Modest and Tasteful Zhongshan Suit

Zhongshan Suit is a men’s suit named after Sun Zhongshan (1866-1925),also known as Sun Yat-sen,China’s revolutionary pioneer.Zhongshan Suit can be said to be a revolution in the history of Chinese clothing.

Clothing is part of the ancient ritual system,and changes of dynasties were usually accompanied by changes of clothing.As the leader of the revolution against the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911),Sun Zhongshan naturally took note of this.Back in 1912,Sun had proposed his idea to create China’s own dress,which should be easy to wear,economical,good-looking and China-made.He believed that full dress was a matter of state that could not be treated lightly.Therefore,he was personally involved in creating the new garment.

There are different opinions as to the origin of Zhongshan Suit.Some say that it was modified from the Japanese cadet uniform; others say it was modified from a popular dress of the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia.However,as this new dress is designed and advocated by Sun Zhongshan himself,people named it Zhongshan Suit.

Modest and Tasteful Zhongshan Suit

The upper part includes a standup lapel,double breasted,five buttons in the front,three buttons in the cuff,four out pockets,a pocket flap shaped like a reversed penholder and no slit in the back.The lower part is a pair of Western-style trousers.This design is embodied with meaning as follows: the four outside pockets represent the four dimensions of a country (values of propriety,righteousness,integrity,and honor); the five buttons in the front represent the Separation of the Five Powers (executive power,legislative power,judicial power,examination and supervision); the three buttons in the cuff represent the Three Principles of the People (nationalism,democracy and people’s livelihood) on one side,and the idea of republicanism (freedom,equality,fraternity) on the other side; no slit in the back represents the righteous cause of the peaceful reunification of China; the closed collar represents the rigorous concept of state administration.

Since its birth,Zhongshan Suit has been endowed with a political significance.To commemorate Sun Zhongshan,the KMT Central Committee designated it as the dress for KMT party and government officials,and all the civil officials should wear it when swearing an oath.Later,Zhongshan Suit was set as the uniform of the national government.Wearing Zhongshan Suit was mandatory at the start,and gradually became part of people’s consciousness,and some advocates of freedom and progress were proud of wearing.The authorities,schoolteachers and students,and even store clerks wore it.Zhongshan Suit gradually became a symbol of revolution and progress,such that it was suggested that those wearing it should not have access to public places of entertainment.This suggestion was not adopted,but you can see the sacred status of Zhongshan Suit in people’s minds.

Zhongshan Suit was initially the sign of the KMT members,but then became the sign of the Communists.Whether in Yan’an or in Chongqing during the period of Kuomintang-Communist cooperation,the Communists always wore it,too.During the KMT party purge expansion (1927-1928) and the Japanese imperialist invasion of China (1931-1945),those who wore Zhongshan Suit were usually arrested as Communists.After the founding of the PRC in 1949,it was still a dress for the Communist Party leaders to attend major occasions.Mao Zedong,Zhou Enlai,Deng Xiaoping,and so on,usually wore it; Hu Jintao was also wearing Zhongshan Suit at the parade for China’s 60th anniversary.

Since Zhongshan Suit was a symbol of revolution and progress,it naturally became fashionable apparel in that fiery revolutionary era.Whether in the Republican period (1912-1949) or between the fifties and the seventies after the founding of the PRC,it was fashionable to wear it.Even now,Zhongshan Suit can still be found in some important occasions.