Shanghai ladies are getting old, and these cheongsam have left their peerless elegance.

　　　　　　　　Shanghai-style cheongsam in 1930s and 1940s is a typical representative of cheongsam in the Republic of China, and it is also an indelible mark of the times left by women in that era in the eyes of the world.

　　　　　　　　Song Luxia is a well-known family history writer in Shanghai. Since 2007, she began to collect the old Shanghai ladies’ cheongsam, and now there are more than 100 pieces. The owners of these cheongsam are all famous women in the Republic of China, including Song Meiling, Zhang Leyi, the wife of Song Ziwen, a famous financier and politician in the Republic of China, Yan Youyun, the wife of Dr. Gu Weijun, a diplomat, Zhang Youyi, the original wife of Xu Zhimo, and Xia Meng, a movie star that old Shanghai worships all their lives. These cheongsams are now included in the newly published "Shanghai Celebrity Cheongsam Treasures".

Cheongsam in Zhang Youyi

　　　　　　　　Song Luxia said that it was entirely by accident that she came into contact with these cheongsams and came up with the idea of collecting cheongsams worn by celebrities on the beach. She has been writing family history for more than 20 years, and interviewed more than 20 families, including Li Hongzhang’s family and Sheng Xuanhuai’s family. Since then, Song Luxia has independently written about the women in the big family in Shanghai, and has come into contact with many precious old photos. All the women in the photos are dressed in new Shanghai-style cheongsam, gorgeous and dignified.

　　　　　　　　"The more I look at such old photos, the more I feel. I have never seen these cheongsam before I was 63 years old. When we were young, we received red education. Both men and women wore green military uniforms. The whole country was a sea of green and gray, and it was impossible to talk about the concept of fashion. After the reform and opening up, western fashion has flooded into the country, and there is such a gap in the costumes of China. " Song Luxia said.

　　　　　　　　In the process of interviewing family history, Song Luxia came into contact with many descendants of big families, including some old ladies who are still alive. Many of them did not care and generously gave away the cheongsam they used to wear. "Once I called Li Hongzhang’s descendants in Hong Kong, a 95-year-old woman, Li Jiajin, who was Li Hongzhang’s great-granddaughter. I said to her,’ Miss Li, look through the box and find out the old cheongsam you are wearing in your photo.’ The other party replied,’ why didn’t you call two months ago? I gave away two boxes of cheongsam two months ago.’ I said,’ Why did you give away two boxes of cheongsam?’ She said,’ I was stimulated. A friend of mine was as old as me. After her death, her children dragged nine sacks of clothes out of her house and threw them away, most of which were cheongsam. Why wait for them to throw it at me? I’ll throw it myself alive.’ ""In this case, young people don’t understand the preciousness of these cheongsam. If we don’t track them, we will lose one if we throw one. " Song Luxia said that the old lady Li came and rummaged through everything, and finally found two cheongsam.

　　　　　　　　In the process of collecting cheongsam, Song Luxia met the great granddaughter of Yan Xiaofang, the first president of the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce, and Ms. Xu Jingcan, the niece of Yan Youyun, who were both in Shanghai. The two of them hit it off and collected resources together. "My side is basically a descendant of a big family. During the interview, we all became good friends, so we can still knock on their doors. Many people in xu teacher are relatives."

Cheongsam in Yan Youyun

　　　　　　　　"Due to various complicated reasons, it is rare for famous ladies in the Republic of China to stay in the mainland. We mobilized Shanghai’s famous ladies to contact overseas relatives, and more cheongsam were sent back from the United States, Japan, Canada and other places."

　　　　　　　　Among the more than 100 pieces of cheongsam collected by Song Luxia, there are three pieces of cheongsam in Song Meiling, among which one piece of black silk jacquard cheongsam is particularly dignified, and its collection experience is also quite tortuous. Song Luxia interviewed Yan Renmei, Yan Xiaofang’s great granddaughter, when she was writing about a famous family in Shanghai. At that time, she was already an old lady in her 100 s. "We talked about cheongsam, and I asked her to show us the cheongsam in the old photo, which opened her eyes. She said that my cheongsam was gone during the Cultural Revolution, but I had Song Meiling’s cheongsam." When Song Luxia heard this, she felt that it was also a disaster. After many twists and turns, she salvaged these three dusty cheongsam from the bottom of the box under the bed of Yan Renmei’s Shanghai husband’s room.

Cheongsam in Song Meiling

　　　　　　　　It turns out that Yan Renmei is best friends with Miss Kong Jia and Song Ailing’s daughter Kong Lingyi. In the 1970s and 1980s, Yan Renmei lived in Kong Lingyi’s house when she first arrived in the United States. Through Kong Lingyi’s relationship, Song Meiling once sent her a box of clothes. Among them, three pieces of Song Meiling cheongsam were brought back to Shanghai by Yan Renmei from the United States in the early 1980s.

　　　　　　　　"The old lady said that you can’t wear it now that you are old. You should take it to the exhibition." Song Luxia said.

　　　　　　　　Another light pink silk beaded cheongsam is Zhang Leyi’s cheongsam. "The most jewels." Song Luxia said, "Zhang Leyi was the wife of Song Ziwen, a famous financier, politician and senior government official during the Republic of China. She has accompanied her husband to numerous important activities in her life, and she has always worn China cheongsam in various public and official occasions. " This cheongsam also changed hands several times and eventually returned to Shanghai by express delivery from new york.

Cheongsam in Zhang Leyi

　　　　　　　　Song Luxia’s favorite is two silk embroidered cheongsam by Sheng Fanyi, the niece of Sheng Xuanhuai, the westernization minister in the late Qing Dynasty. "One is a emerald green butterfly flower, and the other is a red-bottomed crane peach, which she made in Suzhou half a century ago." Song Luxia said. The old lady is still alive, and she is 97 years old. "These two pieces are at least the cheongsam that she wore in her teens or even twenties. The bust is very small, only 80 cm. I tried all the clothes racks now, but I couldn’t fit them." The 90-year-old woman recalled her custom-made cheongsam scene and sighed, "It’s very troublesome, the fabric is very elegant, looking for styles, tailors and embroiderers …"

　　　　　　　　Today, Xia Meng, 81, is a smash hit movie star and Jin Yong’s dream lover. "Her blue knitted mercerized cotton cheongsam is fresh and elegant in color, with exquisite Suzhou embroidery on the chest." Song Luxia said that for the sake of Xia Meng’s cheongsam, she made a special trip to Hong Kong and met the legendary Xia Meng …

　　　　　　　　When asked if she could still see the charm of the old red star from the old lady’s face, Song Luxia shook her head and said, "She has fallen, and she doesn’t talk much, and her vitality is insufficient. People are old. " Looking at the gorgeous cheongsam in front of me, thinking about this means a long time.

Miss Zhao Si, Zhao Yidi’s cheongsam