“Look into my eyes, and you’ll find the beauty of my soul.”
I believe eyes are the window to the soul, therefore the eyes are enlarged and emphasized to cover up the face, as I wish everyone can focus on one’s emotion and intrinsic qualities when people are getting along with each other, instead of judging the others by someone’s appearances.
Other highlights of the painting:
Cheongsam, also known as “Qipao”, is a kind of Chinese body-hugging gown that was developed in the 1920s. It used to be the daily apparel for Hong Kong females, unfortunately it had been replaced gradually by the fast fashion industry during the 60s-70s.
To be honest, I was not born in the blooming period of cheongsam, but I still love the meaning of what it represent, especially when I saw old photos of my late grandmother dressed up with classy cheongsam, which inspired me to wear one in my wedding dinner 5 years ago.
It was seen as an epoch-making design back in the old days, as it combined traditional Chinese clothing with western aesthetics that highlight the curves and elegance of females, while traditional design of Chinese costumes tended to hide female’s figures by wrapping women’s bodies from head to toes in loose cutting. It was once banned when it was first invented, because it was a symbol of women’s liberty and showed the eagerness of Chinese ladies being open-minded back in the conservative era. It also represents the idea of cultural exchange and “East meet West” harmoniously.
Nowadays, the meaning of cheongsam has been revisited again and appears on the international stage.
