TheChinese tunic suit is a style of male attire originally known in China as theZhongshan suit (simplified Chinese:中山装;traditional Chinese:中山裝;pinyin:Zhōngshān zhuāng) after the republican leaderSun Yat-sen (Sun Zhongshan). Sun Yat-sen introduced the style shortly after the founding of theRepublic of China (1912–1949) as a form of national dress with distinct political overtones. The four pockets are said to represent the Four Virtues of propriety, justice, honesty, and humility; and the five buttons theFive Yuans of the Government of the Republic of China (Executive,Legislative,Judicial,Examination,Control).[1][2][3][4][5]
The suits came to be widely worn by male citizens and government leaders after theCommunist victory in theChinese Civil War, and theestablishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949. It served as a symbol of proletarian unity, and an Eastern counterpart to the Westernbusiness suit. The name "Mao suit" or "Mao tunic" comes fromChairman of the Chinese Communist PartyMao Zedong's fondness for the style. The garment became closely associated with him and Chinese Communism. Mao's cut of the suit was influenced by theStalin tunic, which was prevalent amongSoviet officials at the time.[6] Increasing use of the Western business suit by the general public in the 1980s and 1990s led to a decline in use of the Mao suit. However, it is still frequently worn by Chinese leaders during important state ceremonies and functions.[7][8] The Mao suit was also worn inNorth Korea byparty elites.
The style became fashionable among Western European, Australian, and New Zealander socialists and intellectuals in the 1960s and 1970s.[9]
When the Republic was founded in 1912, the style of dress worn in China was based onManchu dress (qipao andchangshan), which had been imposed by theQing dynasty as a form of social control. The majority-Han Chinese revolutionaries who overthrew the Qing were fueled by the failure of the Qing to defend China and a lack of scientific advancement compared to foreign colonial powers. Even before the founding of the Republic, older forms of Chinese dress were becoming unpopular among the elite and led to the development of Chinese dress which combined the changshan and the European hat to form a new dress. The Zhongshan suit is a parallel development that combined European-inspired Chinese fashion.[citation needed]
Chinese schools began adopting high-collared Western and European militarytunics, with three pockets and five buttons in the early 1900s, an early version of the Zhongshan suit. The early Zhongshan suit was also influenced by the Japanese adaptation of European military tunics, especially the PrussianWaffenrock.[10] Later designs bear stronger resemblance to theFrench tunic and the laterStalin tunic.
The Mao suit remained the standard formal dress for thefirst and second generations of PRC leaders such asDeng Xiaoping. During the 1990s, it began to be worn with decreasing frequency by leaders ofCCP General SecretaryJiang Zemin's generation as more and more Chinese politicians began wearing traditional European-style suits withneckties. Jiang wore it only on special occasions, such as state dinners. General SecretaryHu Jintao still wore the Mao suit on special occasions, such as the ceremony marking the60th anniversary of the People's Republic in 2009.[11] Hu Jintao appeared at ablack tie state dinner in the United States wearing a business suit, attracting some criticism for being underdressed at a formal occasion.[12][13] In thegeneral secretaryship of Xi Jinping the Mao suit made a comeback as adiplomatic uniform andevening dress.
The Mao suit is worn at the most formal ceremonies as a symbol of national sovereignty. China'sparamount leaders always wear Mao suits for military parades in Beijing, even though otherCCP Politburo Standing Committee members and otherCCP Politburo officials wear European business suits. It is customary for Chinese leaders to wear Mao suits when attendingstate dinners.[14][15][16] In this situation, the Mao suit serves as a form ofevening dress, equivalent to a military uniform for a monarch, or a tuxedo for a paramount leader.
The Mao suit also serves as adiplomatic uniform. Although Chinese ambassadors usually wear European business suits, many Chinese ambassadors choose to wear a Mao suit when they present theircredentials to the head of state.[17][18][19] The presentation ceremony is symbolic of thediplomatic recognition that exists between the two countries, so it carries a higher level of formality than other diplomatic meetings.
But Wednesday night, Chinese President Hu Jintao did not wear a tuxedo. Instead, he opted for a dark suit and a conservative blue tie. On a sartorial level, the Chinese President was shown up by his American counterpart and the first lady. President Obama wore an elegant dinner jacket, and his wife, Michelle, a flowing red dress by Alexander McQueen.
Hu Jintao should have chosen a beautifully cut Mao suit instead of a blue-spotted tie for his first White House state dinner.
Presidents Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon speak with Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping of China during the State Dinner on January 29, 1979.
The President and Mrs. Clinton are hosting His Excellency President Jiang Zemin and Madame Wang Yeping at a White House State Dinner on Wednesday, October 29, 1997. President Jiang and Madame Wang will arrive at the North Portico at 7:15 p.m..
President Xi Jinping wore a modified Mao suit to a state dinner hosted by the Dutch royal family in Amsterdam on Saturday, eliciting surprise from Chinese citizens who are used to their leaders' sartorial decisions being a model of suit-and-tie uniformity.
