Mao suit

Chinese tunic suit ("Zhongshan"/"Mao suit")
Sun Yat-sen

The Chinese tunic suit is a style of men's formal attire originally known in China as the Zhongshan suit (simplified Chinese: 中山装; traditional Chinese: 中山裝; pinyin: Zhōngshān zhuāng), which is namesake after the Xinhai Revolution leader Sun Yat-sen (1866–1925), who was better known by the honorific name Sun Zhongshan. In the West, the suit is more commonly known as the "Mao suit" or "Mao tunic" due to Chairman Mao Zedong's open fondness for the style.

There are debates over when and where Sun Yat-sen designed the suit,[1] but it is generally believed that Sun took inspiration from the Japanese school uniform (gakuran) and collaborated with a comrade named Wong Lung-sang (黃隆生, 1870–1939), who used to run a tailor shop in central Hanoi, to design the suit in 1923.[2][3][4][5] Sun introduced the style to Mainland China shortly after the founding of the Republic of China as a form of national dress with distinct political overtones, and the attire became popular around the time of the Northern Expedition. The four pockets on the suit jacket are said to represent the Four Virtues of propriety, justice, honesty, and humility; and the five buttons the Five Yuans of the Nationalist Government (i.e. Executive, Legislative, Judicial, Examination, Control).[6][7][8][9][10]

The suits came to be widely worn by adult men and government leaders after the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War and the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, and became closely associated with Mao Zedong and Chinese Communism. Mao's cut of the suit was a modified style designed in 1956 with influence from the Stalin tunic, which was prevalent among Soviet officials at the time.[11] The suit served as a symbol of proletarian unity, and an Eastern counterpart to the Western business suit. With the end of the Cultural Revolution and the start of Deng Xiaoping's "Reform and Opening Up" policy, increased popularity of the Western business suit led to a decline in use of the Mao suit by the general public in the 1980s and 1990s. However, it is still frequently worn by Chinese leaders and officials during important state ceremonies and functions.[12][13] The suit is also worn in North Korea by Workers' Party elites. The style was also fashionable among Western socialists and intellectuals in the 1960s and 1970s.[13]

Origins

When the Republic was founded in 1912, the style of dress worn in China was based on Manchu dress (qipao and changshan), which had been imposed by the Qing dynasty as a form of social control. The majority-Han Chinese revolutionaries who overthrew the Qing were fueled by the failure of the Qing to defend China and a lack of scientific advancement compared to foreign colonial powers. Even before the founding of the Republic, older forms of Chinese dress were becoming unpopular among the elite and led to the development of Chinese dress which combined the changshan and the European suit to form a new dress. The Zhongshan suit is a parallel development that combined European-inspired Chinese fashion. Chinese schools began adopting high-collared Western and European military tunics, with three pockets and five buttons in the early 1900s, which is an early version of the Zhongshan suit. With the increased militarisation of Qing China, military-style clothing increased in popularity.

Sun wearing one early version of the suit, with seven buttons instead of five

As early as 1905, in the aftermath of the Russo-Japanese War, Sun Yat-sen had a tailor shop in Yokohama design a jacket based on the gakuran, a Japanese school uniform inspired by the Prussian Waffenrock, which was likely the plain military-style jacket that he was photographed wearing circa 1912 and arguably the forebear of the Zhongshan suit.[14] By 1914, Sun had been photographed wearing another military-style tunic that was recognisably the Zhongshan suit except with seven buttons instead of five, and the next year, had a Nanjing tailor shop alter another uniform into a tunic. By the time of Sun's death in 1925, the name of the Zhongshan suit became frequently mentioned in writing such as in tailor's advertising or newspapers.[14] In 1925, boycotts of foreign businesses in the May 30th Movement led to widespread calls for citizens to adopt the "Zhongshan suit", explicitly "imitating the short coat that Mr. Zhongshan wore." By 1929, the new Chinese Nationalist government had designated the Zhongshan suit as the regulation dress of government officials.[15] Later designs bear stronger resemblance to the French tunic and the later Stalin tunic.

Historical development

Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong both wearing Zhongshan suits, in Chongqing 1945

The Mao suit remained the standard formal dress for the first and second generations of PRC leaders such as Deng Xiaoping. During the 1990s, it began to be worn with decreasing frequency by leaders of CCP General Secretary Jiang Zemin's generation as more and more Chinese politicians began wearing traditional European-style suits with neckties. Jiang wore it only on special occasions, such as state dinners. General Secretary Hu Jintao still wore the Mao suit on special occasions, such as the ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic in 2009.[16] Hu Jintao appeared at a black tie state dinner in the United States wearing a business suit, attracting some criticism for being underdressed at a formal occasion.[17][18] In the general secretaryship of Xi Jinping the Mao suit made a comeback as a diplomatic uniform and evening dress.

Symbol of national sovereignty

The Mao suit is worn at the most formal ceremonies as a symbol of national sovereignty. China's paramount leaders always wear Mao suits for military parades in Beijing, even though other CCP Politburo Standing Committee members and other CCP Politburo officials wear European business suits. It is customary for Chinese leaders to wear Mao suits when attending state dinners.[19][20][21] In this situation, the Mao suit serves as a form of evening dress, equivalent to a military uniform for a monarch, or a tuxedo for a paramount leader.

The Mao suit also serves as a diplomatic uniform. Although Chinese ambassadors usually wear European business suits, many Chinese ambassadors choose to wear a Mao suit when they present their credentials to the head of state.[22][23][24] The presentation ceremony is symbolic of the diplomatic recognition that exists between the two countries, so it carries a higher level of formality than other diplomatic meetings.

Notable uses

Hasan Piker wearing a suit similar to the Mao Suit at a Chris Rabb rally in April 30th, 2026.

On July 18, 2026, American left wing political commentator and streamer Hasan Piker wore a custom made Zhongshan (Mao) suit when he appeared as a speaker at the College Democrats of America National Convention held in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.[25][26] The speech that he delivered criticized and condemned the policies of the Second Trump Administration but ended the speech by condemning the Democrats who he claimed were compromising to and collaborating with the policies of the Republican Party.

No more to the Democrats who collaborate and cooperate with the fascists, who will fund ICE, who will fund Israel... we don't need those Democrats anymore!

— Hasan Piker, Speech at the College Democrats of America Convention

The use of the suit during the speech, the style, and the content of said speech was subject to criticism by many conservative politicians, political commentators, and content creators. Spencer Pratt, former candidate in the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election wrote on X that "Hasan Piker dressed as Mao, brainwashing your kids at college. They’re communists. This was always communism."[27]

Hasan defended his use of the suit by pointing out that he liked the suit due to how it blends Eastern and Western fashion. He also pointed to Sun Yat-Sen as the origin of the suit rather than Mao, but does agree that "Mao Zedong popularized it quite a bit."[28] He also claimed that the suit he used in that speech was tailored by the family that "invented the suit style" during his trip to China back in 2025.[29]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 薛偉強、湯文：《中山裝“政治含義”考辨》，天津，《歷史教學.中學版》2014年第11期。
  2. ↑ "多面手革命家黄隆生："国服"中山装的设计者". Archived from the original on February 24, 2011. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  3. ↑ 陳炳聖 (2007). 《萬物簡史》. 源樺. ISBN 986828421X.
  4. ↑ 区景常 (March 5, 2011). "黄隆生：中山装的设计者". 江门日报. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  5. ↑ 中國國民黨黨史館. "孫中山四十九歲時像". 國家文化資料庫. Archived from the original on July 12, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  6. ↑ Mack, Lauren. "The History Behind the Chinese Version of a Business Suit". ThoughtCo. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  7. ↑ Gunde, Richard (2002). Culture and customs of China. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-30876-5. OCLC 610665365.
  8. ↑ Johansson, Perry (2015). The libidinal economy of China: gender, nationalism, and consumer culture. Lexington Books. ISBN 978-0-7391-9262-7. OCLC 934516889.
  9. ↑ Barmé, Geremie (2016). Shades of Mao: the posthumous cult of the great leader. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-315-28575-7. OCLC 999612140.
  10. ↑ Strittmatter, Kai (2012). China: an introduction to the culture and people. London: Armchair Traveller at the bookHaus. ISBN 978-1-907973-17-8. OCLC 809224115.
  11. ↑ ""Сталинка" - Намедни. Наша Эра". namednibook.ru.
  12. ↑ "Mao suit continued choice of China's top leaders for National Day ceremony - People's Daily Online". en.people.cn.
  13. 1 2 Sebag Montefiore, Clarissa (November 2, 2015). "From Red Guards to Bond villains: Why the Mao suit endures". BBC Culture.
  14. 1 2 Finnane, Antonia (2023). How to Make a Mao Suit: Clothing the People of Communist China, 1949–1976. Cambridge University Press. pp. 32–35. ISBN 9781009359986.
  15. ↑ Finnane, Antonia (2023). How to Make a Mao Suit: Clothing the People of Communist China, 1949–1976. Cambridge University Press. pp. 37–38. ISBN 9781009359986.
  16. ↑ "Mao suit continued choice of China's top leaders for National Day ceremony", Xinhua, 1 October 2009.
  17. ↑ Chow, Jason (January 20, 2011). "What to Wear to a State Dinner". Scene Asia. Wall Street Journal. But Wednesday night, Chinese President Hu Jintao did not wear a tuxedo. Instead, he opted for a dark suit and a conservative blue tie. On a sartorial level, the Chinese President was shown up by his American counterpart and the first lady. President Obama wore an elegant dinner jacket, and his wife, Michelle, a flowing red dress by Alexander McQueen.
  18. ↑ Macartney, Jane (January 20, 2011). "Hu's lounge suit was wrong on all counts". The Times (London). Hu Jintao should have chosen a beautifully cut Mao suit instead of a blue-spotted tie for his first White House state dinner.
  19. ↑ "China State Dinners". The White House Historical Association. Retrieved January 30, 2016. Presidents Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon speak with Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping of China during the State Dinner on January 29, 1979.
  20. ↑ "White House State Dinner for the President of China". Archived from the original on February 18, 2017. Retrieved January 30, 2016. The President and Mrs. Clinton are hosting His Excellency President Jiang Zemin and Madame Wang Yeping at a White House State Dinner on Wednesday, October 29, 1997. President Jiang and Madame Wang will arrive at the North Portico at 7:15 p.m..
  21. ↑ Ramzy, Austin (March 25, 2014). "A Chinese-Style Suit for Xi Jinping's European Trip". Sinosphere. The New York Times. President Xi Jinping wore a modified Mao suit to a state dinner hosted by the Dutch royal family in Amsterdam on Saturday, eliciting surprise from Chinese citizens who are used to their leaders' sartorial decisions being a model of suit-and-tie uniformity.
  22. ↑ "H.E. Ambassador Zhang Weidong Presents Credentials to the President of Iceland". Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of Iceland. September 30, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Ambassador to Sweden Chen Yuming Presents Credentials to His Majesty the King of Sweden". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China. December 10, 2013.
  24. ↑ "Ambassador to Iran Pang Sen Presents Credentials to President Hassan Rouhani of Iran". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China. June 23, 2014.
  25. ↑ WE'RE NOT GOING AWAY. HasanAbi. July 16, 2026. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  26. ↑ College Democrats of America (August 13, 2026). "College Democrats of America Convention Page". College Democrats of America. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  27. ↑ Spencer Pratt [@spencerpratt] (July 19, 2026). "Hasan Piker dressed as Mao, brainwashing your kids at college. They're communists. This was always communism" (Tweet). Retrieved August 13, 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  28. ↑ Hasan Responds To The Mao Suit Controversy. HasanAbi Archive. August 13, 2026. Event occurs at 5:11. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
  29. ↑ Hasan Responds To The Mao Suit Controversy. HasanAbi Archive. August 13, 2026. Event occurs at 5:35. Retrieved August 13, 2026.
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