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It was in Shanghai where the slits, which previously ran modestly up to the knee, began to be run higher and higher. It was here as well that the dress became known as cheongsam, meaning simply "long dress". Jewelry This interpretation of the ancient pattern became set as the quintessential Chinese dress for much of the twentieth century (barring the period when everyone wore nothing but mao uniforms). Although the traditional robe-and-vest has virtually disappeared, the comfortable Tang suit has survived, and remains a formal wear choice for a select few. Originally, the Tang suit was a term foreigners used, in a sweeping way, to describe all Chinese fashion. In fact, what people have over time come to define as the Tang suit is something that was created in the late Qing and early Republican era among the common people. It is cut wide, with long sleeves, buttons in the front, and a stiff collar. The lines are simple and generous. There is no class restriction on the Tang suit; its enthusiasts can be found in commerce, government, and academia. Examples include the scholar Wang Chien-hua, the ethnomusicologist Lin Ku-fang, and the well-known businessmen Huang Jen-chung and Wong Ta-ming. Yu Yuh-chao has "suffered a blow" at a number of international conferences. He is determined to reshape the image Chinese project, and to encourage culture in daily life. Yu, who worked in the Ministry of Education for many years, is strongly promoting the creation of a new national attire. He notes that modern national dress must have five key characteristics: it must be comfortable, artistic, modern, suited to the locality, and universal. He calls his ideal national dress shuya, which means "comfortable and elegant." Taking the lead himself, two years ago he put aside his Western suits and asked a tailor to make a shuya outfit that Yu himself had designed. He wears it to work and to give lectures. So what is shuya clothing, that it doesn't lose the spirit of traditional Chinese culture yet conforms to the needs of modern life? This March, the Council for Cultural Affairs and Fujen Catholic University, aiming to promote innovation in national costume design, co-sponsored an academic conference and a design competition on the theme of "Comfortable and Elegant Dress Suited to Taiwan's Local Conditions." |