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Heritage Cultural Retention

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Qipao

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Qipao is considered as an icon national costume in China, representing the identity and value of Chinese Culture. It is also known as cheongsam in Cantonese. The qipao style has evolved over time from the Qing dynasty to 1960s as mentioned earlier. Nowadays, qipao is widely perceived as old-fashioned and backwards-looking design by the vast majority of younger generations, leading it as well as the qipao making skills to be dying out and fell in demand in the digital age. 

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Qipao embeds culturally significant design and skills that are significant to the Chinese culture. It reflects the development of modern China. 

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This slideshow reveals the cultural value and beauty of qipao from qipao tailors' perspectives. It intends to raise people awareness in learning and retaining the culturally significant qipao-making skills so as to prevent them from vanishing in the future and to benefit our next generation.  

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References:

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References from Slide 3:

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[1]Mikkolainen, T. (2016) Legend of the Chinese phoenix. Gbtimes. [Online] [Accessed on 5th January 2020] https://gbtimes.com/legend-chinese-phoenix

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[2]Daily Headlines. (2016) Put on the cheongsam, but do you really know what those patterns represent? (Please accept the literary youth). [Online] [Accessed on 2nd January 2020] https://kknews.cc/culture/5mev9k.html

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[3] Intangible Cultural Heritage. (2019) The ICH+ selected item cheongsam sewing technique. [Online] [Accessed on 5th  December 2019] http://ichplus.org.hk/en/ich/project/cheongsam-sewing-technique

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List of Figures:

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Images from Slide 1: 

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Wix. (no date) Image of a woman wearing a red qipao dress. [Online Image] [Accessed on 13th April 2020] https://static.wixstatic.com/media/79a8a7_3f73c300908144469ebfed41d038dbd4~mv2.jpg

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Images from Slide 2:

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Wix. (no date) Image of a woman wearing a green qipao dress. [Online Image] [Accessed on 13th April 2020] https://static.wixstatic.com/media/79a8a7_bfb986464d2f48e7a0a5482a5a3679ce~mv2.jpg

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Images from Slide 2 video: 

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Pixabay. (no date) Image of various qipao dress. [Online Image] [Accessed on 10th April 2020] https://pixabay.com/zh/photos/dresses-window-asia-colorful-color-667597/

 

Wikimedia. (2018) Women wearing Qipao in Taipei 1940s. [Online Image] [Accessed on 10th April 2020] https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Women_wearing_Qipao_in_Taipei_1940s.jpg

 

Wikimedia. (2018) Lady in Qipao in Thaihoku 1940s. [Online Image] [Accessed on 10th April 2020] https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lady_in_Qipao_in_Taihoku_1940s.jpg

 

Wikimedia. (2010) Soong Ching-ling wear cheongsam. [Online Image] [Accessed on 10th April 2020]

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Soong_Ching-ling_wear_cheongsam.jpg                

 

Primary Images (the last two images appeared in the video in slide 2 are primary images): primary images taken in the British Museum, London, 16th November 2019.

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Images from Slide 3:

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Facebook. (2018) Image of a sleeveless qipao dress embroidered with red and gold patterns from Huamei Hantang Cheongsam official Facebook account. [Online Image] [Accessed on 20th April 2020] https://www.facebook.com/huameihantang/photos/a.624042640983982/2932225240165699/?type=3&theater

 

Facebook. (2017) Image of qipao masters from Huamei Hantang Cheongsam qipao making process sourced from Hantang Cheongsam Facebook official account. [Online Image] [Accessed on 22nd April 2020] https://www.facebook.com/huameihantang/photos/a.624042640983982/1454713477916890/?type=3&theater

 

Facebook. (2018) Image of a range of qipao dress made by Master Lin from Huamei Hantang Cheongsam sourced from Hantang Cheongsam  Facebook official account. [Online Image] [Accessed on 22nd April 2020] https://www.facebook.com/huameihantang/photos/a.1136500803071494/1836407069747527/?type=3&theater

 

Facebook. (2014) Image of master Lin from Huamei HanTang Cheongsam is hand-sewing a pankou to the stand collar of the qipao sourced from Hantang Cheongsam  Facebook official account. [Online Image] [Accessed on 22nd April 2020] https://www.facebook.com/huameihantang/photos/a.623459004375679/623459031042343/?type=3&theater

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Images from Slide 4: 

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Facebook. (2018) Image of master Lin from Huamei HanTang Cheongsam is teaching one of his apprentices qipao-making skills sourced from Hantang Cheongsam  Facebook official account. [Online Image] [Accessed on 24th April 2020] https://editor.wix.com/html/editor/web/renderer/edit/5c41201a-dea3-467f-b199-9923252ebf27?metaSiteId=82117ac3-85a7-40a5-a11a-84dd2e2c9339&editorSessionId=8df81b78-541f-459c-81f1-0d2604f8b913&referralInfo=dashboard

 

Mee Wah Qipao. (no date) Image of a range of qipao dresses made from Mee Wah Qipao sourced from Mee Wah Qipao official website. [Online Image] [Accessed on 24th April 2020] https://editor.wix.com/html/editor/web/renderer/edit/5c41201a-dea3-467f-b199-9923252ebf27?metaSiteId=82117ac3-85a7-40a5-a11a-84dd2e2c9339&editorSessionId=8df81b78-541f-459c-81f1-0d2604f8b913&referralInfo=dashboard

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Images from Slide 5: 

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Wix. (no date) Image of a woman wearing a red qipao dress. [Online Image] [Accessed on 13th April 2020] https://static.wixstatic.com/media/79a8a7_3f73c300908144469ebfed41d038dbd4~mv2.jpg

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