阅读理解As a kind of traditional Chinese dress, Ma Mian Qun (horse face skirt) first appeared in the Song Dynasty and grew popular during the Ming Dynasty. The two sides of Ma Mian Qun are pleated (起褶的), and there is a smooth part in the middle, commonly known as "Ma Mian".
Why is it called "Ma Mian"? In fact, "Ma Mian" is a kind of structure used for protection in the city wall system. However, all the books about Ma Mian Qun only show that the smooth surface without pleats in the middle is called "Ma Mian". But there is no further explanation of how Ma Mian Qun got its name.
Ma . Mian Qun is colorful, mostly red and blue. Red means good luck and joy. According to Han customs, women usually wore red skirts during celebrations of festivals. In the Qing dynasty,blue was also common and popular, paired with black and yellow.
Ma Mian Qun has different kinds of patterns with different meanings. For example, dragon and phoenix patterns show the love between a man and a woman or a beautiful marriage.Peony(牡丹) is a symbol of wealth and honor.
Recently, Ma Mian Qun has become a popular form of skirt for Hanfu fans. More and more modern fashion designers find ideas from Ma Mian Qun. For example, some get ideas from the patterns. Some connect the styles of Ma Mian Qun with T-shirts or blouses, which are more suitable for everyday wear. Even western fashion has been influenced by Ma Mian Oun for many years.