Thecheongsam,orQipaoinChinese,isevolvedfromakindofancientclothingofManchuethnicminority.Inancienttimes,itgenerallyreferredtolonggownswornbythepeopleofManchuria,MongoliaandtheEight-Banner.
AnotherfeatureofManchucheongsamwasthatpeoplegenerallyworeitplusawaistcoatthatwaseitherwithbuttonsdownthefront,atwistedfront,orafrontintheshapeoflute,etc.
WhentheearlyManchurulerscametoChinaproper,theymovedtheircapitaltoBeijingandcheongsambegantospreadintheCentralPlains.TheQingDynastyunifiedChina,andunifiedthenationwidecostumeaswell.Atthattime,menworealonggownandamandarinjacketoverthegown,whilewomenworecheongsam.Althoughthe1911RevolutiontoppledtheruleoftheQing(Manchu)Dynasty,thefemaledresssurvivedthepoliticalchangeand,withsucceedingimprovements,hasbecomethetraditionaldressforChinesewomen.
Fromthe1930s,cheongsamalmostbecametheuniformforwomen.Folkwomen,students,workersandhighest-tonewomenalldressedthemselvesincheongsam,whichevenbecameaformalsuitforoccasionsofsocialintercoursesordiplomaticactivities.Later,cheongsamevenspreadtoforeigncountriesandbecamethefavoriteofforeignfemales.
Thecheongsamcaneitherbelongorshort,unlinedorinterlined,woolenormadeofsilkfloss.Besides,withdifferentmaterials,thecheongsampresentsdifferentstyles.Cheongsamsmadeofsilkwithpatternsofflowerlet,plainlatticesorthinlinesdemonstratecharmoffemininityandstaidness;thosemadeofbrocadeareeye-catchingandmagnificentandsuitableforoccasionsofgreetingguestsandattendingbanquets.
WhenChinesecheongsamswereexhibitedforsalesincountrieslikeJapanandFrance,theyreceivedwarmwelcomefromlocalwomen,whodidnothesitatetobuyChinesecheongsamsespeciallythosetop-notchonesmadeofblackvelourinterlinedwithorcarvedwithgoldenflowers.CheongsamfeaturesstrongnationalflavorandembodiesbeautyofChinesetraditionalcostume.ItnotonlyrepresentsChinesefemalecostumebutalsobecomesasymboloftheorientaltraditionalcostume.