Zhongshi Garment Making Craftsmanship
01 · Historical Records
In the mid-1950s, women's cheongsam began to adopt three-dimensional structure and paneled cutting, with the garment body sewn from separate independent panels, and with the addition of darting methods the body better displayed the female form's curves. The Hong Kong Chinese cheongsam-making craft is an important component of Chinese clothing culture, witnessing the evolution of Hong Kong people's attire and related custom changes, and carrying a rich regional culture.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The Hong Kong Chinese cheongsam-making craft is a traditional garment-making technique practiced in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Hong Kong is located in southern China and is part of the Pearl River Delta. The cheongsam is formal wear widely recognized by Hong Kong residents. At the annual ritual celebrations of the large lineages in the New Territories and at the autumn sacrifice ceremony of the Man Mo Temple in Sheung Wan, men wear cheongsam; women also choose cheongsam first when going to work, attending important ceremonies, or appearing at formal social occasions. This shared cultural identity promoted the emergence and development of the Hong Kong Chinese cheongsam-making craft. Although there are differences between men's and women's cheongsam, the body of both is basically composed of long fabric panels; the garment is long enough to cover the feet (also called "yishang lianshu," meaning the upper garment and lower skirt are joined), hence the name "cheongsam" (long gown). Women's cheongsam can be worn alone or with an outer coat. Men wearing cheongsam need to wear long trousers as well, signifying solemnity. Cheongsam sewing mainly has three basic methods: the large-cut (da cai), the small-cut (xiao cai), and the paneled cutting. The large-cut is the traditional cheongsam sewing method; a cheongsam made by the large-cut method has a loose body with side slits for ease of movement, and can be used to make both men's and women's cheongsam. The men's cheongsam form features a right-front opening with a vertical "一"-shaped cloth button and a stand-up collar. The women's cheongsam form features a right-front opening, a stand-up collar with frog buttons, and side slits. The former are volunteer organizations that rally forces from all sectors, actively promote cheongsam culture, have hosted or facilitated various types of cheongsam-promotion activities many times, and advance the transmission and research of the cheongsam-making craft; the latter consists of a group of Jiangsu-Zhejiang tailors who actively run garment courses, promoting the transmission and dissemination of the cheongsam project. Many civil organizations and government departments also actively hold lectures, exhibitions, and performances and run workshops in schools and universities, devoted to cultivating the younger generation's interest in the cheongsam.
The full cut
The traditional method: a loose body with slits at the side for easy movement, used for both men's and women's gowns.
The narrow cut
A closer-fitting alternative to the full cut, mostly for women's gowns, with small darts and greater ease in daily work.
Panelled cutting
The body is assembled from separate panels and darted, so the gown follows the wearer's figure; this is how women's gowns became three-dimensional.
Cloth buttons and standing collars
Men's gowns fasten right over with vertical cloth buttons and a standing collar; women's add knotted buttons and side slits.
Dress for the Autumn Sacrifice
At the autumn sacrifice in the Man Mo Temple at Sheung Wan, men wore the gown, and women chose it for formal occasions.
The Cheongsam Association and Jiangzhe tailors
The association and the Shanghai garment workers' union are the main carriers, while courses run by Jiangzhe tailors pass the craft to new apprentices.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Hong Kong's cheongsam-making is not concentrated in a single street market but is distributed among two types of transmission groups: one is volunteer organizations such as the Cheongsam Association that rally forces from all sectors and have hosted cheongsam-promotion activities many times; the other consists of a group of Jiangsu-Zhejiang tailors who pass down the craft by running garment courses. The three sewing methods—large-cut, small-cut, and paneled cutting—coexist locally: women's cheongsam turned to three-dimensional and paneled cutting from the mid-1950s, while men's cheongsam mostly follows the large-cut, with a loose body and side slits.
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04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
At present, the Cheongsam Association and the Shanghai Sewing Workers' General Association are the main transmission groups of the Hong Kong Chinese cheongsam-making craft. Well transmitting and developing this craft is of great significance for promoting fine traditional Chinese culture, achieving ethnic cultural identity, and fostering social harmony in Hong Kong.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Xu Yongliang 04-1921
- Lin Ruixiang 04-1922
- Bao Wenqi 04-1923
- Chen Yuqiu
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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