Research on Ancient Chinese Clothing

Author: Shen Congwen
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-08-01
Features: Guo Moruo once wrote in the preface to this book in June 1964, evaluating that arts and crafts are the standard for measuring the level of a nation's culture, where art and life are closely intertwined. Ancient clothing is a major component of arts and crafts, with abundant materials available, making it suitable for focused study. Through this, one can trace the trajectory of national cultural development and the mutual influences among various ethnic groups. Production methods, class relations, customs, and cultural institutions across the ages can be clearly observed, making it an excellent historical source. Most artifacts were created by anonymous craftsmen. The creative spirit and determination of the working people of all generations, regardless of gender, to transform nature and society possess a strong life pulse. Even after thousands of years, they can still be directly felt, which deserves special attention. Mr. Shen Congwen devoted half his life to this research, and the manuscript he painstakingly compiled on ancient Chinese clothing was attacked and labeled as "poisonous weeds" during the Cultural Revolution. His carefully collected books and materials were completely lost, and he himself suffered various forms of persecution. In the winter of 1969, this nearly 70-year-old man, suffering from hypertension and heart disease, was sent to rural Xianning, Hubei, like many other Chinese intellectuals, to raise pigs and grow vegetables. However, he did not lose heart. With extraordinary perseverance and memory, and with no reference materials or notes at hand, he repeatedly recalled and reviewed the silks, lacquers, copper, jade, flowers, pots, and jars in his mind, noting down any omissions or redundancies in the illustrations with slips of paper, eventually writing this book. Mr. Shen once humorously recalled that during his time at the "May Seventh" cadre school in the countryside, it was a great exercise for his memory. His blood pressure once rose to 250, but he still managed to overcome the challenge, possibly due to his single-minded focus and simplicity of mind. The Study of Ancient Chinese Clothing covers a period from the Shang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, conducting in-depth research and exploration on the clothing of each dynasty over three thousand years. The book includes 700 illustrations and 250,000 words. A drop of water can reflect the light of the sun. While the book focuses on clothing, it cannot be discussed solely in terms of clothing. Through this medium, one can easily glimpse the political, military, economic, cultural, folk, philosophical, and ethical changes across China's dynasties. This is also the book's greatest value. In terms of clothing, its origins may lie in the needs of hunting or warfare, to avoid the harm of claws and arrows, or through camouflage and intimidation. People learned from animals with scales and shells, a method known as "protecting oneself with the shells of others." They used bone needles to sew the first primitive military clothing, such as chest armor, and gradually evolved it into general daily wear. Protecting life, maintaining shape, and keeping warm, as well as decorating oneself, are the primary functions of clothing. This book, written in the form of notes, examines, records, organizes, and elevates, presenting a broad and profound, yet simple and vivid work that offers both historical and aesthetic enjoyment. Through hardship and adversity, one achieves greatness. Throughout his life, Shen Congwen achieved success through relentless self-study, excelling in the cultural field and making remarkable contributions. Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, he was a renowned writer, producing literary masterpieces such as Border Town and The Long River. Later, he suddenly shifted his focus, though he remained a fierce warrior on the cultural front, turning to the study of ancient Chinese clothing and quickly becoming a leading expert in ancient artifacts, publishing The Study of Ancient Chinese Clothing. He was content with solitude, resilient, dignified, and dedicated, writing with the brilliance of stars and the purity of a child. Without lamenting his advanced age, he still embraced the brightness of the evening star. A single-wheeled cart may be small, but as long as it doesn't fall, it moves forward. This is the invaluable spiritual legacy left by Mr. Shen Congwen for the world, beyond the text of his works.