Chinese Culture and Art in Movie: The Past and Present of Cheongsam (Qipao)

In the 1920s, with increasingly frequent international exchange, new European textiles, such as cloth, camlet, tweed, wool and lace, plus new fashionable trends and concepts - as well as photos of foreign stars in gorgeous costumes - were introduced into China. Feminine culture in such major Chinese cities as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Nanjing stood out, and stars of film and stage played an important role in the reformation and popularization of new styles. In Shanghai of the mid 1920s, the then generally-recognized fashion center of China, appeared a new dress - the weskit, with a length reaching the top of one’s foot. The loosely-fitting weskit featured embroidered borders, and fashionable women usually put it outside a lined short coat, in replacement of the long dress. This is the predecessor of the modern cheongsam.

Maggie Cheung in the film In The Mood For Love wears gorgeous cheongsam

The waistcoat style cheongsam quickly swept over China. Trendy Shanghai women, who tended to lead clothing trends, continued refinements. In 1926, sleeves were added to the weskit, transforming the costume into the first modern cheongsam. While it shared similarities with the gowns worn by Manchu women, this weskit, with sleeves, adopted elements from Han dresses. Gaining inspiration from various aspects, the modern cheongsam developed quickly into a current fashion. While it was a loose-fitting garment in the mid 1920s, the waist size became smaller, although the change was not obvious, in the late 1920s. In the 1930s, as European trends emphasized narrow waists and feminine characteristics, cheongsam accordingly became slim. To enhance women’s figures, various designs - including length of the garment, shape of the sleeves, slit cuts and accessories - have changed accordingly. With its style undergoing continuous changes, cheongsam remained popular into the 1940s.

There were 27 cheongsams worn by actress Tang Wei in the movie Lust, Caution. Through the changes of cheongsam styles and fabrics, director Ang Lee revealed the heroine’s different situations.