For centuries, generations of clothing designers and garment makers in China have been devoted to building the “Garment Kingdom”, making the garments an important component of Chinese culture.

♦Origin of Chinese clothing

In primitive society, the Chinese lived in caves. To keep warm, they covered themselves with natural materials like leaves, grasses and animal furs.

About 18,000 years ago, the Chinese invented sewing. Animal skins were cut to fit the human body using sharpened stone and bone tools and then sewn together using bone needles. 【小题1】.

♦ 【小题2】

Chinese rules of etiquette regarding garments and ornaments started taking shape in the Zhou Dynasty. During the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States Period, the idea of fashion reached new heights. Qin Shihuang established many social systems, including that of uniforms to distinguish people’s ranks and social positions. In the Tang dynasty, clothing was more varied than before because the state was more open to the outside world. 【小题3】 They were allowed to expose their arms and back and wear dresses that absorbed elements from other cultures. They could wear men’s riding garments if they liked. Casual wear appeared during the Song Dynasty and during the Yuan Dynasty, the simple and unadorned style of clothing was mainly a combination of Mongolian and Han influences. Dramatic changes took place during the Ming Dynasty. There was no limitation to one style and natural beauty was advocated, 【小题4】. However, during the Qing Dynasty, clothes became elegant and poised (威严的).

【小题5】. There appeared the qipao, Chinese tunic suit, student uniform, Lenin — style suit, Russian dress, miniskirt, punk (怪异服装) and T-shirt.

Today, some people in China follow world fashion, but individuality has become the main trend. More and more people can enjoy beautiful fashions with traditional features and the modern chic.