What's the difference between Cheongsam and Changshan?

When it comes to traditional Chinese clothing, you might find that Cheongsam and Changshan look very similar. The only difference might be that the Cheongsam is more form-fitting, while the Changshan is more loose.

That's because they were actually one same thing, which appeared in Qing dynasty, with straight and loose shape. At that time, it was called "长衫/長衫" in Chinese, meaning "long robe". According to English conventions, if it is named using Chinese pinyin, it should be "Changshan".

However, in the early 20th century, women's Changshan got modernized to be more form-fitting, accentuating the female figure, while men's stayed its straight shape, symbolizing dignity and tradition. Then Changshan became differentiated by gender. The term "Cheongsam" specifically refers to women's form-fitting style, then "Changshan" gradually became the name for men's style.

But where does the term "Cheongsam" come from? And why did it beome the name of women's Changshan? The reason lies in combination of the words' linguistic evolution and the clothing's developments mentioned above.

The female version of Changshan originated in Shanghai, then spread to Hong Kong, a Cantonese-speaking city, with people's migration. Originally, Cantonese word "Cheongsam" was used frequently to refer to both male and female Changshan. However, due to the immense popularity of women's Changshan, English speakers strongly associated the term "Cheongsam" with these beautiful women's long robes. Over time, this association solidified, and "Cheongsam"gradually came to refer exclusively to women's Changshan, becoming synonymous with this elegant, form-fitting dress for women, while men's Changshan were referred to using the general term "Changshan", maintaining traditional and formal characteristics.

Despite the difference between the two garments, both of them become the important representations of traditional Chinese attires. Up to now, Chinese men and women still wear Changshan and Cheongsam respectively when they participate in traditional cultural events. Furthermore, many women wear Cheongsam in their daily lives to express their fashion pursuit.