Among the many beauties in the Renaissance: Mr. Yuan Jianwei, the "Man in a Cheongsam"
Collecting long gowns is often thought to be a woman's hobby, but there's a "cheongsam man" in the city—his home houses over a thousand cheongsams, each a unique work of art, carrying touching stories and profound cultural significance, mainly donated by long gown enthusiasts and relatives. This film costume designer, born in the 1980s, has been tirelessly promoting local long gown culture.
His collecting career began at the age of nineteen. Driven by a deep interest in and thirst for knowledge about traditional clothing, he carefully disassembled and studied his first long gown in hopes of gaining a deeper understanding of its craftsmanship. This passion for traditional clothing and his spirit of exploration remain undiminished to this day.
His deep affection for the long gown stemmed from a touching childhood memory—a precious photograph of his grandmother. As a child, his grandmother told him she used to be a poor maid. Every time he visited her, a photograph would be placed by her bedside; the woman in the photo was elegant and radiant, exuding a stunningly noble air, as graceful as screen stars like Connie Chan and Josephine Siao. Mr. Yuan always assumed the woman in the photograph was a prominent figure or a deceased elder, never imagining it was his grandmother. This question persisted from third to sixth grade, and only after persistent questioning did he finally discover the truth in middle school. Mr. Yuan was astonished to discover that a long gown paired with light makeup could transform a maid into a star. This photograph of him wearing a long gown allowed young Mr. Yuan to personally experience the magical charm of the long gown and how it could bestow upon a person an extraordinary temperament and dignity. This is why he began to pursue the long gown.
As Mr. Yuan delved deeper into the culture of the cheongsam, he resolved to apprentice himself to learn the craft and pass on this traditional art. Since 2007, he visited more than ten masters, his footsteps covering mainland China and Taiwan. Witnessing the passing of several masters, he realized he had to act quickly, not only to collect cheongsams and qipaos, but also to learn the craft itself. After several setbacks in his attempt to become an apprentice, a chance encounter during a radio interview led Master Feng, a listener, to contact him and offer to teach him cheongsam making. He was fortunate enough to become a student of the renowned Master Feng Youcai, beginning a challenging yet fulfilling learning journey. During his three years of study, he not only mastered every detail of traditional tailoring and sewing techniques, but also experienced the precious bond between master and apprentice. His master had been reluctant to formally accept him as an apprentice until his wedding day. His and his wife's wedding rings were even made from sewing thimbles modified by his master. At the wedding, this master-apprentice relationship reached its most touching moment—he and his wife paid their respects to their master with a traditional kneeling tea ceremony, and the master finally formally accepted him as his disciple. This heartwarming scene moved everyone present.
Driven by a mission to inherit and promote traditional culture, he spontaneously founded the meaningful "Folk Cheongsam Day," deliberately choosing February 4th—a date of great significance to him—his wedding anniversary. On this day, he received two of the most important people in his life—his wife and his mentor. This creative initiative not only aims to promote cheongsam culture but also addresses a common issue: many cheongsam collectors often lament the lack of occasions to wear them. Firstly, cheongsams are expensive, and secondly, there are few opportunities to wear them on a daily basis. He observed that Hong Kong women would specifically travel to Japan to rent kimonos for an experience, but few would order a cheongsam. Therefore, he thought: why not create a special day for everyone to wear cheongsams together? This not only provides enthusiasts with a special opportunity to showcase this elegant garment, but also allows this precious traditional art to continue to shine in modern society. In Mr. Yuan's heart, a truly moving cheongsam does not depend on its market value or the exquisiteness of its craftsmanship, but on the sincere emotions contained in every stitch, and the touching stories and profound cultural significance behind each piece. This dedication and love for traditional craftsmanship has made him an important driving force for the inheritance of Hong Kong's traditional clothing culture.
To learn more about the touching story of Mr. Yuan Jianwei's collection of cheongsams, their profound cultural significance, and his mission to inherit and promote local cheongsam culture, please watch the following video interview.
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