When we look at pictures from past dynasties in China, we can see that girls who were considered “beauties of the ages” look vastly different from girls who follow today’s beauty standards。

當(dāng)我們回顧中國歷代的照片，我們會發(fā)現(xiàn)被認(rèn)為“當(dāng)代美女”和如今的美女標(biāo)準(zhǔn)天差地別。

Some features of Chinese beauties have not changed for thousands of years while other facets are completely opposite of the traditional idea of beauty in China。

一些中國女性美的特征幾千年都不曾改編，而另一些則和中國傳統(tǒng)美的概念截然相反。

Skin

皮膚

For thousands of years, ‘creamy skin’ has been considered a staple of Chinese beauty. Often the phrases “transparent crystal” and “warm jade” are used to describe the beautiful skin. The standard for beautiful skin is not limited to a pure white skin color, but includes pink – reflecting the harmonious beauty of red touched with white。

幾千年來，“白皙晶瑩的皮膚”都被認(rèn)為是東方美人的一大特征。通常成語“晶瑩剔透”和“溫潤如玉”被用來描述完美的肌膚。完美肌膚的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)并不局限于白皙如雪的色澤，也包括了粉色——反映出白里透紅的和諧美感。

小編點(diǎn)評：“肌膚若冰雪，淖約若處子”，也許皮膚是天生的，但是保養(yǎng)卻是每個人都能做到的。即使不化妝，只要“cleanse regularly to keep your skin looking fresh”(定期保養(yǎng)皮膚)，你也可以成為素顏美人。

Hair

頭發(fā)

Dark, bright, thick and long hair is the only type considered traditionally beautiful when hair is concerned. People praise thick, black hair like streaks of clouds in the sky。

提到頭發(fā)，黑色、光亮、濃密的長發(fā)被認(rèn)為是傳統(tǒng)的東方美人唯一特征。人們夸贊濃密的黑發(fā)如同“天空中的暗紋”。

Hairstyles throughout Chinese history have varied, influenced by a particular concubine who represents the style of each dynasty. Styles have ranged from straight hair (Zhang Lihua)， curly hair (Zhao Hede)， ornate hairdos (Zhao Feiyan) to hair that is gathered up on top of the head and decorated with various ornaments。

中國歷史上的發(fā)型受特殊的妾室的影響多種多樣紛呈不同，每個人都代表了每個朝代的美人發(fā)型。從直發(fā)(張麗華)，卷發(fā)(趙合德)，華麗的發(fā)型(趙飛燕)還有把頭發(fā)盤在頭頂并配飾上各種各樣的飾品。

小編點(diǎn)評：“鬢云欲度香腮雪”，對于美女發(fā)型的定義古今已是大有不同�，F(xiàn)在的發(fā)型千奇百怪也能為美女增添風(fēng)采。不過果然最傳統(tǒng)的中國美女還是“黑長直”(black、long、straight)。

Face

臉型

The ideal features for Chinese women, however, are 'melon seed face' (the English translation would be an oval face, but with a pointed chin) and 'goose egg face'. Dating sites even list face shape as important information alongside build, age, etc。

中國女性的理想美貌，則是“瓜子臉”(英文翻譯該是oval face-鵝蛋臉， 不過是尖下巴)還有“鵝蛋臉“。約會網(wǎng)站還把臉型列為和住所、年齡等等一樣的重要信息。

小編點(diǎn)評：“腮凝新荔，鼻膩鵝脂，溫柔沉默，觀之可親”描述的是標(biāo)準(zhǔn)東方美人的臉，外貌和神態(tài)都算入標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。除了瓜子臉和鵝蛋臉，中國女子通常還有“蘋果臉”(apple face)、“燒餅?zāi)?rdquo;(pancake face)，當(dāng)然也不乏“國字臉”(square face)這樣女漢紙的臉型==。

Eyes

眼睛

In ancient China, the standard of beautiful eyes is not only focused on charm, but also a sense of propriety and class. Phrases "Like Autumn water" and "autumn moiré" have historically been used to describe the beauty of eyes. Therefore, clear bright eyes represent the beauty standard. A poem written about Yang Guifei praises that "the enchanting eyes makes six palace powder women have no colour."

在中國古代，美女眼睛的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)不僅僅是“有吸引力的”，而且還要透露著禮節(jié)和階級。像“如一汪秋水”還有“剪水秋瞳”這樣的成語都被用來描摹美目。因此，澄澈明亮的眼睛成為了美女的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。一首描寫楊貴妃的詞就這樣贊譽(yù)到“回眸一笑百媚生，六宮粉黛無顏色。”

小編點(diǎn)評：因秋水清澈，看后讓人心曠神怡，所以古人常常用“秋水”這個比喻來形容“清澈的眼眸”。所以我們形容美女的眼睛常常說“雙眸剪秋水”。當(dāng)然除了眼睛，也不能少了眉毛(eyebrow)，《紅樓夢》里我們最熟悉的那句“兩彎似蹙非蹙籠煙眉，一雙似喜非喜含情目”立刻讓林黛玉的形象躍然紙上。

Hands

手

“Tender bamboo shoots” and “white jade” are the classical phrases used to describe beautiful hands in ancient China. Fingers should be long, delicate and graceful, but not too spindly. In addition, beautiful hands had to be white, smooth and seemingly boneless。

“纖纖玉指”、“白皙如玉”是形容古代東方美女手的經(jīng)典成語。手指必須是修長、精巧且優(yōu)雅的，但是不能太細(xì)長。而且，纖細(xì)玉手必須是白皙的、光滑的，并且看上去柔若無骨。

小編點(diǎn)評：古人形容美女手的詩句也很多，如“指若削蔥根”、“春蔥玉指如蘭花”還有“露來玉指纖纖軟”。而古代沒有指甲油(nail polish)，大家還是以染紅指甲為美，宮人通常是搗花來趕制染指甲的涂料。

Hips

臀

Whether the hips are full and round or not has been a varying standard of beauty through Chinese history. Although modern girls tend to favor a narrow silhouette, during earlier dynasties such as the Tang Dynasty women with wide hips were considered especially beautiful. The reason was that Chinese believe that women will be more likely to have healthy babies if their hips are full and round。

在中國的歷史長河中，美人臀部是否飽滿圓潤標(biāo)準(zhǔn)不一。雖然現(xiàn)代女性傾向于窄臀，在像唐朝這樣早些年代，美女都是寬臀。原因在于，中國人認(rèn)為女人臀部圓潤寬大更容易生出健康的孩子。

Waists

腰

The shape of a woman’s waist is another attribute that has undergone change. Nowadays, a slender waist is considered to be one of the most desirable features a woman can possess. This modern standard is similar to the preferences observed during the Han Dynasty when slender, narrow waist. But during the Tang Dynasty women who were round and full-waisted were considered beautiful。

女性的腰型也是另一項千年未曾改變的美女標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。如今，楚腰纖細(xì)仍為認(rèn)為是女性夢寐以求的腰身。現(xiàn)代的這項美女標(biāo)準(zhǔn)和漢朝楊柳細(xì)腰的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)如出一轍。但是在唐朝，女性圓潤且豐盈的腰身則被當(dāng)做是美的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。

小編點(diǎn)評：“肩若削成，腰若約素”。不過腰細(xì)作為美女標(biāo)準(zhǔn)好像中西方不謀而合。國外就有束腰(corset)來勒出理想腰型。