Longhua (龍華) were white, scarf-like collars worn by
Manchu
The Manchus (; ) are a Tungusic peoples, Tungusic East Asian people, East Asian ethnic group native to Manchuria in Northeast Asia. They are an officially recognized Ethnic minorities in China, ethnic minority in China and the people from wh ...
women in the early to mid-
Qing dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...
. It was worn all year around when robes without collar were worn.
History
Robes and jackets in the Qing dynasty were generally round-necked.
Clothing with
high collars or neckbands already existed since the late
Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...
, however, in Qing, high collar clothing were only worn on an occasional basis.
Detachable collars were therefore produced and sold separately from the garments.
They were then used for decorative purposes, for keeping its wearer warm and in formal official attire.
During the late Qing, the high collar was eventually integrated to both the clothing of the
Chinese and the
Manchu
The Manchus (; ) are a Tungusic peoples, Tungusic East Asian people, East Asian ethnic group native to Manchuria in Northeast Asia. They are an officially recognized Ethnic minorities in China, ethnic minority in China and the people from wh ...
as standard features.
With the rise of collars in garments, longhua slowly disappeared in use.
Gallery
File:行乐图.jpg, Painting of a Manchurian Family, 1800.
File:Worthy Lady Chun.JPG, Imperial portrait of the Worthy Lady Chun of Emperor Xianfeng wearing longhua, mid 1800s.
File:《玫贵妃春贵人行乐图》.jpg, Concubines of the Xianfeng Emperor
The Xianfeng Emperor (17 July 1831 – 22 August 1861), also known by his temple name Emperor Wenzong of Qing, personal name Yizhu, was the eighth emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the seventh Qing emperor to rule over China proper. During his re ...
fishing at a pond.
File:Ladies of Imperial Chinese Court.jpg, Two ladies of Qing Chinese Imperial Court wearing longhua with Qizhuang, pre-1911.
See also
*
Chaozhu (Court necklace)
*
Mandarin collar
A mandarin collar, standing collar, Nehru collar, band collar or choker collar is a short unfolded stand-up collar style on a shirt or jacket. The style derives its Western name from the mandarin bureaucrats in Qing-era China that employed i ...
*
Yunjian
*
Yupei
References
Qing clothing
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