FBS

The Development of Academic Regalia in China 2011

1

Design, Practice, History – Pieces on Chinese Academicals Charles KO, Ka Shing, 2011

F B S ( F e l l o w s h i p o f B u r g o n S o c i e t y )

The Development of Academic Regalia in China

BY

Charles Ko, Ka Shing

Dip.SCSM (Musicology) LVCMEd (Hons) [2011] MSTSD,

BEd (Hons) & BEng Lang (Hons) Candidature

Open University of Hong Kong

RESEARCH

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements

for the FBS (the Fellowship of the Burgon Society)

in The Society,

December, 2011

Hong Kong, China


2


Design, Practice, History

The Development of Academic Regalia in China

Dip.SCSM (Musicology) LVCMEd (Hons) MSTSD,

BEd (Hons) & BEng Lang (Hons) Candidature

Open University of Hong Kong

Work submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for

the Fellowship of the Burgon Society,

December, 2011.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am grateful to the Dean of Studies Professor Bruce Christianson for his kind assistance

and encouragement in the process of research. Nevertheless, it is thanks to Franklyn

Memorial Scholarships that I can finish the research without financial difficulties.

Abstract

This submission includes a series of pieces on the themes of Chinese academic dress. The

topics of design, history and practice will be included. The dissertation will cover the motives

leading to the development of academic regalia of modern Chinese tertiary institutions; the

history and development of academic regalia in China; moreover, how the design of academic

regalia has been changed, including an examination of reasons of the change from the

academic dress of ancient China to the modern Chinese academic dress.

This research aims to increase the world‘s awareness of a great variety of academic regalia

issues in China, which is one of the countries around the world emphasizing in educational

and academic development. Moreover, China is a valuable research target as it has had

periods of economic reform, establishment of westernized and modernized degree system and

change of its political attitudes. All these policies had led to the development of westernized

modern academic dress in China. Furthermore, the research results can be used as an indicator

or references for the developing-countries or regions which have a similar historical

background of China to organize the management of their Modern Academic Dress.


3


Contents

Abstract………………………………………..…………………………………………....… 2

Figures………………………………………………………………………………………… 4

Methodology………………………………………………..……………………………...…. 5

Introduction to Chinese academic dress…………………………………..………………….. 5

A series of pieces on Chinese Academic Dress 9

History of the ancient and modern Chinese academic dress………………………….… 9

The Incentives leading to the Birth of Modern Academic Dress in China……………. 21

Description of Modern Chinese academic dress……………………….……………… 28

Mortarboard……………………………………………………………………… 30

Gown…………………………………………………………………………….. 31

Hood……………………………………………………………………………... 35

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….…………….. 39

Bibliography.…………………………………………………………………………….…... 41

Further readings 41

Useful Links……………………………………………………………………….…………………… 41

Sources…………………………………………………………………………………...…………….. 42

APPENDIX………………………………………………………………………………….. 43

../Desktop/FBS55(without%20picturephotos).doc#_Toc295698752








4


Figures

F i g u r e P a g e

Figure 1 The Chinese university students trying the newly designed

Hanfu-style Chinese academicals ........................................................... 6

Figure 2 A fashion show of the new series of Chinese academicals of the

Peking University .................................................................................... 7

Figure 3 The series of Hanfu-style modern Chinese academicals .............. 7

Figure 4 Pictures of the putout in black ...................................................... 9

Figure 5 Qing Dynasty Officers’ Academical Dress ................................... 10

Figure 6 Qing Dynasty Officer robe with the gown in purple ................... 11

Figure 7 A red cap of the Qing dynasty officer’s robe .............................. 12

Figure 8 Picture depicting the pair of long curved wings of putou .......... 13

Figure 9 A literatus wearing a fangjin ....................................................... 14

Figure 10 Si-fang pingding jin (or 四角方巾) .......................................... 14

Figure 11 Emperor Tang Xuanzong and officials in official/academic dress

.............................................................................................................. 15

Figure 12 The Ming Dynasty, from 1368 to 1644, panling lanshan

photo..…………………………………………………………………………………………..16

Figure 13 The Modern Chinese doctoral academical photo ..................... 17

Figure 14 An American Doctor of Philosophy’s gown .............................. 18

Figure 15 Robert Morrison (1782-1834), the first Protestant missionary to

China, was a British Presbyterian appointed by the London Missionary

Society .................................................................................................. 21

Figure 16 The fashionable academical dresses display . ........................... 24

Figure 17 A description of the bachelor, master and doctoral gown in

China after 1994 ................................................................................... 28

Figure 18 20th century lace-up mortarboards typically used in China and

other Asian universities........................................................................ 29

Figure 19 Common prints of dragon designed on the imperial Chinese

robes. ................................................................................................... 30

Figure 20 Prints of dragon on the imperial Chinese robes ....................... 31

Figure 21 Other Chinese-style patterning prints on the imperial Chinese

robes .................................................................................................... 31

Figure 22 Description of the good luck buttons applied in the Chinese

robes ..................................................................................................... 32

Figure 23 The good luck buttons applied in the modern Chinese gowns

(bachelors’). ......................................................................................... 33

Figure 24 A sample of the Chinese hood showing the patterning of peony


5


flowers .................................................................................................. 35

Figure 25 An indicated diagram showing the colours of hoods of different

academic units under the Chinese academic dress regulations………..36

Figure 26 The 6 colours of hoods in different academic units in China….37

Figure 27 Academical design that shows some of the Chinese cultures e.g.

by red theme colour on the westernized black modern academic dress

.............................................................................................................. 38

Figure 28 Academical design that chiefly shows the Chinese character .. 39

Methodology

A mixed research design is used in this dissertation, involving two main research methods:

1. Secondary research – to summarize and make a synthesis of existing researches and/or

data; and

2. Qualitative research – to make an understanding of academic regalia attitudes of local

Chinese; on the other hand, the reasons behind the attitudes, for example, how the

globalization and central governmental academical dress policies and planning govern

those attitudes.

Introduction to Chinese academic dress

There has been a long history in the development of Chinese academic dress.

In Imperial China, there were the imperial civil service examinations which allowed any

citizen, regardless of background to qualify for imperial service. The successful literati and

scholars took up the different positions of Chinese imperial servants and gained a higher

social status. They were also entitled to wear the impressive ancient Chinese academic gown

and hat (or cap). In ancient China, wearing academical dresses was one of the ways used to

show the distinct hierarchy. The design of modern academic dress in China is still partially

influenced by that of western academic dresses, especially the United States‘ and European

ones.

http://www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Wikipedia:Secondary_research

http://www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Wikipedia:Qualitative_research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_dress

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_civil_service_examination

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_world

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_regalia_in_the_United_States


6


The ―modern‖ Chinese academic dress has existed in China for about a hundred years.

However, owing to various factors, especially social and political ones, development of

academic dress had not been emphasized by the central government for some time.

Westernized modern degree systems were introduced in 20th century

1 e.g. Chinese economic

reform started in December 19782 and the improvement of political attitudes of China to the

western in 19th century

3, they had been followed by the existence of a variety of westernized

academic dress designs within Chinese universities in the Chinese history flow4, for instances,

the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (南京航空航天大学), academies or

institutions. The Peking University (北京大学), as the first national integrated university, had

gradually begun the application of the modern academic dress since it was founded in 1898.

More recently university turned the Hanfu (汉服) (or Han) Chinese Clothing (worn from

around 2698 BC to AD 1750)5 as inspiration for a series of the university-based Chinese

academicals in 20076

The preference for the pelerine over the hood dressed in the right lady

Figure 1 The Chinese university students trying the newly designed Hanfu-style Chinese academicals

Adapted from http://big5.china.com/gate/big5/mdtt.blog.china.com/200707/645473.html

1 http://www.chinadegrees.cn/xwyyjsjyxx/xwbl/xgzl/xwf/259608.shtml 學位服. 教育部學位與研究

生教育發展中心, ‘中国的学位服出现在本世纪二十年代中期，或更早一些。’ [2011-09-13]. 2 Maddison, Angus (2007): "Contours of the World Economy, 1–2030 AD. Essays in Macro-Economic

History", Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-922721-1. 3 Ibid.

4 Ibid.

5 Zhou Xibao (1984), 【中國古代服飾史】 Zhongguo Gudai Fushi Shi (History of Ancient Chinese

Costume), Beijing: Zhongguo Xiju. 6 See http://big5.china.com/gate/big5/mdtt.blog.china.com/200707/645473.html.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%B1%89%E6%9C%8D

http://www.chinadegrees.cn/xwyyjsjyxx/xwbl/xgzl/xwf/259608.shtml

http://zh.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%E6%95%99%E8%82%B2%E9%83%A8%E5%AD%A6%E4%BD%8D%E4%B8%8E%E7%A0%94%E7%A9%B6%E7%94%9F%E6%95%99%E8%82%B2%E5%8F%91%E5%B1%95%E4%B8%AD%E5%BF%83&action=edit&redlink=1



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780199227211


7


Figure 2 A fashion show of the new series of Chinese academicals of the Peking University


Figure 3 The series of Hanfu-style modern Chinese academicals


Meanwhile, the researches to traditional and modern academic dresses in China had been

processing. In the 21st century China, the two main genres or varieties of modern China

academicals, namely internationalized and traditionalized dresses co-exist.


8


The Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council (國務院學位委員會) is the highest

authority responsible for duties of degree system in China. It also closely and deliberately

takes part in observing conditions of Chinese academic dress. In 1992, the Committee decided

to expand researches with regard to academical dress issues. In the longer development of the

Chinese academic dress, the central government has decided to allow the committee to be an

organization taking part in the creation of modernized Chinese academic dress.

It is valuable to investigate the issues of Chinese academic dress, which has a long history,

and experienced numerous government policies and academical planning. More importantly,

the original, traditional Chinese academic dress has been modified by individual academies

leading to diverse Chinese Academical Regalia of today, which definitely should be an

interesting issue for researchers to examine the reasons of the change.


9


A series of pieces on Chinese Academic Dress

From historical perspectives,

History of the ancient and modern Chinese academic dress

Academical Dress in Ancient China

In China, the ancient academic dress was essentially the official dress. This reflects the close

relationship between academia and officialdom of ancient China.

The ancient outfit of academics and officials in China consisted of a long red round-collar

robe with long sleeves. This robe is called a panling lanshan (盤領襴衫). It was worn with a

cap called a putou (幞頭) in period from 618 to 907 of ancient China which is black in colour.

Figure 4 Pictures of the putout in black

(Source: 故宮數位博物館 official website,

http://tech2.npm.gov.tw/literature/beauty/beauty.asp?P=188&B=189.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panling_Lanshan


10


The entire Qing Dynasty Chinese officer robes (官服) including the top of putou are in red.

Figure 5 Qing Dynasty Officers’ Academical Dress

Adapted from http://www.bravochina.com/clothing/embroidery.html.


11


Figure 6 Qing Dynasty Officer robe with a red cap, and the gown in purple, picture adapted from

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2009-02/16/content_11569604.htm


12


Figure 7 A red cap of the Qing dynasty officer’s robe, adapted from

http://www.asianideas.com/chofha.html

In style of brocade, the putou has curved wings, which was typical of the Tang Dynasty (June

18, 618 – June 1, 907). See below figure 8.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_dynasty


13


Figure 8 Picture depicting the pair of long curved wings of putou, adapted from

http://big5.showchina.org:81/gate/big5/chinaabc.showchina.org/zgwhxl/zgctfs/200703/t109552.htm

The academic dress styles of succeeding dynasties were drawn from that of the Tang dynasty.

The general brocade of all Chinese ancient dynasties is agreed by the historiographers to be

distinctive from common dress, although the dress of each individual dynasty is still found to

have some unique stylistic differences.

In the Ming Dynasty (also referred to the Empire of the Great Ming, which was the ruling

dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan

Dynasty7), hats distinctively indicated the status of scholars and literati (scholar-bureaucrats

or scholar-officials (士大夫)). For instance, a specific genre of the hats si-fang pingding jin

7 Edwin Oldfather Reischauer, John King Fairbank, Albert M. Craig (1960) A history of East Asian

civilization, Volume 1. East Asia: The Great Tradition, George Allen & Unwin Ltd.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynasties_in_Chinese_history

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_Empire

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuan_Dynasty




14


(四方平定巾) (fangjin (方巾)), whose appearance is similar to that of the mortarboard of

modern academic dress in black (readers can be cross-referenced to the entry ‗Mortarboard‘,

in page 15, that I will explain the description of Chinese modern mortarboards in more detail

later).

Figure 9 A literatus wearing a fangjin

(Adapted from

http://www.chinaqw.com/node2/node116/node1486/node1495/node1516/node1517/userobject6ai

89958.html.)

Figure 10 Si-fang pingding jin (or 四角方巾)

Adapted from http://www.ltsh.ilc.edu.tw/history/history1/newpage1107.htm#四角方巾


15


There had not been a distinct hat that was specifically for an academic in China, and therefore

we may say there had not truly been an academic hat or headgear before the 1911 revolution

by Sun Yat-sen (12 November 1866 – 12 March 1925)8 who was a Chinese revolutionary,

the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, referred to as the "Father of the Nation" (國父) in

the Republic of China, and the "forerunner of democratic revolution" in the People's Republic

of China9. However, mentioned in the introduction session, the officials, who have passed the

imperial civil service examinations, are definitely similar to the cases that the western

academics who have graduated in colleges or universities and earn a degree of a certain level.

Hence, the above introductory passages of official (or academic) dresses can be references to

the succeeding developments of the modern academical.

Figure 11 Emperor Tang Xuanzong and officials in official/academic dress

Picture adapted from

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Audience_by_Emperor_Tang_Xuanzong.jpg

8 Singtao daily. Saturday edition. Oct 23, 2010. 特別策劃 section A18. Sun Yat-sen Xinhai revolution

100th anniversary edition 民國之父. 9 Derek Benjamin Heater. [1987] (1987). Our world this century. Oxford University Press. ISBN

0199133247, 9780199133246.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolutionary

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationalist_China

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_of_the_Nation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_China

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_China



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_civil_service_examination

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_Xuanzong

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singtao





16


Academical Dress in Modern China

Modern Chinese academic dress had appeared since the middle-1920s.

The design of Chinese academical dress usually included a long gown and a mandarin jacket,

which was introduced in about 192510

. For instance, the academical dress of the Doctor of

Medicine (MD) was just like a mandarin jacket worn with a gown, which was popular and

fashionable especially in the 1920s & 30s. The gown spreads to the anklebone; and the broad

sleeves almost cover the hands. The length and broadness are merely show-offs and

graduation evidences of the successful candidates‘ academic status after the hard struggle of

their studies. It is found that the ―show-off‖ style in the broad sleeves of the doctoral dress is

similar to the appearance of the gown worn with the panling lanshan (see figures 12 & 13.)

Figure 12 The Ming Dynasty, from 1368 to 1644, panling lanshan photo. Adapted from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Artifact_hanfu8.jpg

10

See 北京世纪九成校园礼仪服饰有限公司-学位服的历史-

http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=105 [2011-12-27].


17


Figure 13 The Modern Chinese doctoral academical photo. Adapted from

http://www.jianniu.cn/showpro.asp?id=24.

There had been a difference between Chinese academical dress and American ones is that,

there is no sign or symbol of degree levels by the cut of the sleeves of the Chinese academical

dress, although the degree level representation is shown by some other means (for details, see

p. 28 and 29.) However, there had already been many common features shared by the above

two kinds of dress, since the underlying design of Modern Chinese academical dresses was

imitated from the American dress in the early 20th century

11. For instance, at both sides of the

front of Chinese (refer to a modern Chinese doctorial gown in figure 13) and American gown

(see figure 14 on p.18), there is a broad border made of velvet materials (this is also one of

ways in which American Regalia differs from European Academical Dress). Soft velvet with

three-dimensional effect show the extremely serious, noble and graceful features - on the one

hand, they represent the manner of being a Doctor of Philosophy; on the other hand, they

expose the impressive calm and steady style of scholars.

11

Ibid.


18


Figure 14 An American Doctor of Philosophy’s gown

(http--upload.wikimedia.org-wikipedia-commons-1-17-Dphil_gown.jpg)


19


Black velvet had been one of the crucial constituting parts of Chinese robe. In the history of

modern Chinese academic dress, its use in the gown has made the gown to become the spirit

of the whole design of the outfit. However, in some designs, for an example doctoral

academic dress, the Chinese character is not shown by the outer gown, but is shown by the

partially-displayed inner blouse of the dress.

In history, school uniform in China was originally a kind of Chinese-style jacket with buttons

down the front, but also was one of typical clothing being westernized under the influence of

western cultures in the early 20th century, ―西洋東漸‖. Due to the majority of schoolboys

wearing the kind of clothing in school, the westernized dress gradually became a school

uniform. This phenomenon is similar to schoolgirls liked to wear a close-fitting Chinese dress

with side vents in schools and finally the cheongsam becomes their school uniform.

Logical, no matter whether European style academical dress or American style academical

dress is worn, freshly-pressed Western style clothes should be worn inside; otherwise it

should be treated as ―unreasonable‖ and/or ―unsuitable‖ to certain Chinese cultural views on

the mixtures or fusion of cultures worldwide12

. However, some doctoral graduates in China,

including the foreign ones in China, chose to wear Chinese style school-uniform-like blouses

rather than western style clothes. The blouse is no longer only the constituting part of school

uniforms; it has also become an indispensible role of the Chinese academic robe since the

early 20th century.

In the western world, graduates put the corner of the square academic cap at the front. But in

China, the wearing style is different. Chinese candidates refused to follow the wearing

mortarboard style of West Europe, but they put a sideline of the cap at the front. This was an

individualized expression, and is a creation of Chinese wearing style. Moreover, there were

no tassels indicating the specific degree level at the top of the Chinese cap, and perhaps

Chinese designers thought that including tassels into the cap is ―to draw a snake and add feet

to it‖13

, a Chinese metaphor meaning to be burdensome.

12

Referred to http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=105, “按常理，无论“欧派”还是“美

派”学位服，在其里面男士通常穿笔挺的西装方才“合理”、“恰当”，而这几位中国的博

士连同那位外藉博士却偏偏内穿对襟式立领的学生装。” 13 Ibid, “况且帽顶上没有标识学位级别的流苏，大概他们觉得这样是画蛇添足，是累赘。”


20


In addition, Chinese bachelors‘ and masters‘ dress were largely reformed in 1930s and 1940s,

for instance: 1. The neckband of blouse becomes deeper, 2. The neckband becomes V-shape.

When mortarboards are not worn, the design of these two academic regalia will look almost

the same as the long gowns with hoods in late-Qing Dynasty style.14

These developments demonstrate that the revolution in Chinese academic dress and

innovation had begun since the early 20th century. Although we can never know in history

who first transformed the dress, as there is no single name mentioned in the historical records,

they and their successors‘ work(s) provide us with much to explore, investigate and research

with respect to Chinese Academic Regalia.

14

Ibid, “学士服和硕士服在三、四十年代则大多是改良式的，[1]领口开得很深，[2]呈 V 字形，若

没有头上的方帽，其服装和清末的男子长衫几乎完全相同。”


21


15

Ibid. 16

Ibid. 17

Quoted in Harvard Divinity School webpage http://www.hds.harvard.edu/library/exhibits/online/bible/6.html.

From socio-political views,

The Incentives leading to the Birth of Modern Academic Dress in China

The Chinese academic dress of 19th Century in history, with a square cap and long gown, were

totally imitated from the western world15

. At first, foreign academic dress was imported by

western missionaries of the Society of Jesus and other Catholic Churches. The academic dress

had been the costumes of the missionaries during initial stages of building missionary schools in

China16

.This brought Chinese into contact with these overseas imports, the academic regalia, in

an early period.

Figure 15 Robert Morrison (1782-1834), the first Protestant missionary to China, was a British

Presbyterian appointed by the London Missionary Society17

. Picture depicting the missionary dress is

adapted from http://www.hds.harvard.edu/library/exhibits/online/bible/images/china5.jpg.

P.Matthoeus Ricci was the first Jesuit to preach the word of God in China. Ricci provided the

science and education as a tempting bait to attract Chinese to listen to what he said.

http://www.hds.harvard.edu/library/exhibits/online/bible/images/china5.jpg


22


18

http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=105, “到 1877 年，全国基督教学校有约 350 所，学生

5975 人。到 1889 年，教会学校的学生已达 16836 人，而至 1906 年，更猛增到 57683 人。”

In preaching of the western priests in China, there were never measures better than transmitting

the knowledge of natural science to students which can make Chinese listen to the word of

missionaries. Accordingly, science had become the bait of the western to win Chinese attention,

respect, trust, and honour. It had hence become a crucial method to make the missionaries be

allowed by Chinese to realize their mission of preaching in China.

The period after the Opium War (1840-1842) further blended Chinese and western cultures

together. This blend not only brought the western academic dress by preachers to China, but

pictures depicting Chinese wearing the western academic dresses in graduation ceremonies were

also brought by the Chinese graduates holding western degrees. The existence of the fashionable

design of academic dress at that time immediately aroused an echo in China.

At the same time, the missionary schools in China had been spreading and developing.

Until 1877, the total number of the Christian Schools in China was about 350; with a

student population of 5975. In 1889, the number of students of the missionary schools was

approximately 16836, and by 1906 the number increased to 57683.18

Former president of the former St. John’s University (1879—1952) F·L·Hanks Pott treated the

missionary schools as American Chinese ―West Points‖, which were the essential strategical

institutions of doing missionary work. Hanks Pott argued for the missionary schools that

education should always be the foundation in missions of promoting the word of Christ;

http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=105


23


19 Ibid, “当时上海圣约翰大学校长卜舫济（F·L·Hanks Pott）就把教会学校比作美国的“西点军校”

（West Points ),是教会传教必须的战略机构，正像这位传教士所论述的那样：“如果教会工作不

以我们的教育工作为基础，它就好像把房子盖在沙土上一样，是不牢固的。”

在此，教育不仅成为一种诱饵，而且是除了洋枪大炮外的软武器。随着近代科学在中国的出

现，源起于欧洲的学位服又找到自己新的生长土壤。”

20 Ibid.

21 See http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=106.

22 See http://www.jianniu.cn/show.asp?tid=1 .

otherwise the missions of preaching will become unstable, like building a house on a desert.

Education is not only the bait, but it is also a weapon.19

In many parts of the world in the early 20th century, academic dress were divided into two sects:

Italian and the United Kingdom‘s academic dress in Europe on behalf of European academic

dress20

; and the United States‘ academic dress represented the American academic dress (also

called American Regalia). European acadmeical dress mainly keeps the Medieval Age style and

its features; no matter in the fashion or colour, the academic dress in Europe retains marks of

religious age of believes. American regalia followed American innovation created the dress in the

new American style. The design of American robe was based on prototypes of academical dress

of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. During early 20th century, the majority of

missionaries existed in China were from the America. Due to this factor, the majority of dresses

found in China were brought by Americans.

When the importance of academic regalia was recognised and people tried better to

understand and know more of it, students appreciated and took an interest in the design of

academic dresses. For instance, shops such as the Beijing Century Jiu Cheng Campus Ceremony

Costume & Accessory21

and the Jianniu Academical Company22

now exist, selling a variety of

academical dress in a mass of styles worldwide indicate that there are expanding markets for

academical dress in China. Besides, students are willing to spend time on deciding their wearing

style of academic dress. It is because the academic dress should be thoroughly shown their

unique spirit of yearning for knowledge and truth in thoughts of the students.

http://www.jianniu.cn/show.asp?tid


24


23

More on http://big5.cri.cn/gate/big5/gb.cri.cn/14714/2007/07/10/[email protected] . 24

http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=105 “新中国自己的学位服在萌动了。”

From the perspective of academia, scholars should have their own academic dress and wearing

style.

It reflects their strong wish to create their better self-image and brighter future. As a result, the

modeling, patterning, and wearing style of the academic dress were largely modified, for

example, in 2007, Chinese university students participated in the designs of the

fashionable academical dress23

(see some of the designs in figure 16); the academic regalia

with a slight difference or big changes had been created into several genres in the beginning of

Chinese academic regalia development, but no longer a uniform one.

Figure 16 The fashionable academical dresses display. Adapted from

http://big5.cri.cn/gate/big5/gb.cri.cn/14714/2007/07/10/[email protected] .

The academic dresses were gradually becoming one of China‘s own unique costume cultures

or fashion styles between the late 20th and early 21

st Century

24. Market researchers thought how to


25


25

Photos adapted from http://www.jianniu.cn/show.asp?tid=4.

make the dresses became diverse. Hence, academic regalia originating from Europe were greatly

developed. Nevertheless, it can be said that the birth of Chinese Academic Regalia began from

the ideologies of Chinese scholars.

The above photos show some of the new collections of the modern Chinese academic regalia.25

There was a long period following the establishment of the People‘s Republic of China

(PRC) (1949) during which China did not have a unified national academic dress. The reason

behind the phenomenon is that the degree system had not yet been established, meaning that a

series of university developments including academical dress‘s one cannot be followed. Although

China had started the consideration to the establishment of degree system during 1950s - 1960s,

the establishments of national academic regalia were not addressed.

In 1980, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) (全国人民代表大

会常务委员会 (全國人大常委會)) approved the ‘Regulations of the People's Republic of

China on Academic Degrees’ (see Appendix for details). The regulations were implemented in

beginning 1981. China had its own degree system in that year. Although the need of ―Chinese‖

academic dress was still not on the agenda of the central governmental policies, the


26


26 Interpreted from http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=105 “服饰艺术本来就不受国度

的限制，况且我们有过自己的学位服。” 27

http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=105, “新中国自己的学位服在萌动了。” 28

Adshead, S. A. M. (2004), T'ang China: The Rise of the East in World History, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 1403934568 (hardback).

implementation of the degree system increased people‘s awareness of academia-related

developments, including increased their incentives to the future development of Chinese

Academic Regalia.

Since the establishment of innovative Chinese degree system was gradually recognized by

employment markets, and especially since the economic reform expanded, Chinese had realized

and had ideology that their degree system was still not comprehensive enough.

In the meantime, the freedom of dress arts in China primarily allowed artistic and stylistic

designs in Chinese academic dress art to be freely developed without many national restrictions.

In other words, the previous academical system was not suppressed26

. As a result, the New

Chinese Academic Regalia were sprouting27

. Besides, in the past, Chinese had a time during the

Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618 – 907) having the huge development of textile use in a variety of

daily costumes. This was in fact due to factors of technology, that the popular use of

cotton at that time had ever favoured the development of Chinese costumes, including

the Tang Chinese academic dress and, later development of Modern Chinese academic

dress as well:

Cotton also came from India as a finished product from Bengal, although it was during

the Tang that the Chinese began to grow and process cotton, and by the Yuan Dynasty it

became the prime textile fabric in China28.

All these above factors have led Chinese to have incentives to develop their academic dress.

Generally speaking, the modern Chinese academic dress eventually existed in the end of 1980s

after imitating, designing and creating processes by schools and faculties of universities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palgrave_Macmillan



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal


27


From descriptive perspectives,

Description of Modern Chinese academic dress

Hats

Nowadays, the lace-up mortarboards are widely used in the design of academical dress of

Chinese and many other Asian universities. This is one of the characteristics of modern

Chinese academic dress. Except for the lace-up mortarboard, the designs of other parts of

Chinese academic dress had become greatly different from that of the ancient dress since the

standardization of Chinese academic dresses by the central government was held in 1994.29

在深入研究和广泛征询意见的基础上，1994 年，国务院学位委员会审定通过了新中

国自己的学位服样式，并作出决定：作为统一规范的学位服，向全国学位授予单位

推荐使用，其他样式的学位服一律废止。30

The more detail of the process of standardization in 1994 will be examined in the next session.

More on the topic of mortarboard will be covered in ‗Details of design of Mortarboard’ in

p.30-.

Gowns

Gowns are colored depending on the levels of the degree. To meet the standard of design of

academical dress in China, the color should generally be black for bachelor gown, blue for

master’s gown and a combination of scarlet and black for doctoral gown.31

Hoods

In shape, hoods are pieces of triangular cloth. In general, bachelors‘ dress, masters‘ dress, and

doctors‘ dress all have a very deep neckline in V-shape. (See figure 17.)

29

學位服著裝規範. 聊城大學. 2009-06-22 [2011-12-27]. 30

Quoted in http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=106. 31 学位服_相关资料_学位博览_中国学位与研究生教育信息网


28


Figure 17 A description of the bachelor (left), master (middle) and doctoral (right) gown in China

after 1994, adapted from http://www.tianhan.com.cn/.

In 1994, China owned the new design and modernized fashion of her academic dress.

After a deep research and wide public consultation about comments on the design of

Chinese academic regalia32

, the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council (國務院

學位委員會) finally approved the regulations of the Academic dress of China on 10th May,

199433

. The committee decided to encourage tertiary institutions in China to make use of its

design of academic dress. Indeed, it is an excuse to achieve the mission of unifying the form

of academic dresses of China. Under the new regulations other forms of academic regalia

were slowly, and secretly and consciously abolished.

The Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council decided not to include

bachelors‘ robes among the series of regulated and restricted academic robes and not to

promote the application of a unified design of bachelors‘ robes in China in an early period. So

32

国务院学位委员会学位办［1994］22 号《关于推荐使用学位服的通知》

33 http://www.huaue.com/xueweifu.htm ,“学位服着装规范（本规范由国务院学位委员会办公室

于一九九四年五月十日制定）”.


29


the series of unified academic dresses includes only the doctoral dress, masters‘ dress and

academy president dress.

The design and production of the academical dress were considered thoroughly how to

realize the character of China, but conform to the world custom, and benefit the execution of

unification principle in the dress development simultaneously; meanwhile designers of the

dress will also have to think how to make the academic dress be relevant to different degree

levels, division of academic subjects and unique characteristics of individual schools and

academies.

The robes consist of three main parts: mortarboard, gown and hood.

Details of design of Mortarboard, Gown and Hood

Mortarboard

The design of mortarboards of Chinese academic robes is the identical design of many

universities of countries around the world – having a shape of square, looking like a book

which implying the knowledge, as a metaphor.

Figure 18 20th

century lace-up mortarboards typically used in China and other Asian universities

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lace-up_mortarboard.jpg.


30


In terms of colour, all mortarboards are in black, regardless of degree levels. Moreover, the

mortarboards of school president and professors are also in black. This colour represents the

characters of calm and steady.

Gown

The gown plays a central chief role in the academical dress should symbolize the

particular level of degree and show the distinctive national features; at the same time, it must

also show the messages, aims and academic objectives of certain academies.

Generally speaking, the valuable elements of ancient Chinese academic dress which can be

provided for foreign designers of their western dresses are mainly the Chinese culture pictures

used on costume, and the use of blouse in design of academic dress, etc.

Economically, the use of traditional Chinese national, distinctive and traditional embroidery

motifs of dragon, phoenix, and peony flowers etc., would increase the production cost of the

robe, hence increase the financial burdens of academies and graduates. As a result, it was only

ever used on the academical dresses of the imperial dynasties, as I have mentioned above in

the part of history of official/academic dress; but it is seldom uses in nowadays.

Figure 19 Common prints of dragon designed on the imperial Chinese robes.

(Still image taken from the BBC produced video,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11942357?asid=be0b348c)


31


Figure 20 Prints of dragon on the imperial Chinese robes



Figure 21 Other Chinese-style patterning prints on the imperial Chinese robes




32


Instead, today Chinese academic dress designers need to think how to include the Chinese

elements into the dresses at a lower cost to satisfy the growing demand of the university

graduates. And so designers decided to use the ―good luck button‖ (如意扣) in their design.

Figure 22 Description of the good luck buttons applied in the Chinese robes. Adapted from

http://blog.yahoo.com/_XMCSVNQSY5ZHYS5LWSW5W3SYDI/articles/315202# .


33


Figure 23 The good luck buttons applied in the modern Chinese gowns (bachelors’).

Adapted from http://www.bjhongdan.com/news.php?id=64.

This kind of buttons is not so expensive in the production cost, but it is greatly representative

of characters of the Modern Chinese cultures and customs. For example, Chinese academic

gowns chiefly visualize the national and racial features by the use of distinctive patterns on

the good luck buttons at the cuffs of sleeves and the front of the academic gowns. In fact, the

―如意扣‖ is also used in different Chinese traditional costumes. It can show the descriptive

Chinese national characteristics in an economic way for the academic dress industry.

Around sides of the cuff of an academical dress sleeve are printed the picture of the Great

Wall of China, first of all the picture can represent Ancient Chinese magnificent histories and


34


second of all the large size of the picture makes the broad sleeve of the gown to be richer in

variations so as to match the large size of the sleeves of gowns.

In regulations of colour, doctoral gown is in black and red: black is the main colour tone

and red is used in border of gown; master gown is in blue and deep blue: blue is the main

colour tone while deep blue is used in border of gown; and president gown is constructed by

red and black. Above selections of colours differentiate the degree levels and academic

statuses in many students and staff.

Nowadays, the design of Modern Chinese academic dresses are limited by the

regulations set by the central government. Basically, the dresses will be uniform in China. If

schools want to express their individuality, what can they do in the design of their Academic

Regalia? In order to satisfy this need of schools in China, the government permits them to

print their school logos at the left front side, the heart of academic gowns.

Hood

As mentioned before, hoods are pieces of triangular clothes in shape. Hoods, or named

shawls, have been modified from riding-hoods in the course of evolution34

. It makes the

entire dress to have richer variation by its unique decorative function.

34

垂布，又称披肩，是由连颈帽演化而来。 Translated from

http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=106.


35


A kind of flowers of Chinese national cultures, peony flower, is used in the pictures on the

hood which is a symbol of being rich and auspicious in Chinese customs and institutions.

Figure 24 A sample of the Chinese hood showing the patterning of peony flowers.

http://www.bjhongdan.com/news.php?id=77

Any colours can be selected and determined by individual academies to be the colour(s) of

their hoods if the academies have their ideas of the selection of colours. Otherwise, the hoods

will be uniformly in grey according to the Chinese regulations.

How are the colours of hood chosen?

The colour of the hood border is determined according to the division of academic units.

China currently confers specialized degrees in twelve areas which include philosophy,

economics, law, education, literature, history, science, engineering, agriculture, medicine,

military science and administration. Under the 12 areas, there are hundreds of academic

subject area sub-categories. It would be difficult to use a variety of colours to represent these

sub-categories. Even if schools used twelve colours on the hoods to represent 12 specific

academic areas, there may still be confusion with the color representation. For this reason,

only 6 colours are used into the design of various hoods‘ borders to represent six major

academic units: arts, science, engineering, agriculture, medicine and military science (文、

理、工、农、医、军事). The 6 colours of hood borders are pink, grey, yellow, green, white and

red respectively35

.

35

学位服_相关资料_学位博览_中国学位与研究生教育信息网.


36


Figure 25 An indicated diagram showing the colours of hoods of different academic units under the

Chinese academic dress regulations. Picture adapted from

http://tupian.hudong.com/a0_86_87_01100000000018

114828765672786_jpg.html?prd=zhengwenye_left_neirong_tupian#.

Arts

Science

Engineering

Agriculture

Medicine

Military

science


37


Figure 26 The 6 colours of hoods in different academic units in China, adapted from

http://www.bjhongdan.com/news.php?id=77 .

The presence of modern academic dresses in China has gradually made the whole society

respect the spirit of truth, knowledge and talents. The tendency towards educational

development in turn pushes the central government to improve the current degree system.

Management of the conferring of degrees will hence become improved.36

So, we must not

neglect the importance of academic dresses. Nevertheless, the discussions on designs of

academical dresses should be included in international academic exchanges.

Forecasting the future variation of academic dress development based on the expanding legal

system and school-based management in China, it is believed that Chinese academic dresses

will become more diverse and can show more individual characters of different academies

and wearers.

36

Referenced from http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=106


38


Conclusion

In the trends of globalization and multiculturalism, it is inevitable to make the ancient

Chinese academic dress adapt to the new world; however it does not mean that there will be a

loss of valuable traditional cultures with historical colour of previous imperial dynasties.

As abovementioned, university student designers started to create the new series of Chinese

academic robe with a fusion of ancient Chinese traditions and western modernized

academical styles. A part, or sometimes major portion of the characteristics of ancient

Chinese academic dress have been visualized in the design of modern Chinese academic

dresses. See below illustrative photos of the new designs of the Chinese academicals.

The university graduates of Xi’an JiaoTong University are dressing fashionably for

ceremony.

Figure 27 Academical design that shows some of the Chinese cultures e.g. by red theme colour

37

on the westernized black38

modern academic dress

Adapted from http://big5.cri.cn/gate/big5/gb.cri.cn/14714/2007/07/10/[email protected]

37

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral#Funerals_in_East_Asia, Funeral#Funerals in East Asia, “The red color of the packet symbolizes good luck. Red is strictly forbidden at funerals as it is a traditionally symbolic color of happiness *in traditional China+.” 38

Ibid., “In modern China, black is used in daily clothing. Black may also be used during a funeral to symbolize the spirit's return to the heavens.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral


39


Figure 28 Bachelor’s academic dress design that chiefly shows the traditional Chinese character

Adapted from http://big5.cri.cn/gate/big5/gb.cri.cn/14714/2007/07/10/[email protected]

Modern schools have made their greatest efforts in designing a unique academic dress with

their own academical style on one hand; on the other hand, they do try to deeply protect the

ancient Chinese academic dress culture and traditions, and hence the schools choose to blend

the elements of ancient Chinese academic dress into the creation of their academic regalia.

In the future, there will be surely more distinctive academic dress, blending the iconic of

individual schools and academic dress styles of previous Chinese dynasties, existed in China.


40


Bibliography

Goff, Philip (1999). University of London Academic Dress. London: University of London

Press.

Jerry Bentley and Herb Ziegler. Traditions and Encounters - A Global Perspective on the

Past.

Max Weber, The Religion of China: Confucianism and Taoism (1916; transl. 1951)

Zhou, Xun; Gao, Chunming; The Chinese Costumes Research Group (1984), 5000 Years of

Chinese Costume, Hong Kong: The Commercial Press. ISBN 962-07-5021-7

Zhou Xibao (1984), 【中國古代服飾史】 Zhongguo Gudai Fushi Shi (History of Ancient

Chinese Costume), Beijing: Zhongguo Xiju.

沈從文 Shen Congwen (1999, 2006), 【中國古代服飾研究】 Zhongguo Gudai Fushi Yanjiu

(Researches on Ancient Chinese Costumes), Shanghai: Shanghai Century Publishing Group.

ISBN 7-80678-329-6

許嘉璐 Xu Jialu (1991), 【中國古代禮俗辭典】 Zhongguo Gudai Lisu Cidian (Dictionary of

Rituals and Customs of Ancient China).

華梅 Hua, Mei (2004), 【古代服飾】 Gudai Fushi (Ancient Costume), Beijing: Wenmu

Chubanshe. ISBN 7-5010-1472-8

黃能馥 , 陳娟娟 Huang Nengfu and Chen Juanjuan (1999), 【中華歷代服飾藝術】

Zhonghua Lidai Fushi Yishu (The Art of Chinese Clothing Through the Ages), Beijing.

Further readings

Useful Links

學位服 - http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%AD%A6%E4%BD%8D%E6%9C%8D.

Chinese Academic Degrees & Graduate Education Information Website, and webpage

http://www.chinadegrees.cn/xwyyjsjyxx/xwbl/xgzl/xwf/259608.shtml.

Academic Degrees & Graduate Education of Liaocheng University Website, and webpage

―学位服着装规范‖, http://yjsc.lcu.edu.cn/ShowArticle.asp?ArticleID=323.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Weber

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Religion_of_China:_Confucianism_and_Taoism





41


Sources

Official sources

Regulations

REGULATIONS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF

CHINA ON ACADEMIC DEGREES

Other sources

Bransetter, Lee et al. (2008), "China's embrace of globalization", China's Great

Transformation, Cambridge: Cambridge university press.

北京世纪九成校园礼仪服饰有限公司-学位服的历史-

http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=105


42


APPENDIX

REGULATIONS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF

CHINA ON ACADEMIC DEGREES

(Adopted at the 13th Meeting of the Standing Committee of

the Fifth National People's Congress and promulgated by Order

No. 5 of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress

on February 12, 1980, and effective as of January 1, 1981)

SUBJECT: EDUCATION; UNIVERSITY; EMMIGRATION

ISSUING-DEPT: STANDING COMMITTEE OF PEOPLE'S CONGRESS

ISSUE-DATE: 02/12/1980

IMPLEMENT-DATE: 01/01/1981

LENGTH: 1362 words

TEXT:

[Article 1] These Regulations are formulated for the purpose of promoting the growth of

specialized personnel, helping to raise the academic level of various branches of learning and

promoting the development of education and science in our country, in order to meet the

needs of the socialist modernization.

[Article 2] Any citizen who supports the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the

socialist system and has attained certain academic standards may apply for an appropriate

academic degree in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations.

[Article 3] Academic degrees shall be of three grades: the bachelor's degree, the master's

degree and the doctor's degree.

[Article 4] The bachelor's degree shall be conferred on graduates from institutions of higher

learning who have good academic records and have attained the following academic

standards:


43


(1) having a relatively good grasp of basic theories, specialized knowledge and basic skills in

the discipline concerned; and

(2) having initially acquired the ability to undertake scientific research or to engage in a

special technical work.

[Article 5] The master's degree shall be conferred on postgraduates in institutions of higher

learning or scientific research institutes or persons with qualifications equivalent to

postgraduates on graduation, who have passed examinations in the required courses for the

master's degree and successfully defended their dissertations and have attained the following

academic standards:

(1) having a firm grasp of basic theories and systematic, specialized knowledge in the

discipline concerned; and

(2) having the ability to undertake scientific research or independently to engage in a special

technical work.

[Article 6] The doctor's degree shall be conferred on postgraduates in institutions of higher

learning or scientific research institutes or persons with qualifications equivalent to

postgraduates on graduation, who have passed examinations in the required courses for the

doctor's degree and successfully defended their dissertations and have attained the following

academic standards: (1) having a firm and comprehensive grasp of basic theories and

profound and systematic specialized knowledge in the discipline concerned;

(2) having the ability to undertake independent scientific research; and

(3) having made creative achievements in science or in a special technology.

[Article 7] The State Council shall establish an Academic Degrees Committee to direct the

work of conferring academic degrees throughout the country. The Academic Degrees

Committee shall consist of a chairman, vice-chairmen and other members. The chairman,

vice-chairmen and other members shall be appointed and removed by the State Council.

[Article 8] The bachelor's degree shall be conferred by those institutions of higher learning

authorized by the State Council. The master's and doctor's degrees shall be conferred by those

institutions of higher learning and scientific research institutes authorized by the State

Council.


44


A list of institutions of higher learning and scientific research institutes that may confer

academic degrees (hereinafter referred to as "degree-conferring units") and the disciplines in

which academic degrees may be conferred shall be submitted to the State Council by its

Academic Degrees Committee for approval and promulgation.

[Article 9] Each degree-conferring unit shall establish an academic degree evaluation

committee and form dissertation committees for the disciplines concerned.

A dissertation committee must include relevant specialists from other units, and the

committee members shall be selected and determined by the degree-conferring unit concerned.

A list of members of the academic degree evaluation committee shall be submitted by the

degree-conferring unit to the competent department for approval. The competent department,

in turn, shall present the approved list of members of the academic degree evaluation

committee to the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council for the record.

[Article 10] The dissertation committee shall be responsible for examining the dissertations

for master's or doctor's degrees, organizing their oral defence and adopting resolutions

whether or not to confer the master's or doctor's degrees. Each resolution shall be adopted by

secret ballot and with a two-thirds majority of the committee members supporting and then

submitted to the academic degree evaluation committee.

The academic degree evaluation committee shall be responsible for examining and approving

the list of holders of the bachelor's degree and for making a decision whether or not to

approve each resolution on the conferment of a master's or doctor's degree submitted by the

dissertation committee. Each decision shall be adopted by secret ballot and with a simple

majority of the committee members supporting. The list of persons to be conferred a master's

or doctor's degree shall be submitted to the Academic Degrees Committee of the State

Council for the record.

[Article 11] After a resolution to confer an academic degree has been adopted by the

academic degree evaluation committee, the degree-conferring unit shall issue an appropriate

diploma to the holder of the academic degree.

[Article 12] Postgraduates who have completed their studies in units that are not authorized to

confer academic degrees may, upon the recommendation of their respective units, apply to

nearby degree-conferring units for academic degrees. They shall be conferred appropriate

degrees after their applications have been examined and approved by the degree-conferring

units and they have successfully defended their dissertations and attained the academic

standards stipulated in these Regulations.


45


[Article 13] Upon the recommendation of relevant specialists and with the approval of the

degree-conferring units, those who have written important works or made inventions,

discoveries or other contributions to the development of science or special technologies may

be exempt from examinations in the required courses for the doctor's degree and may directly

take the oral examinations on their doctoral dissertations. Those who have successfully

defended their dissertations shall be conferred the doctor's degree.

[Article 14] Distinguished scholars and well-known public figures, both Chinese and foreign,

may be conferred an honorary doctor's degree, upon the nomination of a degree-conferring

unit and with the approval of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council.

[Article 15] Foreign students studying in China and foreign scholars engaged in research

work in China may apply to a degree-conferring unit for academic degrees. Those who have

attained the academic standards stipulated in these Regulations shall be conferred appropriate

degrees.

[Article 16] If an academic body or a unit not authorized to confer academic degrees does not

concur with a resolution or decision on the conferment of an academic degree, it may address

its objection to the degree-conferring unit or the Academic Degrees Committee of the State

council, which shall study and deal with the objection thus addressed.

[Article 17] If irregularities, fraudulent practices or other situations in gross violation of the

provisions of these Regulations are discovered, the degree-conferring unit concerned may

revoke the degrees already conferred, after reconsideration by its academic degree evaluation

committee.

[Article 18] If it is definitely established that a unit authorized to confer academic degrees has

not been able to maintain the academic standards of the academic degrees conferred, the State

Council may suspend or revoke its status as a degree-conferring unit.

[Article 19] Measures for the implementation of these Regulations shall be formulated by the

Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council and submitted to the State Council for

approval.

[Article 20] These Regulations shall go into effect on January 1, 1981.

(Extracted from http://www.novexcn.com/academic_degrees.html)

FBS

Business

Transcript of FBS