In the Republican era, many educated men wore long gowns.
Tips
culture
In 鲁迅's story 孔乙己, the hero is the only customer who drinks standing at the counter yet wears a long gown: too poor to sit inside with the gowned customers, too proud to take it off. In 2023 孔乙己的长衫 'Kong Yiji's long gown' became a catchphrase online for a degree that makes a graduate feel above ordinary work.
usage
In Cantonese the same word, said cheongsam, names the women's 旗袍 (qipao), and English took the word cheongsam from there.
