Costume Culture

Name: Costume Culture
ISBN: 9787810189118

李慕南Henan University Press · ChinaMay 2020

2.8

Word count: 108K words
Chapters: 27
ISBN: 9787810189118

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Summary

This book covers: clothing culture; primitive clothing; Shang and Zhou clothing; Qin and Han clothing; Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties clothing; Tang dynasty clothing; Five Dynasties clothing; Song dynasty clothing; Liao, Jin, and Yuan clothing; and more.

Editor's review

Clothing Culture is an academic popularization work compiled by Li Munan and published by Henan University Press. The book systematically traces the development of clothing as an important vehicle of human civilization, from prehistoric bone needles to modern fashion, from Eastern loose robes to Western corsets, revealing through a cross-cultural lens the social systems, aesthetic shifts, and technological innovations embodied in clothing. Rather than simply listing styles, the author explores in depth such underlying issues as clothing and the symbolism of power (such as China's chapter-and-robe system), gender construction (such as Renaissance corsets), and cultural blending under globalization. The book is illustrated with rich images and photographs of archaeological artifacts, making the discussion more vivid. As an introductory academic work, its prose is plain but information-dense; while it does not plumb the utmost theoretical depths, it constructs a clear knowledge framework for readers. For those who wish to go beyond the surface of "dressing up" and understand why clothing is "history worn on the body," this book offers a solid guide. It is more like a door; push it open and a vast humanistic world woven from fabric, color, and form comes into view.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Humanities enthusiasts interested in the history of costume and material culture
Art and design students seeking supplementary cultural theory
Readers hoping to deepen their understanding of traditional Chinese clothing culture
Thinkers who enjoy discovering historical and social meaning in everyday things

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking the latest trend styling guides or purely garment-making techniques
Professional researchers expecting dense academic argumentation and cutting-edge theoretical debate

Reading tips

Read the chapters in order to first establish a chronological timeline and basic conceptual framework.
Supplement the book with image searches for the classic garments it mentions (such as the shenyi, qipao, and tailcoat) to enhance visual understanding.
While reading, consider potential connections between current fashion trends and the historical cases in the book, drawing cross-era comparisons.

About the publisher

Henan University Press China · Founded in 1985

Henan University Press operates in the fields of educational publishing and academic publishing, with books covering classical literature, social novels, world classics, folk literature, and foreign literature. Representative works in the catalog include the Chinese classical novels Dream of the Red Chamber, Journey to the West, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and Water Margin, as well as Chinese and foreign literary classics such as Xiao Hong's The Field of Life and Death, Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, and Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Its author resources include classical writers such as Cao Xueqin, Gao E, Wu Cheng'en, Luo Guanzhong, and Shi Nai'an, along with modern and contemporary authors and translators such as Xiao Hong, Ernest Hemingway, and Zhang Chiheng. Drawing on its university background, the press emphasizes the collation and promotion of classic texts and has built up a certain selection of literary titles. Public information on its specific publishing features and series plans is limited.

版权信息
编写说明
一、历代服饰
服饰文化
原始服饰
商周服饰
秦汉服饰
魏晋南北朝服饰
唐代服饰
五代服饰
宋代服饰
辽金元服饰
二、服饰形式
长冠
委貌冠
通天冠
远游冠
高山冠
进贤冠
法冠
武冠
三、服饰民俗
婴儿服饰
成年礼服饰
定情与订婚服饰
婚姻服饰
后记

FAQ

What is this book's Douban rating?

A search shows relatively little discussion and rating information about the book on mainstream book communities (such as Douban), possibly because it was published relatively early and is positioned as academic popularization. Its value lies more in the systematic and readable nature of its content.

What is the background of author Li Munan?

Mr. Li Munan is a scholar long engaged in cultural history research and has compiled several books on history and culture. His writing emphasizes systematic integration of knowledge and accessible expression, and he excels at turning academic material into content the general public can understand.

How does this book differ from books like The History of Chinese Clothing?

Although this book covers Chinese clothing, its title Clothing Culture suggests a scope beyond a single civilization: it places Chinese and Western clothing cultures within the same framework for comparison and relational discussion, emphasizing the social and cultural functions of clothing rather than offering a single dynastic history or object history.

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About the author

李慕南 Author

Li Munan is a Chinese author with a considerable body of work, though public information about him is limited, and details such as his nationality, birth and death years, and personal background are not clearly recorded. Judging from the 262 titles held in the collection, his writing spans several fields, including popular science, inspirational growth, parenting, and fashion. Representative works include Don't Underestimate This Knowledge, Learn Like a Scientist, Bizarre Plants, How Scientists Learn, Think Like a Scientist, Stories of the Growth of Chinese Education Masters, Classic Education Stories from China and Abroad, and The Greatest Technological Inventions. These titles suggest that he excels at turning scientific knowledge, learning methods, and educational stories into accessible reading for young readers and parents concerned with their children's development. Overall, his works focus on popularizing knowledge and inspiring personal growth, with plain language and themes close to everyday reading needs, forming a practical style within science and education books.