2 . Chinese designers are setting themselves apart from the global competition today by turning to China’s rich history for inspiration to create their contemporary clothes.
Long before the invention of the qipao, there was a similar-looking type of clothing that most Chinese wore starting from as early as the 26th century BC. Known as hanfu, these traditional clothes featured loose lapels and long flowing sleeves. While the details changed through the centuries, the style of the hanfu has endured even till today, with a growing number of Chinese designers turning to it for inspiration and infusing (注入) elements of it into their contemporary designs.
“The old style is monotonous and makes people think of patterns featuring dragons and phoenixes. To make it appealing, we need to get rid of the original frame and be innovative,” said Cai Wenqiao, an integrated design undergraduate student.
For her final-year project, Cai designed eight pieces of clothing inspired by the Chinese prose called Peach Blossom Spring by Tao Yuanming. Cai used pink as the main color for all the pieces as it represents the peach blossom. She has also included classic hanfu elements such as embroidery (刺绣) featuring flowers and butterflies. Silk, a common material used to make hanfu, was also the choice material for the project.
“The combination of nostalgia (怀旧) and modern influences should set trends for some time to come. The fashion’s future is far from clear, but what is clear is that Chinese designers’ influence and Chinese heritage infusion are here to stay,” wrote Mike Bastin, senior lecturer at Southampton University.
1. What can we learn about hanfu from paragraph 2?
| A．It develops from the similar-looking qipao. |
| B．It interests a large number of designers. |
| C．lt is characterized by simplicity and comfort. |
| D．It dates back hundreds of centuries. |
2. What does the underlined word “monotonous” in paragraph 3 mean?
| A．Inspiring | B．Convenient | C．Boring | D．Expensive |
3. What is Mike’s attitude toward the future of integrating Chinese elements into clothes?
| A．Doubtful | B．Positive | C．Cautious | D．Unclear |
4. What can be a suitable title for the text?
| A．An Eight-year Project of a Chinese Designer |
| B．A Combination of Ancient and Modern Fashion |
| C．Differences Between Eastern and Western Cultures |
| D．Chinese Culture Fueling International Fashion Trends |
