中美服饰文化差异的分析

论文总字数：29022字

摘 要

俗话说：“人靠衣装，美靠靓装”, 服饰已经与食物和水一样是必须品。着装文化是人类的一种特殊文化现象,一直以来，服饰就作为一种特殊的文化影响着中美的发展，因为中美穿着文化中不同的审美观，不同的穿着理念和不同的穿着礼节，中美着装中存在着很多不同的隐含义和穿着风格, 不同色彩的使用，装饰上的差异，设计的风格以及面料的选取都能体现出中美两国的文化差异。经济，政治和文化同样也影响着两国的着装文化，这篇论文还分析了促成这种不同文化的因素。

关键词：穿着文化；不同的形态；因素

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 2

3. The History of Chinese Dress and American Dress 4

3.1 Why People Wear Clothing…………………………………..............4

3.2 The History of Chinese Dress………………………………………..5

3.3 The History of American Dress……………………………………...6

4. Cultural Differences Between Chinese and American Clothing….7

4.1 Design………………………………………………………………..7

4.2 Color…………………………………………………………………8

4.3 Pattern and Ornaments……………………………………………….8

4.4 Material……………………………………………………………....9

5. Factors Causing the Differences Between China and America…10

5.1 The Political Reason………………………………………………..10

5.2 The Economic Reason…………………………………………..….11

5.3 The National Characters of Chinese and American……..………….12

6. Conclusion…………………………………………………………...13

Works Cited…………………………………………………………….14

1. Introduction

With the development of global economy, clothing industry has been infiltrating through every field of the society and has become one of the essential parts in people’s life. Costume culture is a respect of our physical and spiritual life and a mixture of our psychological activities like consciousness, emotion and idea. Clothing is a kind of culture that reflects a nation"s cultural quality, mental outlook and material civilization development. Dress as a reflection of national cultural literacy, mental outlook and material civilization development degree of culture, plays an important role in interpersonal communication. Dress is one of the most important visual objects. Recently multiculturalism has been outstanding and the conflicts between China and the USA have been increased. Different countries have their own special dress styles, which reflect the different social and cultural characteristics. China is an ancient country with a history of five thousand years while the United States is a self-proclaimed democratic state of economic development of emerging powers. Clothing differences between the two countries reflect the values of the two countries in thinking of cultural differences. Recognizing the culture of the two countries is extremely important when we study the similarities and differences of costume culture between China and the USA.

As a result of the globalization, advanced costume technology can be extended all around the world. However, the western costume culture dominates the whole world, especially American costume that plays an important role. That’s why our Chinese costume is not so popular. Young people are crazy about western life style, value, technology and clothing. They chase after the unique independence spirit of the USA. Fortunately China has developed her costume industry swiftly, which wins a position of global costume industry for us.

This thesis focuses on the analysis of the similarities and differences of clothing culture between China and America. What distinguishes Chinese costume culture from the USA? Why are there so many differences? Are there any similarities between them? What kind of costume culture will Chinese hold as the main stream in the future? To find the answers to these questions, we are supposed to study the characteristics and development of clothing culture and draw some conclusions.

To contract the costume culture between China and the USA, it is necessary for us to master a good knowledge of the Chinese and American costume cultural characteristics. We can learn more about the two countries and strengthen our abilities of intercultural communication.

2. Literature Review

“Every nation has its own language and culture. Garment is similar to language, which can reflect people’s spirit, interest and attitude towards life.” (Lou Dan，2010.(6): 72-73) A report of Charming China written by Lou Dan presents this topic to show us the importance of our garment. She also says that with the development of our country and the explosion of the global economy, it is emergent for us to communicate with other countries. And clothing culture of a country is an important part which indicates a country’s history, culture and people’s characteristics.

In Li Caiqing’s opinion, there are many differences between Chinese and western clothes and she also says something about the differences between China and American. For example, she says: “The Chinese dress is ‘self-respecting,’ whose psychological orientation is ‘introspective’.( Li Caiqing 2008.（6）:140-165)

Chinese dressing style is not fashionable but is focused on ‘self-regulation’. The Chinese continuously adjust to the old and new dressing ideas and then seek New Harmony in continuous reflection.” Chinese costume conception is just the opposite of the western whose dressing value is ‘individual’ and psychological orientation is ‘extroversive’.

There are many factors leading to the cultural differences between the two countries. Many authors have presented us their different opinions in this areas and Yang Chunyuan made a good statement. “Chinese has a 5000- year history and its culture has a long history while USA has a history of only two hundred years. Economic development, the dominant culture of European culture as well as the geographical environment, historical background, development process and other factors, the Sino US culture also show great difference.” (Yang Chunyuan.烟台大学学报，1998.(10): 22-24) These sentences explain the historical causes of the cultural differences between China and America.

The economic and political reasons are two most important factors in our study which is concerned with garment culture of China and the USA. China is a developing country. Compared with America, its economy is relatively weak. There is a saying: “the economic base determines the superstructure”. Clothing culture is a kind of superstructure. So the different economic foundation determines the clothing culture.

3. The History of Chinese Dress and American Dress

3.1 Why People Wear Clothing

In ancient times, people just dressed themselves to cover the body or to keep warm. With the development of the society, people wear clothes for different reasons. Ancient Chinese people are concerned more about its social function of helping to rule a country well than that of keeping warm or decorating. It has a lot to do with ruling a country to regulate the dressing way of the common people. Nevertheless the Americans pay more attention to its wealth, value and function. Therefore, people put on clothing for functional and social reasons.

The first use of clothing is to resist the cold and cover the body. Functions of clothing include proving the human body protection against extremes of climate (extreme heat, icy winters, and drenching storm) and protection against insects, noxious, chemical, and contact with abrasive substances. In sum, clothing protects human beings against anything that might injure the naked, unprotected human body.

With the change of the times, the modern clothing is not confined to keep warm and cover body. Modern garments gain an important function that people decorate themselves with clothes and show the beauty of their body.

Clothing also delivers social messages to other humans. Social messages sent by clothing, accessories, and decorations can involve with social status, and sexual availability, art of social communication, ethnic, religious belief and cultural difference.

Social statues was particular important in ancient China when people in different levels wore different clothing. For example, only the Emperor could wear the rope with the “dragon” design.

Sexual availability: People wear different clothes to distinguish gender. For example, men usually don"t wear a skirt but the ladies often do so.

People should express themselves with different words in different situations, and they should also wear different dressing in different places. People need to wear formally and solemnly at the funeral. In western countries people need to wear black while Chinese wear white. If women are invited to a party they should wear dress.

All in all, there are many social reasons for people to wear clothes including personal factors, social factors, environmental factors, cultural factors and customs.

3.2 The History of Chinese Dress

China is a historical country with splendid civilizations, in which the Chinese costume is an important part. From the change of Chinese costumes, we can see the political change, economic development and customs evolvement through the long history. The Chinese costume, which has over 5000 year’s history, is just like a long river. Chinese clothing in the past dynasties can be roughly divided into the following categories: clothing of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, Qin and Han Dynasties, Wei, Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties, Song Dynasty, Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynasties, Ming Dynasty, Qing Dynasty and modern times.

The aristocrats in Shang Dynasty used to put the cross collars clothes on upper body, tie the big belt round waist and wear skirt below, and before the abdomen was the SHI (a piece of clothing to cover knees.) The upper garment, under skirt, belt and SHI were still the basic components of aristocrat men’s clothes in old times. People in Qin Dynasty wore long trousers below and leather belts with hooks round waist. This type was still very popular in western Zhou and trousers popularized among the whole society gradually.

China’s complete code of costume and trappings was established in Han Dynasty. The costume code of Han Dynasty featured a cicada-shaped hat and red clothes. Clothes in Wei and Western Jin inherited from Han Dynasty. Dress with wrinkles was the unique fashion and people often wore pinging kerchief called small crown at that times. During the period of Northern and Southern Dynasty people’s garments were similar to Han’s.

Clothes in Tang Dynasty were the most fantastic chapter in the clothing history because of the political stability, economic development, manufacturing and textile technology and frequent foreign relations. Men, from the Emperor to common people, wore casual clothes in the daily life, including Queue gown with round collar. Female attire mainly was composed of the skirt, shirt and ancient kappa called pie. At that time they often hid shirt under skirt, therefore the skirt looked too long.

The Song clothing followed Tang system roughly. The Song women also wore the skirt and shirt. At that time short shirts mostly were in the symmetrical-lapel style, covering the skirt. The skirt was narrow, multi wrinkles. Women in Song also wore pants under skirt. The gown of Yuan was often added braided wire on waist, below the pleat. Women wore clothing with red silk wrapping and pearls and jade decorating outside the surface and branches and feather inserted on the top, causing the model extremely special. In winter Yuan people put on leather clothing with fur collar.

At the beginning of Ming Dynasty the Emperor requested the clothes to restore Tang system. Later circle collar gown was adopted. In Qing Dynasty, clothes were elegant and poised. People at that time wore clothes befitting their social statue, official ranks and lifestyle according to the customs of the Qing government. With the decline of the bustle, sleeves began to increase in size and the 1830s silhouette of an hourglass shape became popular again.

3.3 The History of American Dress

Compared with China, America is a young country with a short garment history.

In the 1930’s, people in the United States were also used to old fashion particular about fashion in clothing. And the economic situation didn’t allow people to pursue luxuries. In the 40s, women wore long hair to the parties and began to wear dress. After the outbreak of the Second World War, because of the material tension, American apparel was limited. Washington even issued the special regulations about clothing. After the Second World War, the rise of new fashion took place in United States. Women quickly put on the dress and veil; meanwhile, feather headdress or Turkish cap appeared on the street. Sweater and jeans replaced the stiff collar shirt and long stockings. In the 60s, American clothing developed into the direction of the novel, beautiful and fashionable. Man in casual headed cowboy hat and wore cowboy shoes, showing his natural and unrestrained natural characters. Since 60s, women"s skirts have gradually tended to be short until a miniskirt (mini skirt).

And Jeans is the most popular garment in American clothing history and it is also one of the most important inventions of America.

4. Cultural Differences Between Chinese and American Clothing

Because of the different history, different ideas, different political environment and different economic status, there are many differences between Chinese and American costume.

4.1 Design

Traditional Chinese dress has a large volume and a sense of the outline to show dignity and symbolic pattern. The clothes are in symbolic form and don"t have to be harmony with the body but pay special attention to the flat surface and pattern. Clothing in China isn’t used to highlight the form of characters, but is used to describing the conception “nature and humanity” ideology in ancient China. The Chinese traditional philosophical world view can be summarized as chase for the ideal of “nature and humanity”. It regarded the universe as an organic, vivid, harmonious whole. Currently, as the curve of our yellow race’s body is not so obvious, and Chinese are fastidious about self-respect, our clothing is a straight overall with wide coat and far sleeves, which emphasize plane design.

The United States is an immigrant country, which has a short history, so the designs of clothing in the United States are similar to the European countries. As a result, the traditional American clothing follows the traditional western clothing styles. American garments pay attention to the proportion, balance, harmony and whole consciousness, which can reflect the beauty of body. The traditional American clothing is inseparable with values of individualism. Early immigrants moved to the United States in order to survive, so they had to work hard to struggle in order to realize personal value. The jeans are a good example. Jeans can not only reflect the individual figure but also reveal American personal charm. American individualism is not the same as China"s narrow individualism. Chinese individualism is in a derogatory sense and equivalent to self-interest, so it is infringed and the thought of the public interest. And American individualism mainly is good. It contains the self-improvement, self-reliance of realizing ego value, so it is to realize the social progress and the power of success. It is deep into the American’s characters. The western women style is determined by the western aesthetic thought of pragmatism and nationalism and the white race’s body structure. Their body curve is pretty sharp. In a word, Chinese culture is a “covering” one while the American costume culture is a “revealing” one.

4.2 Color

Chinese clothing color lays particular stress on ethic and asks for maintaining social order, but western style clothing color lays particular stress on emotion and psychological adjustment. The most important factor is the color element of clothing. In ancient China, pure color and secondary color were used widely. It provides that: “The upper garment color is the pure color, the under garment is the secondary color.” (《礼记 玉藻》) Darker colors were favored over lighter ones in traditional Chinese clothing, so the main color of ceremonial clothing tended to be dark. Lighter colored clothing was worn more frequently by the common people for everyday dress. People in ancient China also used different color to identify the people’s statue. Blue, red, yellow, white and black represented respectively five elements of the wood, fire, earth, gold and water. The five colors form the “Five Elements”. Different kinds of people wore different colors of clothing, but common people were allowed to wear only secondary color.

In the United States, the most popular traditional colors are white and purple. White represents purity and integrity, holy, and it is also a kind of charm. Purple is a symbol of wealth and noble. Americans focus on visual effect. They choose the colors with their wishes and determine the colors by themselves, and put on their favorite clothes. Americans advocates equality. The root cause of this kind of “equality” is derived from the American personal heroism, from the real historical conditions.

4.3 Pattern and Ornaments

Chinese emphasize on color matching, pattern design, the effect of embroidery and the change of the clothing’s front piece, collar, sleeves, buckles and so on. The plum blossom, orchid and chrysanthemum and pine tree representing the Chinese writers’ ideal spirits can be commonly seen on Chinese clothing. Among all ornaments, the jade is the most popular one.

Americans pay more attention to the lace and embroidery of the neck, chest and chestnut lines. Its layout is symmetrical, modeling full and colors gorgeous. The female attire is usually decorated with jewelry like pearls and diamonds. Besides, the hat and gloves are indispensable ornaments. For men, a hat and a walking stick are enough.

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