Time The Chinese Drop The Pretence : Qipao And Tangzhuang Are Not Traditional Chinese Attire!

It is time the Chinese drop the pretence that qipao and tangzhuang are their traditional Chinese attire. In fact, the qipao for the female and the tangzhuang for the male are Manchurian in origin.

When the Manchus ruled China during the Qing dynasty (1644 to 1912), they forced the Chinese to adopt the Manchurian attire.

The traditional Chinese attire is the 'hanfu' 汉服 - literally, the attire of the Han people, which has a history of some 2 thousand years or longer.

But the Chinese have continued with the pretence that qipao and tangzhuang as their traditional attire apparently for the reason of trying to be politically correct.

China has some 56 ethnic groups, each with it own traditional attire. But this is funny really.

The Manchus remaining in China today are a very small minority, many of whom view themselves as Han Chinese who are China's overwhelming majority. So how would adopting the Manchurian minority's traditional attire as the Chinese traditional attire not be politically incorrect in itself?

In fact, wouldn't be it be more honest and politically correct to say that hanfu is the Chinese (Han people's) traditional dress and not the qipao and tangzhuang?

It is sad that such a fine and graceful traditional Chinese attire as the hanfu is being deliberately sidelined for a minority attire and palmed off as the traditional Chinese one.

Yes, the qipao looks beautiful and stunning in a sexy way. Can't say that for the tangzhuang though. But the fact remains that these are basically Manchurian dress and not Chinese.

The Japanese are openly proud of their kimono and the Koreans of the hanbok, both of which had their inspiration from the hanfu!

Here in Bolehland itself, the Malays are proud of their own traditional attire, the baju kurung for the female and the baju for the male.

Why can't the Chinese themselves feel pride in their own traditional attire - the hanfu?

Instead of adopting a largely Manchurian attire and claim that as their own traditional dress?