fustian12Newbielv0

I am new to the group. I very much enjoyed and appreciated this article and the gorgeous accompanying photos. I wished that I lived in proximity to this wonderful exhibition. My only question has to do with the fact that it focuses on the fashions of the ruling Manchu people during the Qing Dynasty whereas prior to that the focus was ostensibly on the fashions of the Han Chinese. I understood that the Han Chinese continued wearing variations of the hanfu and did not necessarily adopt Manchu dress in full. Furthermore, among the upper- class Han women, during this period, the practice of bound feet would have been widespread. Therefore, the notion of wearing "flower pot" shoes of the Manchus would have been impossible. Correct me if I'm wrong. If I am correct, I wish there would be more Chinese historical fashion exhibitions that would examine Han Chinese clothing under Manchu rule (or under Mongol rule during the Yuan Dynasty) as well as those of sizable ethnic groups. Except for imposing the Manchu hairstyle on Han Chinese men, the Qing apparently allowed China's various ethnic groups including the Han Chinese themselves to live, dress, etc. as they always had, or so I had read. Again, I'd welcome any additional information. I'm a 3rd generation American of Japanese ancestry who teaches Asian history and regards fashion as offering so many ways to examine a society at a particular time. 😊