As the warmth of spring gradually penetrates the earth, people are shedding heavy winter clothes, but the ancient wisdom of "spring and autumn frost" still reminds us not to rush to change into thin clothing. At this turn of seasons, the waistcoat, a seemingly inconspicuous garment, has become a must-have in many people's wardrobes because of its unique practicality.

The vest has a long tradition and profound cultural heritage in Chinese history. Its origin was not designed for humans, but the equipment of war horses on the ancient battlefield - horse armor. Early horsewear was made of leather, bronze, and even stone, and was used to protect war horses from harm. In the "Zuo Biography", there is a record of the major national events in sacrifice and war, and the victory of war is often inseparable from advanced weapons and equipment, so the vest came into being.

Over time, the horse armor gradually evolved from the equipment of war horses to the clothing of humans. During the Han Dynasty, a sleeveless blouse called "裨crotch" was considered the original form of the waistcoat. This costume was first introduced to the Central Plains by the northern ethnic minorities, and began to be worn by both men and women during the Wei and Jin dynasties. The crotch is not only used as an everyday wear, but also as a token of love, conveying fiery emotions.

By the Tang Dynasty, a type of clothing called "half-arm" became popular, which resembled the modern short-sleeved shirt, but with shorter sleeves and larger openings. The half-arm not only became the favored choice of ordinary women, but also became one of the dresses of officials in the Tang Dynasty. During the reign of Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, the minister Ma Zhou once wrote a letter asking officials to wear a half-arm over their underwear to meet the requirements of etiquette, and the half-arm became the ceremonial uniform of officials in the Tang Dynasty.

During the Song Dynasty, the vest was called the "half-back", which was longer than the half-arm of the Tang Dynasty, and could be worn by both men and women. During the Yuan Dynasty, because the royal family came from the northern ethnic minorities and paid more attention to the practicality of clothing, a collarless sleeveless top called "Bijia" became popular. The shape of this costume is already relatively similar to that of modern waistcoats, and the length is generally below the knee, and some are even less than a foot above the ground.

After the Qing Dynasty, the name "vest" replaced "bijia" and became a classic costume. In the early Qing Dynasty, the waistcoat was relatively narrow and was generally worn as underwear in the robe; By the middle and later periods, the waistcoat became more wide and was usually worn over the robe. At this time, the design of the vest was more refined, the workmanship was more elegant, and the design of the placket became more diverse, such as the placket, the placket, the pipa placket and the placket.

The materials used in the Qing Dynasty vest are also very particular, in addition to linen and cloth, there are also precious silk, silk, silk and other fabrics. In order to show wealth and status, people also decorated the collar, placket and hem with lace, pendants of gold and silver, and jeweled buttons. The Empress Dowager Cixi was a big lover of waistcoats, and she owned a large number of vests, exquisite designs, and precious materials.

During the Republican period, women often wore small jackets with bell sleeves with long or short vests and long skirts. In the 20s of the 0th century, this combination gradually evolved into the original style of the modern cheongsam - the vest cheongsam. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, especially since the reform and opening up, Western-style vests and sports and leisure vests have been more integrated into the daily life of the people, while Chinese-style vests have also maintained strong vitality.

The history of the evolution of the vest is not only a history of changes in clothing, but also a history of openness and inclusiveness. From ancient war horse equipment to modern fashion items, vests have become an indispensable part of people's wardrobes with their unique practicality and cultural connotation.