mid-nineteenth century. Viewing China as an antiquated civilization, unable to defend itself against Western forces (Opium Wars and Anglo-French Expeditions from 1840’s-1860’s). In China between 1894 and 1945, Japan’s had a long chain of invasions and war crimes, as well as modern Japan’s attitude towards its past are major issues affecting current and likely, future Sino-Japanese relations. Bringing together South-East Asia with themselves and South Korea, moreover, China and Japan are taking part in the effort to launch an East Asian Community. Japan and China share an interest in preventing the dollar from declining rapidly and in keeping the exchange rate between the Yuan and the yen fairly stable.
5. The beginning and development of the kimono
A. How the kimono started.
The earliest history of kimono is greatly influenced by traditional Chinese clothing called hanfu between China and Japan through extensive cultural adoptions, as early as the fifth century. When Chinese fashions came into style among Japanese, it was during the eight century and particularly on women’s fashion , the overlapping collar is so into it. It has a great impact on the Chinese clothing by which the Japanese get influenced on it. The kimono became increasingly stylized during Japan’s Heian period (794-1191 CE), though one still wore a half-apron, called a mo, over it. The kosode, a single kimono during the Muromachi age (1392-1573) formerly considered underwear, began to be worn without the hakama pants over it, and then it started to held closed by an obi “belt”. Since then, it has remained essentially unchanged, the basic shape of both men’s and women’s kimono. The earliest history of kimono is greatly influenced by traditional Chinese clothing called hanfu between China and Japan through extensive cultural adoptions, as early as the fifth century. When Chinese fashions came into style among Japanese, it was during the eight century and particularly on women’s fashion , the overlapping collar is so into it. It has a great impact on the Chinese clothing by which the Japanese get influenced on it. The kimono became increasingly stylized during Japan’s Heian period (794-1191 CE), though one still wore a half-apron, called a mo, over it. The kosode, a single kimono during the Muromachi age (1392-1573) formerly considered underwear, began to be worn without the hakama pants over it, and then it started to held closed by an obi “belt”. Since then, it has remained essentially unchanged, the basic shape of both men’s and women’s kimono. From the Early Nara period (645–724) to the present, Kimono garment which are worn by the Japanese men and women derived from the Chinese p’ao style robe, the usual outlook of kimono is ankle-length gown with long, expansive sleeves and a V-neck.
B. The development of the kimono
The wearing of Japan’s traditional clothing has been relegated to a few special events in the last fifty years; however, the kimono still represents the essence and the nature of Japan. The beauty of the kimono doesn’t only lies on its magnificent artistry of design and decoration but rather it underlining beauty is its ability to display the inner beauty and qualities of the wearer. However, because of the way the kimono is made and worn, it requires the wearer to move with grace and thoughtfulness, thus demonstrating the wearer’s inner qualities. Kimonos are made of silk and are usually very expensive. Kimono nowadays they are worn at formal or traditional occasions such as funerals, weddings or tea ceremonies. Only rare kimono can still be seen in everyday life. As we can see in Japan nowadays we can see the people adapting the clotting of western people.
6. The specialty and modality of the kimono
A. The specialty of the kimono
The kimono communicates personal and social messages of gender, status, and aesthetics through subtle variations in style and materials. In terms of their clothing, Japanese people wear kimono, the meaning of kimono is something one wears, and that it is their traditional garments.
B. The modality of the kimono
The purpose of wearing the Kimono is to deliver and send information, what I mean is such as personality or age or marital status of the wearer. The choice of the fabric which is also conveying some information, color pattern and forms. Kimono, everything on it symbolizes something. Like the younger the women, the more higher the pattern reach in the hem of the kimono. Kimono signifies and reaffirms fundamental Japanese cultural values.
7. The influence of the kimono to the china social
Such as the kimono in Japan, many traditional costumes of Asian countries along with the traditional dresses Korean Hanbok and Vietnamese ao dai, are derived from Hanfu and have the same style as Hanfu. In contrast to China, Japanese traditional dresses have been preserved over the centuries, and are close to what pre-Manchu Hanfu looked like.
8. The influence of the Han Chinese costume to the china social identity, and influence of the Japan nowadays.
It is so interesting to think and to realize that it was the women who did the work of adaptating the Chinese influence and developing kimono towards its present form, men wanted to stick with the original Chinese form. From Chinese Han Dynasty approximately 200 BC to AD 200, it appears that there was influence. During the glorious days of the Sui and Tang dynasties, after all the model of civilization in Japan was provided by Chinese. Researchers today but there is no way of telling for sure believe that leaders in Japan got influence from aristocrats in China during the fourth century. With courtly styles of Sui and Tang dynasties, that period’s clothing, art, and hairstyles all seem to match. It has been already in early Heian period that clothing reflected marital status of a woman. Although, Japanese kimono was influenced in China, there is difference between Chinese Clothing and Kimono. However, on normal Chinese clothing of the Wu, the kimono was modeled in Japanese. Wafuku is the inflexion of WU FU meaning the clothing of Wu in Chinese. As they are neighboring countries, they should be united and in peace, each represents a good feedback on each ones side. Although the clothes of China and Japan is similar but the characters of people differ, and that the suit can changed in countless ways. It doesn’t only represent Chinese female costume but also it becomes a symbol of the oriental traditional costume.
Conclusion
The Han Chinese costume and Kimono as in the same period, in that social has the similar influence, but we can see today, the kimono has preponderate over the Han Chinese costume, not only in Japan but also in the world, the Kimono has a huge force, but nowadays some Chinese feel the Han Chinese costume is very important and rising so quickly, so the fashion not only influence the development of the social but also the people’s life.
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Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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