NATIVE COSTUMES OF THE CHINESE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2661, 15 March 1905, Page 75

NATIVE COSTUMES OF THE CHINESE.

Nowhere in the world has the poetry of Nature been combined in the national dress of a country as in the native costumes of the Chinese. Every well-dresse I Chines© woman changes her gown four times a day. In these changes the four seasons — spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and also the four divisions of the day — morning, noon, afternoon, and night — all play an important part, being symbolised by some representation of Nature woven in the fabric or signified by the designs in trimming. When a Chinese belle or matron wi6h.es to order a new gown, she dees not call

' a sedan chair and hie to the dressmaker. , She simply dips a slim little brush in a pasty ink, and in hieroglyphics composes a unique message something like this : I "One day of violet in light blue," or "One j day of primrose in changeable lavender." This may sound like a conundrum, but th.-i Chinese manufacturer -who receives the oicYir will know very well what is meant. He knows that for a day in violet he mus ( set his loom to weave so many yards of silk in light blue with the violet design in bud, which the fair customer wishes for a morning dress. The design signifies that the sun is not yet high. Be knows that he must change his loom all over again for the midday dress, with the full-blown flower in design. The afternoon or twilight dress will have the halfclo£.?d flower, and in the evening gown the flower is tightly closed. The same dye of blue is used for all four dresses, so the ivory-skinned, lily-footed wearer will appear all one day in the same shade of blue, yet her dress will be in perfect taste, for she watches the hour and wears the proper weave at the proper time, thereby defying ciiticiem of even the most exacting follower of fashion. The most serious breach of etiquette a Chinese lady can commit in dress is to wear the wrong flower at the wrong tiny of day or season — for instance, a full-blown flower at night or a spring primrose in winter. For spring wear there is a choice of all the flowers in season — the primrose, the violet, and also the young bamboo is often chosen in its varying developments. Autumn is generally symbolised by leaves oi chiysanthemums. For winter use the fastidious dresser of either sex may ord^r gowns all woven with landscape designs. A solid) buff, pink, or blu-e may have a pastoral woven or embroidered in. And here, too, the four seasons have their significance. A bright spring landscape is for morning ; summer for noon ; autumn, with hunting scenes, etc., for afternoon; and winter, of course, for evening. The seasons do not, however, regulate the colour. The gayest or the most delJ?^ cate may be worn at any and all times, according to the fancy of the wearer. A Chinese woman will have at last 50 gowns in her waidrobe, and about 10 pairs of shoes. Sometimes the shoes are in colour to match tlie gowns, but seldom. They are generally light blue or pink, exquisitely embroidered with birds and florrers. Any colour or harmony of colours may be used in the Chinese costume except solid yellow. That colour is reserved for the robes of royalty. White enters not at all into the Chinese dress — that is, in solid colour, — for it is Chinese mourning.