The thousands of years of feudal rule in China formed the governing
aspirations of powerful and prosperous rulers, and the garment patterns
of the feudal era were used as important symbols of social status,
class, and power. Particularly under Chin...
The thousands of years of feudal rule in China formed the governing
aspirations of powerful and prosperous rulers, and the garment patterns
of the feudal era were used as important symbols of social status,
class, and power. Particularly under China’s feudal system, there was
an attempt to explicitly distinguish identity and authority through
clothing and patterns. Clothing patterns were strictly used to classify
social classes such as royalty, nobility, knights, and commoners, with
each pattern carrying symbolic meaning. These garment patterns
symbolized the ethnic culture and spiritual beliefs of that era. The Qing
Dynasty (1636–1912), the last feudal dynasty in China, represented the
peak of traditional Chinese culture in terms of garment patterns,
including the design, colors, and organizational styles of the clothing.
During the Qing Dynasty, clothing patterns transcended mere
decoration and played a role in reinforcing social discipline, clearly
defining class boundaries, and maintaining social harmony. The royal
family and nobility displayed their authority through clothing patterns,
while commoners used these patterns to express loyalty.
One of the most prominent features of China’s recent consumption
trends is the "Guochao" phenomenon. "Guochao" refers to the
popularity of products and brands based on traditional Chinese culture
among young consumers, which has become a new trend. It represents
a fusion of tradition and modernity, reflecting inherent Chinese identity
while favoring the latest trends in consumer culture. Based on this
socio-cultural context, this study explores the expressive characteristics
and design preferences of Qing Dynasty palace women’s clothing
patterns with "Guochao" characteristics, and how these patterns can
enhance the commercial value and cultural significance of Chinese
traditional clothing designs. The aim is to provide foundational material
for inspiring new creative ideas in clothing design and development.
To empirically analyze the design preferences in this study, two
rounds of surveys were conducted with female university students in
Henan Province, China. The first survey (Survey I) was distributed from
July 26 to August 5, 2024, with 430 questionnaires issued and 412
returned, of which 400 valid responses were used for final analysis.
Survey I consisted of three parts: the expressive characteristics of Qing
Dynasty palace women’s clothing patterns (main patterns, auxiliary
patterns, colors, pattern organizational styles), clothing product design,
and demographic characteristics.
The second survey (Survey II) was a follow-up to Survey I, designed
to investigate the same respondents and ensure the validity and
authenticity of the data. Survey II was conducted from August 16 to
August 23, 2024. Survey II included questions on the application of
traditional and modern style patterns in the layout of popular clothing
products, and demographic characteristics.
Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop were used for design, and SPSS 26.0
was employed for data analysis.
The results of Survey I are as follows:
1. Among the 19 main patterns, the most favored non-realistic animal
pattern was the phoenix, the most favored realistic animal pattern was
the butterfly, the most favored floral pattern was the peony, the most
favored fruit pattern was the gourd, and the most favored stem-leaf
pattern was the winding vine.
2. Among the 20 auxiliary patterns, the most favored object pattern
was the ruyi pattern, the most favored geometric pattern was the
meander pattern, the most favored landscape pattern was the sea and
cliff pattern, the most favored text pattern was the longevity character,
and the most favored character pattern was the opera figures.
3. Among the five frequently used colors, red was the most
preferred.
4. In the selection of structural organizational styles for single
patterns, symmetrical structures were the most favored. In the selection
of suitable pattern outline organizational styles, geometric outlines were
the most favored.
5. Among the preference choices for bi-directional continuous pattern
organizational styles, the "upright" style was most favored. Among the
preference choices for four-directional continuous pattern organizational
styles, the "displaced position" style was most favored.
6. In the design of clothing products (coats, jackets, shirts, dresses,
qipaos), the analysis showed the most favored elements of product
design (shape, main patterns, auxiliary patterns, pattern colors, pattern
structure and organization, outline organizational styles, continuous
pattern organizational styles, etc.).
The results of Survey II are as follows:
1. In coat and shirt layout design, the most favored layout was the
modern style "edge-positioned—cuff position." In jacket layout design,
the most favored was the traditional style "edge-positioned—cuff +
hem." In dress layout design, the most favored was the modern style
"edge-positioned—hem." In qipao layout design, the most favored was
the traditional style "edge-positioned—collar + hem."
2. In the comparison between modern and traditional style patterns,
modern style patterns were preferred.
3. When comparing modern and traditional style patterns in the
design of clothing product layouts, modern style patterns were the most
favored pattern design.
The empirical analysis results of this study suggest the following:
1. In coat and shirt design, there was a stronger preference for
designs with collars. In jacket design, the preferred design was the
stand-up collar and horseshoe sleeve. In dress design, the emphasis was
on highlighting the female figure. In qipao design, there was a stronger
preference for short-sleeve designs. These results provide useful
references for future clothing product shape design.
2. When combining pattern types with clothing product designs, the
most favored main patterns among the 19 were the phoenix, butterfly,
and peony patterns. Among the 20 auxiliary patterns, the most favored
were the ruyi pattern, meander pattern, sea and cliff pattern, and
longevity character pattern. In pattern color design, red was the most
favored color. These results provide useful references for future
clothing product pattern selection and color design.
3. In pattern structure design, symmetrical structures were the most
favored for individual pattern organizational styles. In pattern outline
design, geometric outlines were the most favored for suitable pattern
organizational styles. These results provide useful references for future
clothing product pattern structure and outline design.
4. In the design of pattern continuity for specific parts of clothing,
the most favored bi-directional continuous patterns were the
overlapping and scattered types. For large area patterns, the
preference for the three four-directional continuous patterns—scattered,
displaced, and geometric continuous—was similar. These results provide
useful references for future pattern continuity design in specific areas
or large areas of clothing products.
5. In clothing product design, using centered, edge-positioned,
full-covering, and composite methods for pattern layout design, the
most favored layout for coats, jackets, shirts, dresses, and qipaos was
the edge-positioned layout, with patterns on cuffs, hems, or collars.
These results provide useful references for future design of pattern
layout positions in clothing products.
6. Whether in pattern design or pattern use in clothing products,
modern style patterns were preferred over traditional style patterns.
These results provide useful references for future design of pattern
styles in clothing products.
7. Applying Qing Dynasty patterns to clothing design attempts to
combine traditional beauty with modern aesthetics, creating unique
fashion. The clothing and patterns of that era represent China’s
history and culture, and thus, it is necessary to harmonize traditional
pattern elements and colors to express modern beauty.
8. In the use of Qing Dynasty patterns in modern fashion design, as
seen in the preference for simplified layouts, there is a need to
reinterpret traditional patterns in a minimalist way.
9. There is a need to explore the use of exquisite Qing Dynasty
embroidery as fabric design, naturally reflecting traditional elements in
clothing. Finally, there is a need to adjust or reinterpret the strong
colors used in Qing Dynasty clothing to align with modern fashion
design.
Applying Qing Dynasty clothing patterns to modern fashion is seen as
an innovative attempt to respect and reinterpret traditional culture. The
value of this study lies in demonstrating the feasibility of presenting
the beauty of traditional culture in new ways through the analysis of
the survey results.
This research aims to provide a basis for the integration of Qing
Dynasty palace women’s clothing patterns with modern clothing
design, offer new ideas for the innovative development of Chinese
traditional culture, and provide useful information for the modern
clothing industry and related research.
However, despite the academic and practical outcomes of this study,
the surveys were primarily conducted in certain areas of Henan
Province and among female university students, which may limit the
generalizability of the findings. Therefore, future research should strive
to explore the subject from various perspectives to improve these areas
of study.