Disclaimer: This summary is not a full and complete research paper about QiPao/Cheongsams and has been prepared in an effort to highlight key elements. It is an attempt to capture in broad terms the name and history of the QiPao/Cheongsams.
The cheongsam, also known as the qipao, is a type of feminine body-con dress with Chinese-Manchu details and designs. Both qipao and cheongsam can be used interchangeably.
HISTORY
During the Manchu rule, the chieftain Nurhachi, who ruled 1559–1626, established the eight banner system, which was a structure for organizing all Manchu, Mongols, and Han families into the new social system.
The traditional dress that Manchu women wore became first known as the qipao (旗袍, meaning banner gown). The term cheongsam (長衫), meaning long dress, came later as it spread to Canton regions of China. It was looser and more plain than the cheongsams we see today.
More Modern Wear
As cheongsam was required to be worn daily, people wanted a more modernized style of dress so then this idea transformed the old qipao to fit modern fashion. It became tighter and the sleeves were shorter.
As the banner system loosened, the term qipao was changed to “zansae”, Chinese for ‘long dress’, which translated to chèuhngsāam in Cantonese, which then evolved to 長衫 that was translated to English phonics as “cheongsam”. It was a popular styled-dress for women of high society to wear as fashion evolved through the introduction of western styles of sleeveless dresses, belled sleeves, and the addition of lace.
As the cheongsam was changed and influenced by the western world, the designs changed to a more form-fitting and revealing cut that we know today. The Cheongsam was also shortened from the ankle to above the knee.
Part of a movement
In 1920s Shanghai, the cheongsam became one of the official national dresses of the Republic of China.
The Republican period of China was the golden age of cheongsam as the dress related to the women’s liberation movements. After the feudal Qing dynasty ended, Chinese feminists wanted to fight for women’s rights and liberation from their Confucianist-standardized roles. The cheongsam defied women’s traditional dress code norms, which consisted of wearing something loose, non-attractive, and conservative.
Thus, caused the cheongsam to become a symbol of promoting gender equality in China. It provided a way to silently protest against societal norms.
today
The cheongsams we see today are from the designs from the 1920s after the western world influenced its design and cuts. The ones we have today are a form-fitting dress with a high slit on one or both sides. Some of them are sleeveless and it can be made out of a variety of different materials; the most popular material for cheongsams is silk.
Current day Chinese women do not wear cheongsams as everyday attire. They are only worn during formal occasions like weddings, engagements, and parties.
submitted by Camille Cheng
Image Sources
the market 
wearing this dress is an often controversial subject, where many non-Chinese brands sell this style of dress (many cases disrespectfully), or non-Chinese individuals wear it as Halloween costumes or at music festivals – i was wondering what other people felt about that?
i myself am east Asian (not Chinese). i love the aesthetic appeal of the garment but i’ve never worn one because of how loaded that act feels. it also makes me question why i want to wear it, what marketing/messaging has seeped into my head about this dress. if western dresses being worn casually in non-western cultures is so normalized, there’s a part of me that loves the idea of other cultures’ clothes being a common sight in different places, as opposed to just western culture being so widespread (as long as the intent is in the right place).
i loved reading this post, i never knew that this dress had a cultural significance to the Chinese Women’s Liberation Movement – now whenever i see it i’ll get to remember that beautiful chunk of international Women’s hard hard work.
thanks camille!
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Hi, anon!
I don’t believe it should be worn as a costume, defined as “a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period” because of its cultural aspects and historical relations. Personally, I don’t approve of wearing a cheongsam as a costume s it is a garment representing a racial minority, that was discriminated against and oppressed in the US in the past and present. The garment can also tie and start the individual to act thus resulting in them making use of Chinese stereotypes, such as speaking with a Chinese accent and pulling eyes back to make them like “chinky”.
But if it was not used as a costume and just for style as a casual dress, I believe it to be fine. There’s no argument there that the design of the cheongsam is indeed aesthetic. But when wearing one, it’s important to understand where it came from, why it was made, and the cultural background behind it. There’s no harm in wearing one as long as the individual understands the Cheongsam’s cultural importance because of its relation to Chinese history.
Your questions are the reason why I wrote this piece. I wanted Cheongsams to be known as something much more than “that chinese-style dress”.
Disclaimer: Since this is a controversial subject, I just wanted to say that these are my opinions and views. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions as everyone has different experiences and connections with the Cheongsam.
Thank you for your comment and the engaging questions!
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