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Cheongsam
The cheongsam is a bodyhugging modified in Shanghai onepiece Chinese dress for women. It is known in Chinese WadeGiles ch’ip’ao and is also known in English as a mandarin gown. The modern cheongsam is a modernized version of the qipao of the Manchurians who ruled China in the 1719th century Qing Dynasty.
The English loanword cheongsam comes from the Cantonese pronunciation of the Shanghainese term zanze or zansae by which the original tightfitting form was first known. The Shanghainese name was somewhat at odds with usage in Mandarin and other Chinese dialects where chngshan the Mandarin pronunciation of refers to an exclusively male dress see changshan and the female version is known as a qipao.
In Hong Kong where many Shanghai tailors fled to after the Communist takeover of the Mainland the word cheouhngs am may refer to either male or female garments. The word keipo qipao is either a more formal term for the female cheuohngssam or is used for the twopiece cheongsam variant that is popular in China. Western countries mostly follow the original Shanghainese usage and apply the name cheongsam to a garment worn by women.
embroidered”>http://www.himfr.com/buyembroidered_tunics/”>embroidered tunicsWhen the Manchu ruled China during the Qing Dynasty certain social strata emerged.The qipao fitted loosely and hung straight down the body. Under the dynastic laws after 1644 all Han Chinese were forced to wear a queue and dress in Manchurian qipao instead of traditional Han Chinese clothing under penalty of death. In the following 300 years the qipao became the adopted clothing of the Chinese and was eventually tailored to suit the preferences of the population. Such was its popularity that the garment form survived the political turmoil of the 1911 Xinhai Revolution that toppled the Qing Dynasty.
The original qipao was wide and loose. It covered most of the woman’s body revealing only the head hands and the tips of the toes. The baggy nature of the clothing also served to conceal the figure of the wearer regardless of age. With time though the qipao were tailored to become more form fitting and revealing. The modern version which is now recognized popularly in China as the “standard” qipao was first developed in Shanghai around 1900 toward the end of the Qing Dynasty. People eagerly sought a more modernized style of dress and transformed the old qipao to suit their tastes. Slender and formfitting with a high cut it contrasted sharply with the traditional qipao. In Shanghai it was first known as zansae or “long dress” and it is this name that survives in English as the “cheongsam”.
The modernized version is noted for accentuating the figures of women and as such was popular as a dress for high society. As Western fashions changed the basic cheongsam design changed too introducing highnecked sleeveless dresses belllike sleeves and the black lace frothing at the hem of a ball gown. By the 1940s cheongsam came in a wide variety of fabrics with an equal variety of accessories.
The 1949 Communist Revolution ended the cheongsam and other fashions in Shanghai but the Shanghainese emigrants and refugees brought the fashion to Hong Kong where it has remained popular. Recently there has been a revival of the Shanghainese cheongsam in Shanghai and elsewhere in Mainland China; the Shanghainese style functions now mostly as a stylish party dress.
In the 1950s women in the workforce in Hong Kong started to wear more functional cheongsam made of wool twill and other materials. Most were tailor fitted and often came with a matching jacket. The dresses were a fusion of Chinese tradition with modern styles. Cheongsam were commonly replaced by more comfortable clothing such as sweaters jeans business suits and skirts. Due to its restrictive nature it is now mainly worn as formal wear for important occasions. They are sometimes worn by politicians and film artists in Taiwan and Hong Kong. They are shown in some Chinese movies such as in the 1960s film The World of Suzie Wong where actress Nancy Kwan made the cheongsam briefly fashionable in western culture. They are also commonly seen in beauty contests along with swim suits. They are only common in daily living for some people as a uniform.
Women in video games are often in cheongsam so cosplay showgirls may wear a cheongsam in show times. These cheongsam usually made of rubber or silk reflective in color to catch camera focus with short sleeves and the bottom of the cheongsam to midthigh. They are commonly worn with short socks and white shoes.
Some airlines in Mainland China and Taiwan have cheongsam uniforms for their women flight attendants and ground workers such as China Airlines China Eastern Airlines Hainan Airlines and Xiamen Airlines. They are in a plain color hemmed to just above the knee with a close fitting wool suit jacket of the same color as the cheongsam. The workers wear stockings and low heeled shoes. Their working places are often airconditioned so they remain cool.
A few primary schools and some secondary schools in Hong Kong especially older schools established by Christian missionaries use a plain rimmed sky blue cotton and/or dark blue velvet for winter cheongsam with the metal school badge right under the standup collar to be closed with a metal hook and eye as the official uniform for their female students. The schools which use this standard include True Light Girls’ College St. Paul’s Coeducational College Heep Yunn School St. Stephen’s Girls’ College Ying Wa Girls’ School etc. These cheongsam are usually straight with no waist shaping and the cheongsam hem must reach midthigh. The cheongsam fit closely to the neck and the stiff collar is hooked closed despite the tropical humid and hot weather. Although the skirts have short slits they are too narrow to allow students to walk in long strides. The seams above the slits often split when walking and are repeatedly sewed. Many schools also require underskirts to be worn with the cheongsam. The underskirt is a white cotton full slip hemmed slightly shorter than the cheongsam and are slit at the sides like the cheongsam although the slits are deeper. A white cotton undershirt is often worn underneath the cheongsam. The cheongsam’s length styling color and sleeve length varies between schools. Many students feel it an ordeal yet it is a visible manifestation of the strict discipline that is the hallmark of prestigious secondary schools in Hong Kong and many students and their parents like that. In summer wearing this for a school day would be sweaty and unhygienic. Some rebellious students express their dissatisfaction with this tradition by wearing their uniform with the standup collar intentionally left unhooked or hemmed above their knees. The Ying Wa and True Light Schools have set questionnaires to their students about uniform reforms but not passed.1 But Madam Lau Kam Lung Secondary School of Miu Fat Buddhist Monastery ended their cheongsam uniform in 1990 after student unions suggested.2
Many waitresses in Chinese restaurants over the world wear suits and skirts but some especially the receptionists wear cheongsam uniforms. These cheongsam referred to as qipao in China are long often footlength or floorlength. They have slits high to the waist or hip and are usually sleeveless or have only cap sleeves. They are often made of brightlycolored silk or satin with rich Chinese embroidery. Some nightclub waitresses ritual girls in ceremonies and competitors in Chinese beauty competitions wear similar cheongsam uniforms. They may wear pantyhose but not an underskirt so walking shows their legs. These uniforms are considered too sexy for ordinary wear so they are worn and kept at work. The waitresses change into casual clothes before going home.
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Centres Of Influence
A Centre of Influence is a fancy way of identifying people that have a hugely positive impact on your business. They often refer people and business to you and are actively glowing about what you provide and how you provide it. Every business needs a couple of these gems and once you have them you should bend over backwards to make sure they continue to think positively about you.
But how do you find and connect with these people? Here’s an Action Plan that will help make things move faster.
1. Let them know they are special
Tell them they are a top client and let them know about any special treatment or offers that entitles them to.
2. Keep them updated about your business
If you want them to continue to refer ideal business to you then you need to let them know what a perfect client or opportunity looks like. If you take on a new direction or change your products and services why not take them out for coffee and update them on whats happening.
3. Surprise them regularly
Always give them a reason to love your business. Find ways to add value to their business at no or low cost. Send relevant articles or information. Identify web sites of interest. Send them some free product for no reason.
4. Expand their networks
Arrange for them to meet others in your network or invite them to a workshop seminar or function where they can make valuable new contacts themselves.
5. Design a Stay in Touch system
Once you’ve established the foundations with a Center of Influence you need to keep your ideas and value in front of them. How will you do that? An eZine personal mailings telephone calls or inperson gettogethers?
6. Reward them for referrals
When a Center of Influence sends you a lead to a new potential client make sure you show your appreciation. A phone call a hand written note and even an appropriate gift lets them know you that you don’t take their assistance for granted. Also keep them in the loop with your progress with this lead.
If you dont think you have any Centres of Influence why not identify a couple from your existing clients. Use these 6 steps to build on your relationship and cultivate them as future Influencers.
I have worked with clients who have developed relationships with just two or three good Centers of Influence who have brought them hundreds of thousands in new business. With a focused intentional plan you could be doing the same.
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Megan Tough is director of complete potential a leadership and HR consultancy based in Sydney Australia.
At complete potential we understand people what engages them what encourages them to perform and what drives them away. With over 20 years experience working on HR issues in business our job is to help you make the most of your investment in people. To learn more visit www.completepotential.com
Centering Yourself And Staying Grounded: Finding Your Inner Mettle For Sustained Passion!
He that does good to another does also good to himself; not only in the consequences but in the act of doing it; for the consciousness of welldoing is an ample reward. Seneca
As a leader of an organization it is essential to be a beacon from which others can seek guidance and direction. The leaders ability to be that beacon radiates out to others depending on how grounded and centered that individual is on the things that matter.
The annals of history consistently reveal that all leaders operate more often than not from three key answers. It is the sum whole of all three answers that affords a leader their direction and allows them to stay grounded. This is what gives them a sense of centeredness which others gravitate towards! They stay within three key areas which provide them with the three answers. And when they have to step outside of these three key areas they seek an individual who can answer the three key areas and they remove themselves from second guessing that person. This act along with selfcontrol is what makes them a LEADER and is why people follow them.
I am reminded of these three key elements to leadership mettle which determine ones centeredness by observing my friend and CEO of the Narrative Television Network Mr. Jim Stovall. He frames the three elements this way: The Three Key Leader Answers are sources of how stable and solid ones metal will be are driven by asking these three questions:
1.What do I know? The answer will be driven based upon ones knowledge technical and nontechnical education formal and informal personal experience family friends community social health spiritual inspirational professional experience jobs employers colleagues customers projects assignments travel etc. observations intuitiveness etc.
2.How do I know this? What truths do I know to be so and exactly what is it that tells me this? What did I personally do or witness that tells me this conclusively?
3.When did it dawn on me? At what time in my life did I come to this realizations? What are my stories or vignettes or where was I when this became clear to me?
A leaders inner mettle is derived from these three answers and becomes an eternal source of passion within them. Their passion becomes a neverending source of motivation and from this presence others look to for even greater leadership.
The three answers also serve to keep an individual grounded by revealing what subjects issues and priorities a leader should focus on or not focus on. By answering these three types of questions one evolves into grounded leadership positions. In essence they define their IDENTITY their who am I really?. They identify their PURPOSE their what / why factor that they hold important which evolves around their Identity.
Conversely one becomes OFFCENTERED when one looses focus and strays out of that which they know and can answer and are left to having to fake it.
When you find yourself mentally wandering aimlessly and lack the youthful spring of energy chances are extremely good that you have diverted yourself away from one of these three key answer areas and are attempting to be all things to all people. Worse yet you find yourself correcting and micromanaging others who ARE capable of answering the three key leadership questions in a specific area that you in fact cant!
Centering yourself and staying grounded starts by finding your inner mettle and holding onto it for sustained passion!
When we see men of worth we should think of becoming like them; when we see men of a contrary character we should turn inward and examine ourselves. Confucius
About the writer: Jeff Magee Ph.D. PDM CSP CMC is the publisher of Performance Magazine and is also the podcast host/anchor of Performance Magazine Live which offers FREE Podcasts by prominent business leaders! A wellknown author and speaker Dr. Magee can be reached at jeffJeffreyMagee.com toll free 187790MAGEE or www.JeffreyMagee.com for more information on keynotes training seminars and skill development resources.
