
Clothing
Ancient China for Kids
People in ancient China wore tunics. Women wore long tunics, sometimes with a second tunic over the first. Some worn pants under their tunics. The men worn shorter tunics over pants. In colder weather, people wore warm, short jackets. (It wasn't until the middle ages, about 1200 CE, that cotton was introduced by the Mongols.)
One emperor decided that peasants could not wear bright colors, but that did not last very long. Later on, in the Middle Ages, the government did get involved in what people could wear and how they could look. But in ancient China, nobody cared what colors you wore as long as you did your work. Most farmers wore dark blues and grays. But if a farmer wanted to allow his wife to dye her clothes in bright colors, she could.
There was a big different between the clothes of rich and poor. Poor people made clothing out of various plant fibers. Their clothing was rather stiff and scratchy, until the introduction of cotton. The rich made clothing out of silk. Their clothes were soft and beautiful and richly colored.
The rich and some of the people who lived in the cities did ape the clothing and manners of the royal court to the best of their ability. During the Tang Dynasty, China's Golden Age, people who lived in the cities had fun with hair styles and makeup. Women wore little hats that had dangling bells on them that rang softly. Men wore topknots. Men shaved their heads except for the hair right in the center. They wrapped that hair up in a knot. They used hairpins to keep it wrapped up. They wore jade belts and fancy hats. and coats made out of fur.
Shoes were always important. They were a status symbol. Peasants wore straw sandals. Nobles wore cloth slippers.
Wang the Peddler (ancient story)

Explore Ancient China
Ancient China Occupations, Professions
The invention and importance of tea
Superstitions in Ancient China
Taoism - An Ancient Philosophy
Comparison of Beliefs - Taoism, Confucianism, Legalism
The 3 Teachings - Confucius, Taoism, Buddhism
Myth: Why Chinese dragons have five toes
Myth: Nian, the Horrible Monster
Ancient Story: Wang the Peddler
Ancient Story: The True Story of Mulan
Ancient Story: The Warrior Well
Legend: The Story of Shadow Puppets
Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age (for kids)
Achievements & Ancient Inventions
Take the Quiz, interactive with answers
Interactive Games about Ancient China for Kids
For Teachers
Ancient China Lesson Plans, Classroom Activities, Projects
What is the difference between a proverb and a fable? (1-2 class periods)
The Three Doctrines & Legalism
Debates on Censorship (2-3 class periods)
The Silk Road Game (1-2 class periods)
Several Lesson Ideas for Ancient China
Free Use PowerPoints about Ancient China for Kids and Teachers
See Also: