Xiuhefu

() is a two-piece garment set of attire which was designed to look like a style of traditional Chinese wedding dress and follows the traditional Chinese clothing system. The is a modern recreation version of the Qing dynasty wedding , a form of , which was worn by the Han Chinese women, composed of a as lower garment and an as an upper garment. It was developed in modern China and became popular in 2001 when it was popularized by when Zhou Xun, the actress who played the role of Xiu He, in the Chinese television drama (), thus gaining its contemporary name from name of the television drama character. It is often confused with another traditional Chinese wedding dress known as due to their similarities in appearance.

Origins

The direct precursor of the originated from the Qing dynasty-style wedding which was worn by the Han Chinese women, composed of a ' (a specific type of ) as lower garment and an ' as an upper garment.

In 2001, the prototype of the modern was a wedding dress costume which was designed by costume designer Ye Jintian for the role of drama female character Xiu He, played by Chinese actress Zhou Xun, in the 2002 Chinese television drama (), also known as ''Ripening Orange'' in English, a drama set in the Republican era of China. The wedding dress costume worn by Xiu He, thus, became known as . While basing himself on the clothing of the Qing dynasty, Ye Jintian, however, did not fully respected the historical accuracy of the dress and instead mixed several elements together from similar eras in his costume design.

As it gives a feeling of dignity and beauty, the designed by Ye Jintian became progressively popular and eventually became a form of wedding dress chosen by brides during their marriage. It especially became popular among several Chinese female celebrities.

Construction and design

In general, the design and construction of the is not bound by any traditional clothing making rules. However, as a set of attire, it follows the traditional system being typically composed of a waist-length , a form of (a form of Chinese coat) which has front lapel overlapping across the chest and closing on the right side with a (), and a long-length , which looks similar to a as it is one of its derivative. The upper garment is not always a ; it can also be a , which is an with a round collar. The sleeves are horn sleeves, which are relatively wide; the sleeves can sometimes be double-layered.

The used in the is influenced by the historical of the Qing dynasty, especially those used in the late years of the Qing dynasty in the 1910s, which was used as part of the bridal attire. This wedding skirt is also called . The used in the can either be an A-line, pleated skirt or a pleated circle skirt. It has panels of flat fabric, which is embellished with decorative designs which uses an embroidery technique known as (). Compared to the historical which has () or () created by the overlapping characteristics of the skirt, the flat and straight panels of fabric used in the are added on top of the pleated skirt, like a pendulum; it can also have more than two visible flat panels. The skirt is long enough to touch the top of its wearer's feet.

Embroidery

The is typically embroidered with flowers (e.g. peonies) and birds (e.g. peacocks) to symbolize love for whole seasons. It can also be embroidered with pairs of butterflies, and auspicious Chinese characters.

Related content

* Hanfu
* Ruqun
* Mamianqun
* Guzhuang

See also

* Traditional Chinese wedding dress
* Traditional Chinese marriage
*

Gallery

File:Wedding Picture (48576874461) (Xiuhefu).jpg
File:XiuHe Suit.jpg

References

{{Reflist

Chinese traditional clothing
Marriage in Chinese culture
Wedding dresses
Chinese embroidery