Cheongsam - Qipao

The cheongsam is a body-hugging (modified in Shanghai) one-piece Chinese dress for women. It is known in Chinese as the qípáo (旗袍), qípáor (旗袍儿), Wade-Giles ch'i-p'ao, and is also known in English as a mandarin gown. The modern cheongsam is a modernized version of the qipao of the Manchurians who conquered China in the 17th century (Qing Dynasty).