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In a Bronze Mirror: Eileen Chang’s Life and Literature

Chinese Life and Fashions

In 1943, Eileen Chang published an essay entitled “Chinese Life and Fashions”. The essay, as observed by scholar Rey Chow in Woman and Chinese Modernity: The Politics of Reading Between West and East, offers not only a chronicle of modern Chinese fashion, but a sophisticated theorization of Chinese modernity and modern consciousness linked to the vanishing of superfluous detail. Chang writes that in 1920s China, women began wearing long gowns similar to the Qing Dynasty changpao/changshan (長袍,長衫) worn by men, signaling a rising awareness of gender equality. The writer further describes the evolution of the qipao/cheongsam (旗袍), which comes to boldly accentuate Chinese women’s sexuality. Chang’s essay finally reveals the sociocultural significance of the qipao’s removal of non-functional ornamentation and integration of Western dimensional cuts. Most well-known for her writings, Chang was also a gifted illustrator, as demonstrated by her drawings in “Chinese Life and Fashions.” She drew throughout her life, and especially loved portraying women with elegant strokes. Together with her friend Ying Yan (炎櫻), Chang also designed the front covers of her books Romance (傳奇) and Written on Water (流言). Deeply devoted to fashion, Chang was often pictured wearing a glamorous qipao, like those that adorn her female protagonists. Chang’s personal photographs reveal her careful attention to apparel and accessories, and accompanying descriptions provide glimpses into her cross-cultural musings.

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Eileen Chang's grandmother， [s.d.]. My grandmother is the daughter of a farmer and she was married to a navy general's son as a concubine. She probably originated around Hunan Changsha. They both died in their 20s and their kids were brought up by the babysitters. -- "Dui Zhao Ji"，p 019; 张爱玲外婆的照片，[s.d.]."我外婆是农家女,嫁给将门之子做妾，他父亲是湘军水师。她大概使他们原籍湖南长沙附近的人。他们俩都只活到二十几岁，孩子是嫡母带大的"-- 对照记，p 019
Eileen Chang, ca. 1944. In 1944, my friend Zhang had sent someone to take my picture and I wore this Chinese-style dress. After a few shots, I was asked to take different kinds of pictures and thus, I wore a robe on the outside of the dress. -- "Dui Zhao Ji", -- p 067; 张爱玲的照片, ca. 1944."一九四四年业余摄影家童世璋与他有同好的友人张君，名字一时记不起了，托人介绍来给我拍照，我就穿那件唯一的清装行头，大袄下穿着薄呢旗袍。拍了几张，要换个样子。单色呢旗袍不上照，就在旗袍外面加件浴衣，看得出颈项上有一圈旗袍领的阴影。（为求线条简洁，我把低矮的旗袍领改为连续的圈领）"-- 对照记，p. 067
Eileen Chang, [s.d.]. I never wear hats or accessories. The straw hat I am wearing belongs to Yang Yin's sister and the necklace is Yang Ying's. She also lent me her pendant. -- "Dui Zhao Ji", p. 063; 张爱玲的照片, [s.d.]。"我从来不戴帽子，也没有首饰。这里的草帽是炎樱的妹妹的，项链是炎樱的。同一支坠子在图四十一中也借给我戴"-- 对照记，p. 064
Eileen Chang, [s.d.]. I never wear hats or accessories. The straw hat I am wearing belongs to Yang Yin's sister and the necklace is Yang Ying's. She also lent me her pendant. -- "Dui Zhao Ji", p. 063; 张爱玲的照片, [s.d.]。"我从来不戴帽子，也没有首饰。这里的草帽是炎樱的妹妹的，项链是炎樱的。同一支坠子在图四十一中也借给我戴"-- 对照记，p. 063
Eileen Chang, [s.d.]. I never wear hats or accessories. The straw hat I am wearing belongs to Yang Yin's sister and the necklace is Yang Ying's. She also lent me her pendant. -- "Dui Zhao Ji", p. 063; 张爱玲的照片, [s.d.]。"我从来不戴帽子，也没有首饰。这里的草帽是炎樱的妹妹的，项链是炎樱的。同一支坠子在图四十一中也借给我戴"-- 对照记，p. 063
Eileen Chang, [s.d.]. I never wear hats or accessories. The straw hat I am wearing belongs to Yang Yin's sister and the necklace is Yang Ying's. She also lent me her pendant. -- "Dui Zhao Ji", p 063; 张爱玲的照片, [s.d.]。"我从来不戴帽子，也没有首饰。这里的草帽是炎樱的妹妹的，项链是炎樱的。同一支坠子在图四十一中也借给我戴"-- 对照记，p 064

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Eileen Chang, ca. 1944 Eileen Chang, ca. 1944. In 1944, my friend Zhang had sent someone to take my picture and I wore this Chinese-style dress. After a few shots, I was asked to take different kinds of pictures and thus, I wore a robe on the outside of the dress. -- "Dui Zhao Ji", -- p. 067; 张爱玲的照片,ca.1944。"一九四四年业余摄影家童世璋与他有同好的友人张君，名字一时记不起了，托人介绍来给我拍照，我就穿那件唯一的清装行头，大袄下穿着薄呢旗袍。拍了几张，要换个样子。单色呢旗袍不上照，就在旗袍外面加件浴衣，看得出颈项上有一圈旗袍领的阴影。（为求线条简洁，我把低矮的旗袍领改为连续的圈领）"-- 对照记，p. 067