by Off the Beaten Track » Fri Nov 26, 2010 10:22 am
back in the day, people trained in their Regular clothes. Infact, out side of the few schools which are trying to go public and make money the "western Way" for Kung Fu, they still wear regular clothes, ranging from jeans and t-shirts to shirts and trousers.
The whole Kung fu Uniform is more of a western invention getting the foreigners to wear Chinese clothes which were the typical dress in the Qing Dinasty. Just after the take over in 45 and then opening of China under Deng Xiao Ping martial artists started wearing (ill fitting) jogging/track suits. the only people out here who wear Tong Saam are Taiji practitioners and the flashy performance team (when they are doing a show).
I think for the majority of Chinese, it's a little strange (and some what funny) seeing foriegners wearing traditional Chinese clothes (especially as Chinese don't really wear them any more). Perhaps as funny as foreigners seeing A Chinese guy in a 3 peice suit training kung fu...