Mamianqun originated in the late Song and early Yuan dynasties, became popular during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and was still worn during the Republic of China. The characteristics of the Mamianqun changed as the dynasties progressed, from the two-piece skirt of the Mamianqun in the Song Dynasty to a new form in the Ming Dynasty, and then to other forms when the Hanbok system collapsed during the Manchu and Qing dynasties. In the 21st century, the Mamianqun has been popularized due to the rise of the Hanbok movement.
Basic Structure of Mamianqun
Mamianqun consists of two complete pieces of cloth with pleats, a characteristic feature of Mamianqun, lined up in the center of the cloth. At the same time, each piece of fabric is flat at both ends, and it is at this flat part that the two pieces are joined together to create the effect of a skirt.
It should be noted that only the flat part of the waist is joined together, while the skirt part is separate, and this structure allows the Mamianqun wearer to have maximum mobility. The fact that the two pieces of skirt fabric can be freely unfolded, while the waist remains fixed, makes riding a horse in it no problem at all, which is the main reason for the formation of this style of skirt in ancient times!
The Mamianqun's pleats are known as “Gongzi folds（工字折）". The pleated portion of the skirt is folded from the sides to the center, then back again, with each pleat unfolding outward from the center, and so on, until the two side pleats unfold in different directions. This gives the Mamianqun a unique trapezoidal fold when worn, with the sides of the pleats folding forward/backward to allow for more movement.
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Mamianqun material and evolution
The character of Mamianqun depends on its pattern and shape, and skirts of this construction tend to be suited to certain stiffer fabrics, which prevents its structure from billowing around.
Mamianqun originated in the late Song and early Yuan dynasties and became popular during the Ming dynasty.
Song Dynasty clothing was simple, dignified and subtle, emphasizing literati temperament and elegance. Song Dynasty Mamianqun was often made of natural fibers such as silk, Juan, cotton, etc. The fabrics were often embroidered with delicate floral patterns or decorated with simple textures, and the colors were mostly low-saturation pastel shades.
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Ming Dynasty Mamianqun is brightly colored, often in black, red and blue, and is usually made of thick silk or wool, with gold thread embroidery. A distinctive feature of the Ming Mamianqun was the Ao（袄） covering the Mamianqun. the Ao（袄） became longer and longer, gradually covering more of the skirt, with only the bottom of the skirt visible. As a result, the gold embroidery and decoration began to be concentrated near the bottom of the skirt, leaving the top of the skirt plain and without much decoration. And this design continues to this day.
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Mamianqun in the world
1. The pleats of pleats in Chinese skirts and its association to foot biding practice also appeared in European literature, such as in Intimate China: The Chinese as I Have Seen Them of 1899 by Mrs. Archibald Little
“Their skirts （referring to the skirts of Chinese ladies） are very prettily made, in succession of tiny pleats longitudinally down the skirt, and only loosely fastened together over the skirt. loosely fastened together over the hip, so as to feather round the feet when they move in the balancing way that Chinese poets liken to waving of the willow”.
- Mrs. Archibald Little, Intimate China: The Chinese as I Have Seen Them (1899)
2. Princess Diana
For Princess Diana's engagement ceremony in February 1981, she chose a Chinese Mamianqun outfit with a simple white blouse to keep everything simple and elegant.
Mamianqun Matching
For the spring and fall seasons, you can choose to pair your Mamianqun with a simple shirt. The shirt is simple in style and the color can be pure white to highlight the vibrant colors and intricate designs of Mamianqun.
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Mamianqun, which is the representative of long skirt, is obviously not suitable for the hot weather in summer. And the improved new Chinese style Mamianqun can just solve this problem.
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In winter, you can choose Ming Dynasty style Mamianqun with a big Ao（袄）, which is warm and has a unique style.
