In the Chinese way of describing the necessities of life, clothing ranks at the top of "garments, food, shelter and means of travel." In this country with a long history of garments and ornaments, and made up of 56 ethnic groups that continually influenced each other, Chinese garments are famous for its bright colors, refined artisanship, and ornate details. The distinction exists among dynasties and even in different periods within the same dynasty. Diversity in style can also be seen among different ethnic groups, living environments, local customs, lifestyles and aesthetic tastes.
    In Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.) dress colors were specified into spring green, summer red, autumn yellow and winter black to be in harmony with the seasons and the solar calendar. The Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties (220-589) was a period of ethnic amalgamation, and the way the ethnic minority people dressed influenced the Han style. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the strong national power and an open social order led to a flourishing of garment and ornament style that is both luxuriant and refreshing. When it came to Yuan Dynasty (1206 1368) established by the Mongols, the dress became a mixture of the inherited Han system with the Mongol elements. Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) was a period when there appeared a fusion of the Manchu dress style and traditional Han dress style. After 1840, China entered the contemporary era. Chinese garments underwent a change towards western style and foreign fashion trends.
    Chinese folk garments, deeply rooted in daily life, are an indispensable part as regards Chinese clothing. Many of the folk dresses are still popular today, for example the red velvet flower hair piece, the embroidered keepsakes between lovers, not to mention the handmade tiger hats, tiger shoes, and the child buttock shields.
    Looking in retrospect at Chinese garments of the 20~ century, we see an array of styles of qipao, Cheongsam, the Sun Yat-sen's uniform, western suits, silk stockings, high heels, jacket, bell-bottoms, miniskirts, bikinis, professional attire, punk style and T-shirt, all witnessing the days gone by... The qipao dress is now still regarded as the typical Chinese dress style and has now evolved into a major fashion element in the international fashion industry.
    The progress of modernization and globalization is influencing China and Chinese clothing. Chinese garments have stepped onto the world stage and kept pace with world fashion. However on the other hand, we can also see a gratifying revival of Chinese traditional clothing taking place in China. The more we become open and international, the more we are aware of the importance to have things of our own nation. Chinese clothing is the great achievement of China, and also great contribution to the world culture.