The Blue and the Black (1966)
Linda Lin Dai as Tang Qi

A young girl from Tianjin becomes a nightclub singer, waiting in vain for her lover.

This is one of Linda Lin Dai’s last works of her lifetime. Her costume echoes the title of the original novel as well as the film: blue represents brightness, while black represents sinking into darkness.

The film is adapted from Wang Lan’s novel of the same title, which is known as one of the four major novels about the Anti-Japanese War.


Characteristics of the Qipao Costume

This machine-embroidered fabric is an imported product, a fashionable choice since the 1950s. The western-style tailoring with set-in sleeves, bust darts, waist darts were not standards during the Japanese occupation period. The only hint of the era is the row of hand-knotted buttons. In order to create an understated elegance, the floral patterns of the fabric are placed on the sides, on the shoulder and sleeves area of the qipao.

Costume Designer: Yuen Ping-leung