Classic Handwritten Manuscript. Eileen Chang's Changing Clothes (Classic Handwritten Manuscript)

Author: Eileen Chang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-10-01
Features: This book collects 7 classic literary works by Eileen Chang. These works are rich in content, diverse in themes, exquisite in conception, beautiful in language, vivid and fluent in style, and possess high literary and artistic value, showcasing the highest level of modern literature. They are truly worth reading, offering readers a delightful aesthetic experience. If the clothes passed down through generations had not been sold in large quantities to second-hand dealers, the annual June laundry-folding ritual would have been a splendid and lively event. Walking between bamboo poles, you would be surrounded by walls of silk and satin—tunnels unearthed from ancient wealthy families buried underground. You would press your forehead against the brocade embroidery. When the sun was on this side, the gold threads would be scorching hot, but now they have cooled down. The people of old toiled through life, their actions gradually covered in dust; when their descendants hung their clothes, they shook the dust back into the yellow sunlight, swirling in the air.
If memories had a scent, it would be the fragrance of camphor—sweet and reassuring, like a vividly remembered joy, sweet and melancholic, like forgotten sorrow. We are not very good at imagining the past world—so slow, tranquil, and orderly—under the three hundred years of Manchu rule, when women had no fashion at all! Generations upon generations wore the same clothes without feeling bored. When the country was founded, because "men's clothing was lowered but women's was not," women's attire still retained a distinct Ming Dynasty influence. From the mid-17th century to the end of the 19th century, extremely loose trousers were in fashion, exuding a calm and steady air. Collars were very low, almost non-existent. Worn over the trousers was an "outer robe." In informal settings, the robe would be loosened to reveal a "middle robe," which was tucked inside a tight-fitting "inner robe." Even when going to bed, the inner robe was often worn, usually in delicate peach or water-red. Above the three robes, there was an "embroidered shoulder panel," wide and black, adorned with large, cloud-like designs. With their sloping shoulders, slender waists, and flat chests, the delicate and petite standard beauties disappeared under the heavy layers of clothing. She herself ceased to exist, merely a clothing rack.
Chinese society disapproved of women who drew too much attention. Historical records of shocking virtues—such as cutting off an arm that was grabbed by a stranger—might earn general admiration, but the intellectual class always felt a subtle sense of regret, because a woman should not attract excessive notice. Even the name of an iron-willed woman, spoken by millions, would rust in the steam of their breath. Women wanted to stand out even more, yet even this dignified path was opposed; how much more so would extravagant attire be considered morally corrupt?