The Style And Pattern Of Traditional Chinese Cheongsam: Inheritance And Improvement

Through the historical overview of the development of cheongsam，and the analysis of theunderlying cultural transition, this paper suggests that traditional and modern Chinesecheongsam follows eastern and western fashion respectively, which differs by culturalconnotation as well as style and structure. Inlfuenced by the traditional Chinese culture thathighlights summarizing and inducting, going with the lfow，being industrious and thrifty, as wellas subtle and implicit, traditional cheongsam employs the flat one-piece pattern. As a part ofeastern costume, traditional cheongsam relfects an aesthetic value that pursues being natural,implicit, and subtle. On the other hand, modern cheongsam, as a part of western costume, adoptswestern three-dimensional pattern and pursues S-curve shape, which is influenced by the westernculture that stresses individualism, concurring the nature, and extrovert. Focusing on traditionalcheongsam, this paper discusses the inheritance and improvement of its style and pattern. Bylearning from Japanese and South Korean experience in traditional costume protection, thispaper suggests that the inheritance of traditional cheongsam should distinct partial inheritancefrom full inheritance. Based on the study of the normalization of traditional cheongsam, thispaper also proposed the improvement principle that "saving labor, material, and time; easy to buy,wear, and take care". Building upon Japan’s successful experience in inheriting and improving itstraditional costumes that led by Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo, and Junichi Arai，the author develops the framework that combines eastern aesthetic value with western designstructure, and expresses eastern aesthetics through western forms. The author also speciifed aseries of improvements in nine dimensions，including shape, length, waist-level, opening style,collar style,connecting style, sleeve-shoulder pattern, fabric and decorative crafts. Last, theauthor explores the ways of integration modern life and traditional aesthetics, and proposes anew framework and direction for the development of traditional costume in China.