---
node: garment_qipao
type: garment
slug: qipao
title: "Qipao"
lead: "The qipao, or cheongsam, is the close-fitting Chinese dress with a stand collar, side slits, and knotted buttons that emerged in 1920s Shanghai. It reshaped the loose Manchu banner gown into a modern, tailored garment."
published: 2026-08-09
updated: 2026-08-09
image_file: qipao.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cheongsam_(Qipao)_-_16814446292.jpg"
image_author: "Gary Todd"
image_license: "CC0"
---

## Overview

A qipao is a one-piece dress with a high mandarin collar, an asymmetric front closing to the right, and slits up the sides. Where earlier robes hung straight and loose, the modern qipao is cut to the figure, and its length and fit have followed changing fashion.

## How it is worn

It closes to the right with cloth knotted buttons (pankou) and is worn on its own; the side slits ease walking and show a line of leg, while the collar frames the neck. Fabric and decoration set the tone, from everyday cotton to embroidered silk brocade.

## History

The qipao grew out of the Manchu banner gown (qipao means banner gown) as women in 1920s Shanghai adopted a slimmer, Western-influenced cut. It became the emblematic dress of modern Chinese women and, though no longer everyday wear, remains a favourite for weddings and formal occasions.