An essential element of traditional Chinese civilisation, the sartorial arts exemplify the diversity of culture and aesthetics among China's many ethnic groups and regions.This lavishly illustrated volume comprehensively chronicles the history of the Chinese art of dress. It consists of three parts: The Introduction provides an overview of the evolution of Chinese garb, and identifies fashion trends and artistic hallmarks of each era. The main body of the work is divided into eight categories: Headpieces, upper garments, lower garments, footwear, hairstyles, facial adornments, jewelry, patterns and fabrication techniques. To highlight the social and political factors that impacted the development of Chinese garb, each category is presented chronologically from B.C. times through to the fall of the Qing Dynasty in the early twentieth century. This is followed by an Appendix featuring a list of artifacts and a list of dynasty names and dates.Chinese Dress and Adornment through the Ages represents a perfect combination of academic and visually appealing content. The narration is systematic and clear, and over 600 fine illustrations serve both as reference materials and a visual treat. This volume is not simply an invaluable classic work for the dedicated researcher of fashion; it doubles as a practical guide for clothing designers in terms of pattern design, colour matching and style sources. This is a sumptuously illustrated album not to be missed by aficionados of the sartorial arts.