OF ORIENTAL DRESS
All over China, and particularly in official circles, dress is determined
by certain fixed laws, the result being that every detail possesses
a meaning for those capable of interpreting it. The most significant
feature is the button which adorns the crowns of hats peculiar to
Mandarins, while embroideries likewise assist in determining the status
of the wearer. Colour is another factor of importance. Yellow is sacred
to the Emperor, the members of the Imperial family, and those privileged
few to whom the sovereign desires to award the highest honour. Red is
exclusively reserved for Mandarins, but blue, violet, and black are
common property.
In the matter of feminine attire, fashion is equally subjective to
legislature, and has varied little throughout the centuries. With regard
to the ladies of the Imperial household, the rules laid down for their
guidance, in the matter of personal adornment, are as comprehensive as
stringent.
Custom not only ordains that the Emperor shall have one hundred and
thirty wives, it also decrees what they shall wear.
As chief wife and equal in all points to her Celestial consort, it is
incumbent upon the Empress to be distinguished from her _entourage_ by
the magnificence of her raiment. For this she depends upon the materials
employed and the embroideries, as the costume common to all Chinese women
of position is modelled on similar lines, namely, a long under-dress,
usually of plain silk, arranged in stiff, overlapping pleats at the
foot. This is surmounted by an over-dress in a contrasting colour,
elaborately embroidered with the insignia of the husband's rank, and
terminating just below the knees, while the sleeves reach to the wrist,
where they are supplemented by tight inner sleeves, belonging to the
under-dress, and almost completely concealing the hand. The collar is not
more than an inch deep, and is round in shape, a becoming touch being
added by a narrow scarf of soft silk twisted once about the throat,
and knotted loosely, with the ends allowed to hang unevenly in front.
A rare illumination depicts the Empress seated upon a throne of carved
wood draped with green silk. On her head is a cope-like erection edged
with dangling pearl fringe, her jewellery consisting of jade ear-rings
and bracelets contrived from the same precious stone. Her under-robe is
sumptuously embroidered in a dazzling variety of colours, pleated and
lined with gold tissue, while the upper garment is of red silk, worked
in an all-over design of dragons, emblematic of Imperialism by reason
of the distinguishing five claws, the border being of dark blue richly
embroidered in sombre tones. In her right hand she holds the sceptre, a
twisted stick headed by a fabulous bird.
Next in rank to the Empress are the three wives known by the title of
Fou-gin. Etiquette decrees that they shall wear dresses adorned with
feathers worked in five shades. Inferior again to these are the nine
Imperial consorts known as Pins. To them are assigned robes of brilliant
yellow, the thirty-seven Chi-fous donning white. The lowest wives of all
are the Yu-tsis, eighty in number, and they are doomed to appear in black.
The over-dress common to Chinese ladies is coat-shaped, and opens up the
sides for a considerable distance, another distinctive feature being the
sleeves, which boast a single seam under either arm and are cut in one
with the remainder of the garment, which, in winter, is lined with the
costliest fur.
Considerable attention is devoted to the hair. In Pekin girls
arrange theirs in tufts on the temples, while the back hangs down in
multitudinous plaits. As soon as they become engaged they turn it up and
thrust a silver pin, a foot in length, through the thick tresses. This
pin, by the way, is as significant of betrothal as is the ring in Europe.
On her wedding day the bride's hair is shaven in front, to heighten the
forehead, and the remainder braided and coiled about a stiff black silk
frame which rests on the nape of the neck. This done, flowers, feathers,
glass ornaments, or, for the rich, jewellery set with uncut stones, are
added. A popular style on ordinary occasions is to twist the hair into
outstanding bunches at either ear and decorate the excrescences with
flowers.
A small foot is highly esteemed as a beauty, and causes its possessor
to be ardently sought after in marriage. The practice, however, of
mutilating the feet in order to achieve the desired result is limited
to one daughter out of five in each family, while the women of Tartary
disdain the notion altogether. The diminutive foot, erroneously held to
be typical of all Chinese ladies of rank, is encased in a silk or cotton
slipper raised on a thick, inclined sole. Those who are incapable of
getting into a shoe compared with which Cinderella's glass slipper would
appear gigantic, have recourse to the stratagem of wearing a similar
model fitted with a high heel set in the middle of the sole. Perched on
such an uncertain support, they walk with the mincing steps and swaying
gait which, for them, constitute the acme of grace, but which, in
barbarian eyes, suggest nothing more alluring than an imminent danger of
toppling over.
Abnormally long finger-nails are likewise held to enhance the natural
charms of lovely woman, and the use of cosmetics is freely indulged
in. A fan is always carried, and frequently a pipe, conspicuous for a
diminutive bowl and long slender stem.
As representing officialdom, the Mandarins, or Kwans, as they are called
in their own country, are quite the most important body of men in the
Celestial Empire. They are divided into nine classes, each of which is
subdivided into two. A glance at the button on the hat is sufficient to
determine the rank of the wearer.
The significance attached to this particular decoration is as follows:--
Class. Degree.
Red { A ruby or other precious stone 1st 1st
{ Coral 1st 2nd
{ A red jewel of inferior quality 2nd 1st
{ Coral carved in the form of a flower 2nd 2nd
Blue { A light-blue precious stone 3rd 1st
{ The same only smaller 3rd 2nd
{ A dark-blue precious stone 4th 1st
{ The same only smaller 4th 2nd
White { Crystal 5th 1st
{ The same only smaller 5th 2nd
{ A white precious stone 6th 1st
{ The same only smaller 6th 2nd
Gold { Gold 7th 1st
{ Smaller 7th 2nd
{ Smaller 8th 1st
{ Smaller 8th 2nd
The last class of all is similarly represented by a gold button. The
button employed on ceremonial occasions differs from that worn every day,
in that it is round, whereas the latter is oblong.
Another distinctive feature of a Mandarin's dress is the pectoral--a
small piece of material attached to the breast. In the case of civil
dignitaries it is embroidered with birds, while in that of military
authorities it displays quadrupeds.
[Illustration: A CHINESE ACTOR.]
The official costume consists of a long, loose gown which opens up the
centre and is gorgeously embroidered with dragons or winged serpents. The
claws further testify to the rank of the wearer, those dragons possessing
three or four being the exclusive privilege of members of the first four
classes, who are also entitled to wear peacock's feathers at the back of
their hats, and chains of coral, the red parasol being another of their
prerogatives. Over the under-robe is worn an ample coat of plain silk
extending below the knees. This has wide sleeves, which allow a view of
tight under-sleeves pertaining to the embroidered robe, and drawn down
to cover the hands, and shaped at the ends in the form of a horseshoe.
About the waist is a deep embroidered band, that serves as pocket in case
of need, while a square, embroidered collar rests on the shoulders and
tapers up to vanishing point at the throat in front. The hair hangs in
a tightly-plaited pigtail, lengthened by the addition of false tresses,
and the characteristic hat boasts a brim of satin, velvet, or fur, shaped
like a saucer, its red crown surmounted by the all-important button. The
shoes are those which a man of position must always wear in public.
Sabot-shaped, with thick soles, they are covered in silk, satin, or
cotton, and there is no difference between the right and left foot. A
coveted military distinction is a fox's tail arranged at the back of the
hat. The most signal mark of Imperial favour, however, is permission to
wear a yellow coat.
[Illustration: A CHINESE PEASANT.]
In his everyday attire the Mandarin observes none of these elaborate
formulæ. He dons a loose robe of silk to the ankles, an umbrella-shaped
hat, and heel-less shoes with pointed toes that curve slightly upwards,
contrived from rattan plaited in such a manner as to allow freely of
ventilation. In his right hand he carries a fan and in his left a checked
handkerchief of imposing dimensions.
The ordinary dress of men of the middle classes comprises a short shirt
cut low at the throat, drawers, socks of material made with a single seam
up the back, a long embroidered coat, and a shorter jacket of some plain
fabric, held by a broad waist-belt, embroidered in colours and fastened
by a jade ornament.
The headgear differs according to the season. In summer a conical-shaped
straw hat is chosen, and in winter small hats obtain either of hard felt
with stiff, upturned brims or of felt soft and pliable.
The costume of the lower orders is simplicity itself. A cotton shirt,
trousers, and a loose sleeveless coat exhaust the list. A narrow strip of
material is tied round the waist in order to prevent the clothing getting
in the worker's way, and the naked feet are thrust into low sandals.
Occasionally the ubiquitous pigtail is turned up and pinned in a coil
about the head, but this liberty is never permitted in the presence
of a superior. As a matter of fact, the etiquette of dress is rigidly
observed throughout China. No gentleman would dream of either paying or
receiving a visit without shoes on his feet, a fan in his hand, and a
wide, pointed hat, rather suggestive of a tent, on his head. How true it
is that manners, like morals, are mere matters of geography!
In contrast to the love of display characteristic of their Chinese
neighbours, the Japanese are conspicuous for extreme simplicity. This
national trait finds expression in their dress. Here I pause to consider
whether, as a chronicler of costume, I should allude to the Japanese in
the present or past tense? I regretfully incline to the latter view,
for there is little doubt that the smoke of factory chimneys, built on
European lines and fed with Cardiff coal, is rapidly blurring local
colour. Already the quaint little men have adopted the outward and
visible sign of inward civilisation in the form of a frock coat and top
hat. Their women-folk have followed their example and discarded the
picturesque for the prosaic, exchanging the fashions transmitted by
their ancestresses for those telegraphed from Paris. Will the Geishas do
likewise, and is another decade destined to see them in caps and aprons,
and will--Imagination fails me, and I revert to the glorious days of
the Daimios and Samourais--days for which, I am firmly convinced, every
frock-coated Japanese sighs as ardently as I do.
In old Japan social distinctions were drawn for all time, and there
was no crossing the line of demarcation. Society was divided into nine
grades. The princes, or Daimios, the nobles, or Samourai, the priests,
and the military composed the first four. These were entitled to carry
two swords, while the intellectual class, which numbered doctors in its
ranks, was allowed one. The remainder, including lawyers, were debarred
the privilege of bearing arms.
From the age of seven the son of a Samourai appeared in public wearing
the two swords distinctive of his rank. They were small, of course, as
appropriate to his size and strength, but were otherwise perfect in every
detail.
Despite rigorously-observed social divisions, all classes wore the same
outer garment, the difference being in the materials employed. Until
the influx of Europeans made its levelling influence felt, the use of
silk by any but the nobility was strictly prohibited. The article of
attire common to both sexes of the community was the kimono, a loose,
flowing wrap which opened down the centre and crossed over at the breast,
where on men it was held in place by a narrow belt, while women wore a
wide sash neatly folded and tied in an elaborate bow behind. Although
the sleeves were immensely wide and hung in deep points, only a small
opening was left for the hand to pass through, the remainder being joined
together to serve as pocket. Etiquette exacting that what a guest could
not eat he should take home, the superfluous dainties were carefully
enveloped in paper and deposited in the roomy sleeves.
Handkerchiefs were of tissue paper, and were carried in the belt; while
no Japanese, of either sex or any rank, from the Mikado downwards, would
consent to even a momentary separation from his or her fan.
Masculine costume consisted of tight trousers to the calf and the loose,
round shirts, which were fashioned from white material for the people
and from greyish-blue silk for the nobility; and labourers displayed on
theirs the insignia of their special craft or of the corporation to which
they belonged. Common to all classes were high wooden clogs and sandals
of plaited straw. Peculiar to the aristocracy and certain regiments,
notably the archers, were short trousers of brilliantly-coloured silk,
cut so immensely wide as to suggest the petticoats of a ballet girl. On
ceremonious occasions the feet and legs were left bare. Stockings were
cut out of cotton, or stuff, neatly seamed up the back, and were made
with a division at the great toe for the thong of the sandal. On the
whole, subdued shades and dark colours predominated, the Japanese being
distinguished by the quiet elegance of their taste.
Typical of the headgear affected by the lower classes in warm weather
was a huge straw hat in the form of a dish-cover. Another characteristic
example, likewise of straw, resembled a round, deep-edged tray, the
brim turned downwards, and the whole was held in place by means of a
chin-strap.
Women, as a rule, left the head uncovered, preferring to rely for
protection upon flat umbrellas made of paper, cotton, or silk. They drew
their hair off the forehead, dressing it in neat puffs or coils and
decorating it with large, ornamental pins, flowers, and ribbons, but
neither ear-rings nor any other articles of jewellery were worn.
Married women were distinguished by their blackened teeth and the fact
that their eyebrows were shaved and their faces unpainted. They wore a
long robe of red _crêpe de chine_ which folded over at the breast leaving
a V-shaped opening at the throat. Their pet vanity was to arrange their
under-garments so that the border of each formed a regular trimming at
the neck, a glance sufficing to show how many were worn--the greater the
number the greater the success achieved. On the back and sleeves of their
trailing silk kimonos were embroidered the arms of their house. When
walking, or otherwise inconvenienced by folds of material clinging about
their feet, they tucked the kimonos into the belt, a pretty fashion which
revealed the gaily-coloured gown beneath and the high wooden clogs.
The only difference between the dress of women of the upper and lower
classes was the employment of cotton instead of silk.
Despite the fact that European influence has done much towards imposing
European costume upon the Japanese, the influence is as yet restricted
to Tokio and other industrial centres. In rural districts the national
dress is still sacred, and the country-man remains a quaintly picturesque
figure to delight the visitor from across seas, who recognises in him the
prototype of the carved ivory models of the glass cabinet and curio table.
From the land of the chrysanthemum to that of the Pyramids is a far cry,
and in point of fact no more dissimilar types could be imagined than
those of old Japan and ancient Egypt. Woman's dress characteristic of
the latter country was marked by a shamelessness of display and a unique
brilliancy of colour, the effect of the scanty garments in vivid tones
accentuating rather than concealing the natural lines and curves of the
figure.
The chief article of attire would seem to have been the deep circular
collar worn round the throat, and this was typical of both sexes and of
all ranks of the community with the exception of the very meanest. It
was composed of jewels, metal, enamel work, or beads, according to the
position of the wearer. Feminine dress consisted of a tight sleeveless
robe, better described perhaps as a clinging skirt, of a texture adapted
to define the figure, reaching to the ankles, and extending a few inches
above the waist. It was held in place by a pair of straps which were
joined in the centre and, separating, passed over the shoulders to meet
again behind. The bust and arms were bare, the latter adorned with
bracelets at the wrist and again above the elbow. Anklets were worn, and
occasionally big circular ear-rings.
[Illustration: AN EGYPTIAN PEASANT WOMAN.]
[Illustration: AN EGYPTIAN WATER-CARRIER.]
The treatment of the hair was extremely elaborate and difficult, calling
for the exercise of considerable skill and patience. Cut straight across
the forehead, it was arranged with mathematical precision in several
rows of fine plaits, the clubbed ends terminating immediately below the
nape of the neck. As a coiffure of this kind necessitated an enormous
expenditure of time and labour, all classes of society had recourse to
wigs, the rich employing natural hair for the purpose, and the poor,
wool. A typical example of a fashionable perruque took the form of a
densely-braided mass which covered the head as efficaciously as a mat,
one large plait coming down at either side of the face, and curving round
on the shoulder in the shape of an elephant's trunk. The crown of the
head was usually encircled by a slender golden fillet, which, in the case
of a Pharaoh, or a royal lady, was twined about with the uræus, emblem
of supreme sovereignty. The head of the sacred asp reared threateningly
in the centre of the forehead. Cleopatra--not the famous Cleopatra of
Mark Antony, but one of her five predecessors--is represented with the
bare bosom, naked arms, circular collar, and skin-tight skirt common to
her countrywomen. A noteworthy feature is that her dress, of bright blue
and white material, shows horizontal stripes to the knees, where it is
joined by a slightly fuller flounce with the stripes running vertically.
It is supported by scarlet shoulder-straps, and the ribbon encircling
the crown of the head is in the same shade, knotted at the back, where
it hangs in two short ends. The wig is arranged in multitudinous plaits
that rest on the shoulders at either side and descend midway to the waist
behind. Above the forehead rears the royal asp, and over it tower two
straight quills, which form a background for the horns of a ram between
which glares a flaming sun; these quills, by the way, typify absolute
sovereignty.
[Illustration: AN EGYPTIAN PEASANT.]
The head-covering in general use consisted of a piece of material shaped
to rest flat on the top of the head and describe a curve in front, with
a straight, narrow tab cut up at the side to allow free passage for the
shoulder, the back hanging curtain-wise to afford ample protection to the
nape of the neck. The textures employed for such purposes were cotton,
linen, and wool decorated with stripes or embroidery.
The men, as well as the women, glittered with bracelets, anklets, and
other jewellery of a massive and showy type. White was preferred to
colours for their clothing; and the habitual costume for men was of
the scantiest possible description, being nothing more or less than a
sleeveless tunic held up by shoulder-straps, a narrow piece of ribbon
being tied round the waist, terminating in two short ends in front. This
skirt or tunic reached to the knee or calf, and sometimes even as far as
the ankle; the legs, arms, and chest were bare, and the face clean-shaven.
A great warrior is depicted wearing a tightly-fitting shirt of mail
composed of bronze scales sewn on to soft leather, displaying short
sleeves and descending below the knees, a white metal gauntlet protecting
the left wrist. On the head is a high, narrow helmet which completely
conceals the hair, and from it floats three pendent ends of striped
material. About the throat is a jewelled and enamelled collar, and from
a thick gold chain hangs a large gold ornament engraved with figures.
It is known that the finest and most transparent muslins were first
manufactured by the ancient Egyptians, and doubtless these were used for
making dresses; indeed in proof of this many representations are extant
of female musicians clad in diaphanous muslin through which the body can
be clearly seen. The loose robe is drawn under the right arm and fastened
on the left shoulder.
Did Egyptian women ever grow old, I wonder, and if so, what did they
wear? The artists have left us no record save of the eternal feminine
eternally youthful.