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China is one of the oldest civilizations on earth. China has unlike the other great river valley civilizations developed independently of the rest of the world. Even so because of the great size and power of China impacte the far distant West. One of the great questions associated with China is why with the great technological advances of China, it was the relatively backward West that used Chinese technology to make the great leap to modernity We know little about historic Chinese clothing at this time, but we eventually hope to add such information to HBC. HBC still has very limited information on Chinese boys' clothing. We would, however, be very interested in any infornmation that Chinese readers can provide us on either tradition or modern clothing in this important country. A Chinese reader is helping us to pull together some basic information.
A Chinese boy writes us, "HBC, thanks for your hard working! Your site is awful (meaning I think good)! There are so many interesting information. I'm a Chinese boy,I learnt a lot from your site.But I couldn't find any Chinese boys fashion info except one Chinese-French movie. Why not put more stuff about Chinese boys? We wear various clothes. Unlike European boys, we don't wear kneesocks or stockings commonly. I've never worn them. Girls, especially young girls wear stockings and tights more than young boys, still not common. Boys only wear football kneesocks for sports, no other types. One exception is Taiwan, Hongkong and Macao. For historical reasons, Hongkong boys' costumes are similar to British boys'. Long shorts became popular among Chinese children just several years ago, not only younger boy as you say, but also old boys wear them. I am one example.
Sailor suits are casual. Although everyone likes to see boys in sailor suits, but it's not commonly wear. That's true modern Chinese boys' costumes are like Japanese ones. (Not traditional costumes, both Chinese and Japanese boys don't wear their own traditional clothes)." [Wang Chen]
About the lack of information about Chinese boys' fashions on HBC. You are correct. We have very little. There are two reasons for that: 1) Our site is a contributory site. That means that the primary source of information is material contributed from readers. Thus our
readers contribute information on their country and can then surf HBC to learn about oyher countries. Perhaps because the site is in English, we do not have a large number of Chinese readers. And so far nine of the readers from China have sent information to us.
We appreciate your interest in our site and will be glad to use any information you may wish to contribute. 2) We have been unable to find any good English language source of infornmation on Chimese boys' clothing.
China is one of the oldest civilizations on earth. We know little about historic Chinese clothing at this time, but we eventually hope to add such information to HBC. We note that the fine clothes worn by the elite often had magnificent embroidery with important imagery. One of the most important images was the dragon which came to symbolize the unity of the Chinese people. Most of the information collected by HBC to date concerns the 20th century. At the beigining of the 20th century, most Chinese still wore traditional clothes, although Western dress was seen in the important Chinese cities, especially coastal cities like Hong Kong and Shangahai where European countries had carved out colonial enclaves. The importance of Western clothing grew after the Nationalist Revolution in 1907? and the fall of the last Machu Emperor. Even so, it was mostly seen in the larger coastal cities. These cities were occupied by Japan after the Japanese invaded China proper from Manchurian bases in 1937. They were only liberated in 1945 after the Japanese surrender in World War II. The success of the Communist Revolution in 1948 brought a massive change in clothing styles as throughout China traditional clothing was discarded for Western influence styles approved by the Communist. Boys might wear short pants in the Summer and long often baggy trousers in the Winter. The Young Pioneer red sacrves were everywhere. Fashion was discaded, everyone was incouraged to dress alike. Another major change occurred during the Cultural Revolutuion (1966-76), one of the most violent and tragic episodes in modern Chinese history. Red Army style uniforms became very popualar for boys. Since the end of the Cultural Revolution fashion has returned to China. Increasingly today young Chinese are dressing like their counterparts in the West.
China has had a long and turbulent history. An understanding of the basic events and movements in Chinese history is necessary to understand the fashion trends. Fashion also reflected those trends. Interestingly because of the long tradition of writing in China and Chinese schoolarship as well as continuity over long periods, more is known about early Chinese history than many comparable eras in the West. The First Emperor, Fu Hsi, is often seen to be the founder of Chinese civiization and social order around 3000 BC. Little is known about many early emperors, but others are known in some detail. In many ways it was the Mongols who brought China into the modern era. The Ming overthrew the Mongols but were in turn replaced by another northern tribe, the Manchu. European imperlism preyed upon the decaying Manchy regime in the 19th century, forcong a number of unequal treaties on China. The British fought the Opium Wars to force China to accept opium. The British and other Europeans as well as the Japanese carved out coastal enclaves. A Republic was formed under Dr. Sun Yat-sen determined to reform China and build a government that could resist foreign incursions(1911). This set in motion a struggle for power among warlords, Nationalists and Communists. Chang Kai-shek and the nationalists emerged victorious. The Communists were not compkletely defeated, but after the Long March established themselves in northwestern China. Then the Jpanese attacked, first in Manchuria (1931) and than China proper (1937). China fought Japan alone until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and British installations (1941) brought America and Britain into the War. China suffered terribly in the War. Much of the country was occupied by the Japanese, but despite the commitment of most of the Imperial Army, the Japanese were unable to defeat the Nationalists who retired west to remote Chunking. The defeat of Japan (1945) set in motion a civil war between the Nationalists and Communists. The Communists emerged victorious and established the People's Republic (1948-49). Chang's Nationalists retired to Taiwan
Boys in China, as in all other countries, engage in a wide range of activitiies for which specialized clothing are costuming is worn. This includes choir, dance, music, school, sports, youth groups, and a range of other activities. Here we are just beginning to collect some basic information. This clothing and costume has changed over time and along with changing political regimes in China.
Chinese boys have worn a wide range of garments. We know realtively little about the traditional clothing worn through the 19th and early 20th century and to what extent there were specific garments worn by boys. Western clothing began appearing in China during the 19th century, but was not extensivedly worn. Western clothing appeared in the major cities during the Republic which was created (1911). Consideration of fashion declined after the Japanese invasion (1937) and subsequent War. When the Chinese Communists emerged victorious in the Civil War (1949), they imposed fashion persprctions and guidelines much like earlier imperial regimes. Only since the 1990s have the Chinese been free to select the kinds of garments they wished to wear on an individual basis. Most young Chinese have chosen Western styled garments. American styles are particularly popular. Thus Chinese children for the first time are wearing garments much like those worn in the West.
Chinese school children in the 2000s all wear uniforms. The uniforms are seasonal, depending on where the school is located in China. The summer uniforms usually consist of short pants and a shirt in the same style, sometimes in quite bright colors. Sailor collars are frequent for girls. One favourite style is a colored suit with piping in white or a contrasting color. Children used to wear their school uniforms with red Young Pioneer scarves, but this is now less common.
A now dated source indicates that China consisted of 35 provinces, not counting Outer Mongolia and Tibet. Presumably the number of provinces in modern China may now be different. The term "China Proper" is generally applied to the 18 densely populated ethnic Han provinces which comprise southeastern China. This includes Taiwan which returned to Chinese control in 1945 after 50 years of Japanese occupation. Taiwan is currently governed by the democratically elected government that evolved from the Nationalist regime defeated by the Communists on the mainland in 1949. The term "Outer China" is applied to the outlying northern and western regions of China. These areas exceed the Area of China proper, but are sparsely populated--with only about 10 percent of China's total population. In addition, in many of the western provinces the ethnic Han population is a minority. These provinces include Jehol, Manchuria, Iner-Mongolia, Sinkiang, Chinhai, and Sikang. A great symbol of the Chinese cultural sphere was once the Great Wall which now is well within China's borders, extending 1,250 miles from the western Asuiatic deserts to the Pacific coast. China seized control of Tibet in 1956, but this is not reciognized by many other countries. The two last European enclaves (Hong Kong and Macao) returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
The dominant ethnic group in China is the Han Chinese. The Han dominate the country and the culture. China is, however, a large country and there are many different ethnic groups in modern China. We do not know much about these vsrious ethnic groups, but we have begun to collect some information. A number of these groups are very small, miniscule compared to the huge Han Chinese populstion. Lahu people live in the mountains of China, Myanmar (Burma), Laos and northern Thailand. Another ethnic group are the Lolo, a tribal group found in the mountins of southwestern China. The Lolo Tribesmen are found at the higher altitudes with the Han Chinese occupying the lower, more fertile lands. Into the early 20th century they supported temslves through both agriculture and banditry.
China is the largest country in terms of population and one of the largest countries in terms of area. Not only is the country spread over many regions and provinces, but it comprises many different ethnic and language groups. The Han people of China proper are the dominate ethnic group, but they are a large number of national and ethnic minorities with destinctive cultural and religious experiences. This diversity is reflected in a rich tradition of folk dance, music, and dress. In modern China these folk costumes are more for festivals and special occassions than everyday dress. We have very limited infornmation at this time on the extent and diversity of these folk costumes.
At this time we still have varied limited information on Chinese hair styles and how they cahanged over time. Chinese boys and men until the Revolution were fanous for wearing plaited pigtails. This was a fashion introduced by the Manchus in the 17th century. Originally it was a sign of submision demanded by the first Manchu Emperor only one year after seizing the throne in 1645. Chinese men shaved the front of their head, then combed the back hair into braids. They used not only their own natural hair, but also horsehair or black silk. The Chinese came to see their braided pigtails a sign of dignity and manhood. For the Chinese, to pull on another's pigtails was a great insult. I am not sure to what extent boys wore them or just at what age a Chinese boy began to grow his pigtail. Unmarried Chinese girls also often wore their hair in pigtails. It was a pervasive style in the 19th century. Most Chinese immigrants that came to America in the 19th century had these plaited pigtails. An important style for children, both boys and girls since the Revolution has been square cut bangs. We are not sure when this style first became popualar.
HBC has no information on Chinese movies yet. One French film noted by HBC sets part of the film in China. This provides some insights into the clothes worn by Chinese boys and their Young Pioneer uniforms. Hopefully Chinese readers will provide us more information not only on important Chinese films, but on Chinese theater and relevision as well.
China as a Communist country has the Young Pioneer movement and does not permit Scouting. Once virtually all Chinese children wore their red Young Pioneer scarves to school and elsewhere, but this is no longer as common. All Chinese children have to belong to the Young Pioneers youth group. Normally children just wore red scarves with their ordinary clothes. For special occasions, a Young Pioneer boy might wear a red scarf with white shirt. Youth leades were idenyified by red bars on their sleeves. There are three official position in Young Pioneer, one bar is junior captain, two bars are a mid-captain, and three bars is the highest rank. Scouting has been permitted in most of China since the Revolution (1949), but does operate in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Wang Chen, e-Mail, August 27, 2002
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[The 1880s]
[The 1890s]
[The 1900s]
[The 1910s]
[The 1920s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Long pants suits]
[Knicker suits]
[Short pants suits]
[Socks]
[Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers]
[Blazer]
[School sandals]
[School smocks]
[Sailor suits]
[Pinafores]
[Long stockings]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Page
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