Traditional Chinese Winter Cheongsam
Production date
Unknown
Country
China
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Object detail
Description
Traditional Chinese one piece cheongsam (qi pao) in dark green, pink and blue colourways. Dress has x 6 Chinese knot buttons and 3 x metal press studs along garment's opening; full sleeves, falls below the knee and features side slits from hip to hem. Dress also features a pocket on the left hand side and shows dark blue silk lining. Garment lined on front and back with white and brown animal fur believed to be marmot (brown) and goat (white). Garment is lined inside with dark green silk. The outer is a plain-weave cotton featuring large pink and blue peonies with brown and green leaves interspered amongst dark blue and white Chinese fans with smaller arrangements of flowers on top, a dark blue geometric tile pattern in the background.
Classification
COSTUME woman
Maker
Production date
Unknown
Production place
Measurements
Neck 16cm
Chest 47.5cm
Waist 49.5cm
Hip 52cm
Hem 53cm
Sleeve length 51cm
Neck to hem 101cm (front)
Neck to hem 101 (back)
Chest 47.5cm
Waist 49.5cm
Hip 52cm
Hem 53cm
Sleeve length 51cm
Neck to hem 101cm (front)
Neck to hem 101 (back)
Media/Materials description
Silk, cotton, metal, animal fur (brown marmot and white goat).
History and use
The traditional Chinese dress – the culturally iconic ‘cheongsam’ or ‘qi pao’ - has historically been made by tailors located in Shanghai or Hong Kong who specialise in making these types of traditional high quality garment. The number of ‘cheongsam’ or ‘qi pao’ tailors in Hong Kong who are trained in traditional techniques to make high quality cheongsam is quickly diminishing and is at risk of becoming a lost skill and art, as more contemporary garments in the traditional style are mass produced using machine methods.
This winter cheongsam (qi pao) relates to the migration of people from Hong Kong to Queensland in the 1980s and 1990s. This was during the period when the 'Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong' between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the UK governments was signed on 19 December 1984, resulting in the handover of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China thirteen years later on 1st July 1997. Prior to the Joint Declaration being signed there was a huge influx of illegal immigrants from China to Hong Kong creating social and economic pressure with issues around supply and demand of services and products as well as a decrease in people’s wages and jobs. This period saw many Hong Kong citizens seek opportunities to permanently immigrate overseas and from 1980 to 1986, an estimated 21,000 people left Hong Kong permanently every year; in 1987, the numbers rose to 48,000 people per year. Many Hong Kongese migrated to the UK, Canada, the United States and Australia as uncertainty grew around the handover in 1997.
The Australian Census data indicates there were 6,764 Hong Kongese living in Queensland in 1996. The data also indicates that between 1976 and 1985, there were 11,957 people living in Australia who were born in Hong Kong. It also shows that between 1986 and 1995 the number of people who were born in Hong Kong and living in Australia rose to 26,465.
This winter cheongsam (qi pao) relates to the migration of people from Hong Kong to Queensland in the 1980s and 1990s. This was during the period when the 'Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong' between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the UK governments was signed on 19 December 1984, resulting in the handover of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China thirteen years later on 1st July 1997. Prior to the Joint Declaration being signed there was a huge influx of illegal immigrants from China to Hong Kong creating social and economic pressure with issues around supply and demand of services and products as well as a decrease in people’s wages and jobs. This period saw many Hong Kong citizens seek opportunities to permanently immigrate overseas and from 1980 to 1986, an estimated 21,000 people left Hong Kong permanently every year; in 1987, the numbers rose to 48,000 people per year. Many Hong Kongese migrated to the UK, Canada, the United States and Australia as uncertainty grew around the handover in 1997.
The Australian Census data indicates there were 6,764 Hong Kongese living in Queensland in 1996. The data also indicates that between 1976 and 1985, there were 11,957 people living in Australia who were born in Hong Kong. It also shows that between 1986 and 1995 the number of people who were born in Hong Kong and living in Australia rose to 26,465.
Registration number
H50552
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