The cheongsam is a female dress with distinctive Chinese features and enjoys a growing popularity in the international world of high fashion.
The name "cheongsam," meaning simply "long dress," entered the English vocabulary from the dialect of China's Guangdong Province (Cantonese).In other parts of the country including Beijing,however,it is known as "qipao",which has a history behind it.
When the early Manchu rulers came to China proper,they organized certain people,mainly Manchus,into "banners" (qi) and called them "banner people" (qiren),which then became loosely the name of all Manchus.The Manchu women wore normally a one-piece dress which,likewise,came to be called "qipao" or "banner dress." Although the 1911 Revolution toppled the rule of the Qing (Manchu) Dynasty,the female dress survived the political change and,with later improvements,has become the traditional dress for Chinese women.
Easy to slip on and comfortable to wear,the cheongsam fits well the female Chinese figure.Its neck is high,collar closed,and its sleeves may be either short,medium or full length,depending on season and taste.The dress is buttoned on the right side,with a loose chest,a fitting waist,and slits up from the sides,all of which combine to set off the beauty of the female shape.
The cheongsam is not too complicated to make.Nor does it call for too much material,for there are no accessories like belts,scarves,sashes or frills to go with it.
Another beauty of the cheongsam is that,made of different materials and to varying lengths,they can be worn either on casual or formal occasions.In either case,it creates an impression of simple and quiet charm,elegance and neatness.No wonder it is so much liked by women not only of China but of foreign countries as well.
② "元宵節"有哪些民俗活動
元宵節的民俗活動:
1、猜燈謎
「猜燈謎」又叫「打燈謎」,是元宵節後增的一項活動,出現在宋朝。南宋時,首都臨安每逢元宵節時制迷,猜謎的人眾多。開始時是好事者把謎語寫在紙條上,貼在五光十色的彩燈上供人猜。因為謎語能啟迪智慧又饒有興趣,所以流傳過程中深受社會各階層的歡迎。
2、觀燈
宋代更重視元宵節,賞燈活動更加熱鬧,賞燈活動要進行5天,燈的樣式也更豐富。明代要連續賞燈10天,這是中國最長的燈節了。清代賞燈活動雖然只有3天,但是賞燈活動規模很大,盛況空前,除燃燈之外,還放煙花助興。
3、過橋
一些地方的元宵節還有「走百病」的習俗,又稱「烤百病」「散百病」,參與者多為婦女,他們結伴而行或走牆邊,或過橋,走郊外,目的是驅病除災。
4、舞龍獅
中華民族崇尚龍,把龍作為吉祥的象徵。元宵節熱熱鬧鬧的節氣,少不了舞龍獅的存在了。舞龍獅在不同的地方有著不同的習慣,有的地區是觀看者聚集在某地觀看舞龍獅表演,有的地區則是舞龍獅團隊沿街遊行表演。