A Study of 1644-1949 Chinese Women’s Hair Styles

• Main Author: 羅麗珍
• Other Authors: Rita s .c.Tsai
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2003
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/33871715589703278730

碩士 === 中國文化大學 === 生活應用科學研究所碩士在職專班 === 92 === The aim of this study is to explore types, decorations, and structures of hairstyles and esthetic sense of recent Chinese women (from 1644 to 1949). This study adopts a historical research method and uses many documents such as annals, pictures, and periodicals etc. In addition, many examples are put into practice in order to present cultural products. The results of this study are be presented as follows: I. Types, Decorations and Structures of Hairstyles in the Ching Dynasty: 1. Types: (1) Hairstyles of Han women still adopted the traditional types as those of the former dynasty. The hair was combed as a peony, an earthenware basin, and a silver or gold ingot etc. (2) Main hairstyles were as the shape of “一” and a scepter for Ching women. The shape of one big wing was the main hairstyle for the officers’ wives. 2. Structures: (1) Frames: Around the top of the head and neck, the string was used to comb the hair. Some supplementary materials were also used to help shape the hairstyle. (2) Decorations: Hairpins, dangling ornaments, combs, filigree, followers, wigs,etc. were used as main ornaments and supplementary materials. wigs enabled the hairstyles to be fixed on the one hand. On the other, it was able to add the quantity of the hair and beautify the curve. II. Types, Frames and Decorations of Hairstyles after the Ching Dynasty 1. Types: Women in Shanghai were the first ones to match various forelocks with topknots. Types of forelocks were the shape of a “一”, a peach, or the tail of a swallow etc. 2. Frames: Fujian and Hakka women in Taiwan all continued to use the traditional hairstyles of their hometowns. Fujian women mainly combed their hairs as the shape of a snail and turtle. Hakka women divided their hairs into two or three parts. 3. Decorations: Decorations were changed as the hairstyles and the simplifications of ornaments, yet the basic modelings and materials were still as usual. III. Esthetic Sense of Chinese Women about their Hairstyles and Whole Modelings According to esthetic sense, apparently the nature of being beautiful can be seen from women’s hairstyles and modelings. Aesthetic needs are only next to “needs for self-actualization“ for people. “A girl will doll herself up for him who loves her” is an old saying. From documents, it can be seen the esthetic sense of women is from men’s. This can be related with the tradition which men are the center of the society and the needs of customs. Whole modelings of Chinese women include the clothes of head (hairstyles and ornaments), the clothes of the body (costumes and accessories), and the clothes of the foot (boots and shoes). This study mainly investigates hairstyles. From hairstyles,the esthetic sense of women about their whole modelings can be presented. Women in Tang Dynasty were tall and buxom. So they combed their hairs as high topknots in order to match their figures. In addition, they used various tools to supplement or decorate their hairstyles. The colors of their make-up were very beautiful. They also used various colors and lines to make their clothes. The collars were very low. From their whole modelings, it can be seen that people in Tang Dynasty were very creative and open. The beauty of brightness and unrestraint were fully presented. In the Ching Dynasty most Han women adopted the traditional hairstyles, while officers’ wives combed their hairs as the shape of “一” and big wings. White was very important for three parts of women’s face such as forehead, nose, and lower jaw. Their eyebrows were like leaves of the willow. The shape of long silk cheongsam was simple and straight. There were many flowers and birds embroidered on the cheongsam. Colors of collars, sleeves and lower parts of the cheongsam were contrastive. Also, there were beautiful embroideries on wide borders. Women wore high-heeled boots (high heels were in the middle of boots). Whole modelings of women were very beautiful, graceful and elegant. In the Sung and Ming Dynasty, the main tendency of women’s hairstyles was like a peony. Their make-up was simple but graceful. Their figures were very thin. In addition, collars of their clothes were three-dimensional. Skirts with belts were wide and plaited. Whole modelings were good-looking and elegant. In the beginning of the Republic of China, modern women were affected by the western culture. They simplified the complicated topknots. They also matched the topknots with forelocks or cut their hairs. The tendency of their clothes was fitted cheongsam with low parts which were like leaves of lotuses. In addition, they wore dresses and high-heeled or leather shoes. Whole modelings were presented by a mixture of Chinese and western style such as curly hairs, full breasts, and slender waists. It was the first time that women were brave to show the beauty of curve. Until now, some sense of beauty of traditional Chinese women gradually disappeared because it was affected by the western culture. Hairstyles include the quality and quantity of hairs, supplementary materials and ornaments. Based on different people and practicality, unification and change, and harmony and contrast etc., hairstyles were adjusted in order to meet the aim of beautification. Thus, esthetic sense was changed as the environment developed. V. Limitations and Suggestions 1. Limitations: (1) Documents are limited by the printing technology and the material of paper. They are so old and insufficient that it is unable to fully present the history of hairstyles again. (2) This study mainly discuss hairstyles of the noble women, while it lacks of documents about commoners. Some points may be not presented in this study. 2. Suggestions: (1) Hairdressers should work together to put the clothes and shoes of Han and Ching women in order. Whole modelings of women in the Ching Dynasty can thus be presented vividly. (2) Hairstyles of Ching women in various tribes can be made into models. On the one hand, they can be photographed and saved in data bank of the computer. These pictures can be also made into a compact disk as the material of teaching and research. Key words: the Ching Dynasty, Hairstyle, Ornament, Esthetic sense, Whole modelings