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Janet Wong Asks If Wearing Traditional Chinese Clothes Should Be Revived

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Janet Wong Asks If Wearing Traditional Chinese Clothes Should Be Revived E-6 NATIONAL IDENTITY The Student Standard Thursday, June 22, 2006 NATIONAL IDENTITY E-7 Revival Misconceptions THE campaign to revive Han clothes was initiated by a group of patriotic neti- IN order to flaunt their love zens (網民) who have a great passion for traditional Chinese culture and heritage. for their motherland and The proponents of the move think that wearing hanfu can strengthen their respect for traditional Chi- national identity. However, critics of the move often cite practical reasons in dis- nese culture, some famous agreement, saying that the long and loose robes will be inconvenient in daily life. Chinese stars dress up in Let’s take an objective look at the issue, and see both the arguments for and their so-called “national against the revival of hanfu, posted on mainland chat rooms and blogs. dress.” Pictures of Andy Lau (劉德華) and Jackie Supporters Chan (成龍) wearing 李嘉樹 changpao often adorn the Li Jiashu ( ) WHENEVER there are important confer- covers of magazines and ences and other diplomatic occasions, lead- tabloids (小報). Interna- ers and dignitaries from the attending tional Chinese actresses nations are often seen dressed up in their such as Michelle Yeoh national clothes. I find it really strange and (楊紫瓊) and Zhang Ziyi embarrassing that China, the most popu- (章子怡) often opt (選擇) lous nation on Earth, doesn’t have a stan- to wear a cheongsam to dard dress that represents our country. accentuate (突顯) their curvaceous bodies Yang Tawei (楊大煒) at star-studded (星光 HANFU symbolises the glorious culture and 熠熠的) film festivals history of ancient China. Instead of asking and award cere- people to ditch their casual daily clothing monies. The pictures and wear hanfu every day, I just propose adopting it as the standard apparel at of those traditional- such important social occasions as weddings, national holiday (國慶日) celebra- ly-clad Chinese tions and university students’ graduation ceremonies. superstars on the red Chen Xuemei (陳雪梅) carpet reinforce the IN today’s globlalised world, people are swamped with all kinds of information misconception of both and news. As people embrace cutting-edge technology and everything new and seems to have been very much local Chinese and foreign- fashionable, it’s easy for them to forget their roots and origins. Without sustained influenced by Chinese dress. In ers that the Manchu-styled efforts to strengthen our national identity, our traditional heritage and other pre- fact, the traditional dresses of long gowns and cious cultural relics will just fade into oblivion. In order to spread Chinese culture many Asian nations were influ- cheongsams are indeed abroad and remind people of our glorious past, I think we should wear hanfu on enced by Han clothing, such as China’s national dress. all important social occasions. the Japanese kimono (和服), However, as everyone Korean hanbok (韓服) and Viet- who has a smattering of Critics Janet Wong asks if wearing traditional Chinese clothes should Characteristics namese ao dai (長衫). Chinese history knows, IN ancient China, hanfu is also Han clothing also played a the Manchurians were Li Kan (李侃) be revived in the modern era called shenyi (深衣) which means significant role in shaping an alien tribe (外族) REVIVING hanfu will just fuel the extreme nationalistic views in society. Driven by Translated by Elaine Yau “deep clothes”. Shenyi is made traditional Chinese culture. whose marauding nationalism, some hard-core conservatives are over-zealous (過度熱心) in their pursuit of national pride and glory. Alarmed by China’s runaway growth and fast- ODAY, uni- Huangdi Emperors” (炎黃子孫), es all kinds of traditional clothing up of two parts, yi (衣) (upper The ancient Chinese sage, (掠奪的) troops over- developing military force, some Western governments are worried that China’s versity gradu- don’t wear a style of graduation worn by the Han Chinese. dress) and chang (裳) (skirt). Confucius, considered turned the reigning sudden rise will upset the delicate balance of power. Reviving Han clothing will ates in Hong dress that reflects their Chinese According to historical docu- Wrapping the whole body, the yi hanfu as an indispensa- dynasties and just add to their worries and affect China’s relationship with foreign countries. Kong and heritage and identity? ments, Han clothes can be traced and chang are sewn together into ble (不可缺少的) part of unsurped (篡奪) T a full-length, one-piece robe. Chinese ceremonies and the throne of the Zhang Haoming (張浩明) China wear a bache- Recently, as Beijing is due to back to the Yellow Emperor or lor’s gown (畢業袍) host the Olympic Games in 2008, Huangdi (黃帝) around 2,000 BC. What sets it apart from other rituals. Many of his sayings orthodox emper- UNDER the onslaught of Western culture, some traditional Chinese culture, and cap (帽) at their a wave of patriotism and national First made popular by people ethic clothing is the big crossed and aphorisms (格言) contain ors. restricted by their intrinsic shortcomings, lose their relevance in today’s graduation ceremonies. pride is sweeping across the from the Xia Dynasty (夏朝) collars which, with no buttons or references to Han clothes. So, some patri- advanced society and are even totally phased out. For example, brush pens (毛 The origins of the West- country. Amid the clamour for a (2,100 BC to 1,600 BC), hanfu’s buckles (扣), fastens with a fab- otic Chinese citi- 筆), which were necessary to the ancient Chinese literati, are only reserved for ern academic dress date more prominent Chinese stand- dominance among the Chinese ric belt to the right side of the zens think that it calligraphers now, with modern Chinese discarding the old-fashioned quills in back to the days of the ing in the international arena, populace spans a number of waist. Other features of hanfu is necessary to favour of the edgier and sleeker ball pens (鋼筆). So, it’s only natural for the oldest European uni- some people on the mainland dynasties. However, Han cloth- include wide sleeves and a loose rectify (矯正) unwieldy (不方便活動的) hanfu to make way for the smart and modern Western versities. As China’s advocate (鼓吹) the resurrec- ing does not include the standard long robe. this miscon- suits and dresses. profile continues tion (復興) of Han Chinese clothes worn by Chinese after ception and to rise on the clothing and propose making it the 17th century. This is because Significance officially AS ancient China wielded much Questions: international the standard apparel in universi- the Manchus (滿州人) conquered endorse 1. Do you support the resurrection of hanfu? Why? stage, some ty graduation ceremonies. Is it the Chinese in 1644 and with influence over Asia, neighbour- hanfu as ing countries modelled many of 2. What symbolic values does a national dress have? Do you think adopting hanfu as wonder why feasible (可行的) or necessary to their domination and the subor- the Chi- China’s national dress can help raise China’s status on the international stage? Chinese grad- revive Han clothing in this mod- dination (征服) of the Han Chi- their cultural developments on n ese Chinese customs and traditions. 3. Some people say that resurrecting hanfu will help spread Chinese culture. What uates, who ern age? nese such Manchu clothing like national does “Chinese culture” involve and symbolise? are the the cheongsam or qipao (旗袍) From languages and ceremonies dress. to moral teachings, many facets 4. Do you think Hong Kong universities should provide two sets of academic dress, “descen- Han clothing (for women) and long gowns or Western and Chinese, for their graduates to choose from? Imagine if you are (方面) of Asian culture are tinged dants of HAN clothes or hanfu (漢服), changpao (長袍) (for men) about to wrap up your university studies, do you want to wear hanfu or the West- Y andi which literally means “the cloth- became the norm. with Chinese characteristics. The dress style of older Asians ern bachelor’s gown in your graduation ceremony? and ing of the Han people,” compris- 5. Do you think promoting hanfu will give rise to nationalism? Why?.
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