Foreword
Intangible cultural heritage, made up of all immaterial manifestations of Traditional Chinese Culture, represents the variety of living heritage of Chinese as well as the most important vehicle of cultural diversity. The fascinating regional culture of Sichuan has nurtured exquisite Shu embroidery, gorgeous Yi costumes, and Qiang embroidery that blends modern fashion charm. In the long history of evolution, people of all ethnic groups in Sichuan have created the splendid and precious intangible cultural heritage with their hands and souls, inheriting and protecting the cultural treasures of this beautiful land.
Preserving intangible culture for future generations relies on innovation. Clothing is one of the most basic needs in our society. Intangible cultural heritage clothing collaborates with fashion brands, creates IP, introduce technology, and makes a new development model. The materials and skills of traditional costumes are inherited in an original way, and the integration of tradition and modernity, intangible cultural heritage and fashion has been greatly promoted.
In collaboration with Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, China Cultural Centre in Sydney launched Splendid Chinese Clothing—Sichuan Traditional Costume Online Exhibition on our official website, to showcase the development and evolution of the Chinese costumes. It also highlights the beauty of Sichuan brocade and embroidery, as well as the character of the costume culture from the ethnic minorities such as Tibetan, Qiang and Li. This exhibition would be a great opportunity for Australian audience to explore more about the innovation of Chinese traditional brocade weaving technology combining with modern fashion.
PART 1
Hanfu clothing
Hanfu clothing, also known as Han-style clothing, is a traditional costume of Han people. China’s 5,000-year culture has fostered different dressing traditions in different periods, and each costume code is a legacy of memories and history. The origin of Han-style clothing dated back to the periods from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to the Ming Dynasty, which lasted for thousands of years, and the Han people has never changed the basic code of dress. Today, Han-style clothing is neither a piece of clothing nor a style. Instead, it is a symbol of re-inheriting the Chinese culture.
汉服，又称为华夏服，是中国汉族人民的传统服装。华夏五千年的文化造就了不同历史不同的着装传统，每一种形制都是历史留下的沧桑痕迹。汉服的由来可追溯到三皇五帝时期一直到明代，连绵几千年，汉民族一直未改服饰的基本形制，如今的汉服不再是一件衣服、一种风格，更是重新传承华夏文化历史的象征。
HAN Dynasty
Imitation of Quju (the curving-front unlined garment) of the Mawangdui Han Tombs ‒ Costumes of the Han Dynasty implemented the Shenyi (long coat) system, in which the frock and skirt were sewn together. Costumes mainly fell into two categories: Quju and Zhiju (the straight-front unlined garment).
仿汉马王堆曲裾——汉代服饰以“直裾、曲裾”为主，为“深衣”制。（把上衣下裳缝连起来。）
The Wei, Jin, and North and South Dynasties'
The Wei, Jin, and North and South dynasties’ costume code implemented the “frock and skirt” system, with wrapping collar, wide sleeves, and large cuffs.
魏晋南北朝衣服形制多是交领宽袖，袖口肥大，为“上衣下裳”制。（裳在古代指下裙。）
Sui and Tang Dynasties'
Costume code of the Sui and Tang dynasties ‒ During the Sui and Tang dynasties, women’s clothing implemented the Served Ru system. The Ru (the short garment), Shan (the unlined upper garment), and Ao (the lined upper garment), and skirt, mostly with waistband above the chest, were popular at the time.
隋唐服制——隋唐时期女子大多为襦、衫、袄、裙，大多是齐胸，为“襦裙”制。（襦，即短衣。）
HAN
AND
TANG
Tang Dynasty
Gored skirt with a flat collar and eighteen pieces in the early Tang Dynasty ‒ This is a short sleeve Chinese-style jacket with buttons down the front, no button tabs, and was only tied with a strap in front of the chest. In the early Tang Dynasty, the design of costume was delicate. There were three kinds of tops: Ru (the short garment), Shan (the unlined upper garment), and Ao (the lined upper garment), which was naturally loose with wrapping the right side over before the left or with a lapel tied with a knot, and the skirt below was gathered and tied with a long skirt belt, presenting an elegant style.
唐坦领十八破裙——这是一种短袖的对襟上衣，没有纽袢，只在胸前用缀在衣襟上的带子系住。初唐形制娇俏，上衣种类一般分为襦，袄，衫三种，上衣的穿法基本上是右衽交领或对襟系上带结，下面的裙子围起来系上长长的裙带，上衣自然的松散着，看起来十分风雅。
Song Dynasty
Han-style clothing of the Song Dynasty ‒ The round-necked robe inherited from the Tang Dynasty was very simple and elegant, mostly with a sleeved overdress on top of a tube. The Song Dynasty’s Han-style clothing followed its original costume code, with a straight collar and button down the front and two slits from the armpit. The shortest garment was up to the waist, while the longest one was over the knee.
宋制汉服——宋制汉服有继承唐朝的圆领袍，十分朴素优雅。常见的是抹胸上面加上褙子。宋制汉服符合汉服的基本形制，直领对襟，两腋开衩，衣裾短者及腰，长者过膝。
Ming Dynasty
Stand collar cardigan of the Ming Dynasty ‒ The styles and shapes of buttons in the Ming Dynasty were mainly with vertical lapel, surplice, stand collar, and round collar. The overall look is very noble and elegant by adding a horse-face skirt to a double-breasted round neck coat, especially when matching with a cardigan.
明制立领大襟衫——明代纽扣的款式造型以竖襟、斜襟，以及立领、圆领为主。在圆领的对襟排扣上衫，加上一条马面裙，整体看起来十分高贵典雅，搭配上大襟衫更添加一层秀气。
PART 2
Sichuan’s Brocade, China’s Treasure
With a history of 2,000 years, Shu brocade is a kind of colorful brocade with national characteristics and local style. It has recorded the splendid period of Chinese Han-style clothing and made a significant contribution to national culture.
Sichuan was called “Shu,” “Shu Kingdom,” and “The Kingdom of Silkworms” in ancient times. Also, it is where sericulture took its shape and one of the birthplaces of Chinese silk culture. Nowadays, Shu brocade’s beauty has been combined with contemporary concepts, thus promoting successive fashion trends with historical and cultural significance.
Shu embroidery is one of the Four Famous Embroideries in China. As early as the Han Dynasty, the handmade Shu embroidery of Chengdu, Sichuan, was famous worldwide. Embroiderers use more than 30 kinds of stitching techniques to embroider gorgeous colors on Han-style clothing to make gorgeous costumes. Combining Shu embroidery and Shu brocade, Han-style clothing presents the super workmanship and passes on the ingenuity and culture of the intangible heritage.
From the formal dress to the cheongsam, Shu embroidery is gradually coming into people’s daily life. With its diverse styles of Han’s simplicity, Tang’s grace, Song’s elegance, Ming’s dignity, and today’s innovation, Han-style clothing has been transforming over the ages, just as a Chinese verse describes:
Are you not battle-dressed? Let’s share the kilt and the rest!
蜀锦，有两千年的历史，是一种具有民族特色和地方风格的多彩织锦；它乃中国之珍，东方之宝。它为中国华服记录下了灿烂的时光，更为民族文化贡献了辉煌的篇章。
四川古称“蜀”、“蜀国”和“蚕丛之国”，这里桑蚕丝绸业起源最早，是中国丝绸文化的发源地之一。怀古思今，蜀锦之美在时间的交错下与现代潮流相结合，形成了一个又一个具有历史文化意义的潮流时尚。
蜀绣是中国“四大名绣”之一，以四川成都为中心的手工蜀绣，早在汉代就已誉满天下。30多种针法，在汉服上绣出绚丽色彩，从服饰到着装，一针一线、一机一杼、一起一落，经纬勾勒间，所有美好都汇聚在服饰之上。蜀绣与蜀锦结合，成为一件又一件属于现代华夏文化的汉服，绣出的是巧夺天工的美，传承的是非遗的匠心文化。
从礼服再到旗袍，蜀绣逐渐走进更多人的生活。汉之古朴、唐之飘逸、宋之淡雅，明之端庄、今之创新……千年变化终是一句——
岂曰无衣？与子同袍。
“Ancient Shu Brocade” of 2020 Haute Couture Collection, in cooperation with Chengdu Ancient Shu Brocade Research Institute, uses Shu brocade garment fabric with a yellow five-starred pattern. Its design combines Chinese cheongsam and traditional horseshoe sleeves with exquisite tailoring to present haute couture with Chinese characteristics and the flavor of Shu brocade culture, reshaping the style of Shu brocade.
2020高定系列“古蜀锦绣”，与成都古蜀蜀锦研究所合作，采用蜀锦服装面料，黄五星纹。将中式旗袍以及传统马蹄袖的形式，与精致剪裁相结合，展现出具有浓郁的中国特色和蜀锦文化韵味的高定服装，重塑蜀锦风貌。
“Ancient Shu Brocade” of 2020 Haute Couture Collection, in cooperation with the Chengdu Ancient Shu Brocade Research Institute, uses the ancient Shu brocade garments fabric, with symmetrical birds and sheep, as well as flower and tree patterns.
Combining traditional Chinese brocade craft culture and modern fashion, with large volume decorative sleeves and flared pants, it shows a bold innovation with a modern sense of the famous classic pattern of traditional craftsmanship.
2020高定系列“古蜀锦绣”，与成都古蜀蜀锦研究所合作，采用蜀锦服装面料，对鸟对羊花树纹。将中华传统织锦工艺文化与现代时尚相结合，大体量感装饰袖筒与喇叭裤结合，展现了传统工艺著名经典纹样大胆的现代感创新。
This design is one of the “Huatuan Jinxiu” series of Shu Brocade. With the combination of “floral and deer pattern” of the Tang Dynasty and silk gauze, the fabric is thick, flexible, crisp, and elegant. Its design combines Chinese and Western styles by applying the current internationally popular ruffle wave, highlighting women’s softness and slenderness. It embodies the different ways in which Shu brocade is used in the internationalization of fashion.
此款设计是蜀锦“花团锦绣”之一，面料应用了唐代“花树对鹿纹锦”与真丝绡的结合，厚重中不失灵动，挺括与飘逸相呼应。造型设计中西合璧，加入当下国际流行的荷叶波浪设计，凸显女性的柔美与修长，让蜀锦在时装国际化上有不同方式的应用。
PART 3
Ethnic Costumes Shared by the World
彝族服装
Yi Costumes
The costume is a bond that connects the imprint of history and excellent traditional craftsmanship. Innovative Han-style clothing is more than just for wearing traditional clothes to renovate the state of ceremonies. Moreover, it is about the inclusion and inheritance of multi-ethnic cultures in all aspects. The pleated skirts in blue or white with totems of ethnic symbols make Han-style clothing more fashionable.
服装是一根纽带，将历史的印记和优秀的传统工艺连在一起。创新的华服不仅仅是一句——着我汉家衣裳，兴我礼仪之邦！更是对更多民族文化的包容和传承。从山川到平地，从泥土的气息，到文化、信仰、民俗的凝结。现代的华服传承更具有时尚潮流之感，或蓝或白的百褶长裙搭配具有民族象征的图腾。
Yi Traditional Costume 彝族传统服饰
非遗服饰秀“云梦彝山”系列作品
Intangible Cultural Heritage Clothing Show ‒ “Fantasy Clouds of Yi Mountain” series
Tibetan Mountain Costume 藏族山服饰
Qiang Embroidery by Luo Renjie 《羌绣》罗仁杰
The neckline is decorated with frog twined by colorful silk threads, representing the fusion of contemporary style and the ancient Qiang robe. Qiang costumes vary in different historical periods. Whether it is the Faqiang (one of the tribes ancient Qiang people), or the creator of the Tibet and Yi cultures, all of them have their own cultural beliefs and totems. Embroidering totems and presenting the natural features with costumes, different ethnic groups have a different cultural hearth. Numerous ancient ethnic groups have been flourishing over thousands of years.
领口饰以盘扣，用彩色丝线缠绕。时尚潮流与古羌族的袍混搭，羌族服饰在不同的历史时期也不尽相同。而无论是古羌人中的发羌，还是藏族彝族等文化的创造者，他们都有自己的文化信仰，有自己的民族图腾。以刺绣绘制图腾，以衣着再现自然特色，不同的民族有不同的文化出生地，无数古老民族，繁衍至今，历数千年而生生不息。
Yi-style cloak (Cha’erwa) and felt overcoats have been developed into a new style of the cape, and its beige totem is pleated and graceful. The distinctive black decorations show solemnness and elegance. As the most distinctive handicraft of the Yi people, Yi silver jewelry’s unique pattern is a depiction of Yi culture and history and a commemoration of ancestral worship. With the change of time, the thousand-year-old silver refining skill has been innovated by more craftsmen in making Yi silver headwear and silver shapes, and the Cha’erwa seems like a wing with the dazzling light of silver.
彝族“察尔瓦”和彼毡 变成了新风格的披风，米黄色的图腾行则褶皱闪动，轻盈飘逸。以黑色为贵的特色装饰，尽显庄重大方，高贵典雅之气。作为彝族最具有特色的手工艺彝族银饰，其独特的纹样形式都是对彝族文化和历史的描摹，更是对祖先崇拜的纪念。随着时代的变迁，这种千年传承的技艺，更是被更多的手艺人不断创新，以古法炼银制成更具时尚风格的彝族头饰与造型，“察尔瓦”本形似披风，此刻更像是翅膀，在银饰璀璨的光芒下，似要成为新生的翅膀。
Han-style clothing with different forms and craftsmanship is the inheritance of clothing skills and the fusion of ethnic cultures. With every stitch and thread passing down national culture, the Han-style clothing connects the present and the past of various ethnic groups.
形状各异，颇具匠心的华服，不仅仅是服装技艺的传承，也是民族文化的融合。一针一线传承民族文化，华服不仅展现出各民族今日的多姿多彩，还叙述着往昔的故事。
