Up until 1911, Chinese males had to wear what as a symbol of submission?
Correct answer: Pigtail
SlickWiggler
Ponytail, not pigtails. The front of the head was shaved and the rest of the hair was braided into a long ponytail. Pigtails are a different hairstyle where there hair is arranged into two tails on either side of the head.
Laudy Miss Claudy
SlickWiggler, Actually the long braid worn by Chinese is called a queue. In the 19th century many Chinese came to California to build the railroad. As punishment the white overseers would cut off a man's queue and he could not return to China with short hair. So he would be stuck in Calif until he could grow a new queue.
May12553
SlickWiggler, If the hair is braided, it’s called a pigtail. Unbraided hair is called a ponytail.
Nutshell
LOL! Have any of you considered that different areas of the US and different countries and/or cultures might simply have different meanings for the words braids, pigtails, and ponytails?
I grew up on the east coast of the US, around Washington DC a ponytail was a single loose tail in the back & pigtails meant you parted your hair down the middle w/two loose tails (one by each ear), and plaited hair was called a braid.
Player #2509222
well I googled it, pigtail is a braid, though I have to say I have never in my life heard a single braid referred to as a pigtail or anything other than a braid. I've always heard pigtails used to imply more than one braid or ponytail.
Princess 'M'
An interesting history lesson right here!
Alypally65
SlickWiggler, pigtails is correct. ponytail is loose not plaited or braided. ☺
EvilEve9
Player #2896791, actually pigtails are worn in pairs , one each side of your head. A pony tail is singular and can be worn at any angle you choose. You can braid or plaite either pigtails or a ponytail. I have been a Hairstylist for 35 years. Learne this in Cosmetology school.
MuddyColony29304
queue is th correct spelling
Taranchalanche
Not sure how to spell it, but called a queue
Hunger Knowledge
This HAS to be A Missunderstanding . Chinese Men I saw in martial arts films were WARRIORS. Good or Bad they fought & Died for what they believed in
booboo
SlickWiggler, l
Dorothy
I didn't know that was why.
BamaBell
Jenn Natalia , as a blk Southerner it can be both a singular braid(pigtail) or two like you described(pigtails) and yes one section loose no braid is a ponytail or you can have two ponytails( divided into two separate sections loose no braid)
Jenn Natalia
pigtails are hair divided two separate sections... PONYTAIL one section
Lionessa
Foot binding persisted in China into the 20th century. Little girls' toes and arches broken, folded under, and bound until the maiming was permanent. It was high-class torture.
Player #120374466
The poor Chinese men were oppressed by both the Manchu rulers and the Americans. But staying in China might have been worse.
Waterbae
SlickWiggler, Keyword is braided which is a pigtail, one may have as many braids as desired and call them pigtails or plaits all the same thing.
amel
SlickWiggler, thanks 👍
Cheryl
SlickWiggler, yes, you are correct about the difference between pigtails and a ponytail, however if it's braided; it's a braid and not a ponytail.
stubob
SlickWiggler, hey Slick...their (not there) hair is arranged. Hope this helps!
Elizabeth
SlickWiggler, you're absolutely right. Great call!
Shalindria
Avenida Delmesa,
“and let’s not get started on “french braids” and “corn rolls”
I can’t resist, they’re called cornrows. They are reminiscent of rows of corn
Dayrell
Very interesting information thank you Guys n Girls for the education I have seen the hair style but did NOT know the actual implications or in this instance DISRESPECT that overseers used to shame their Help to remain in California
Polo
SlickWiggler, Hair parted into two tails are called twin tails. Still pigtails if it’s braided.
Polo
May12553, I think you’re exactly right. Makes a lot of sense.
Clo
May12553, but pigtails are shorter, the queue was long.
pavon
Player #2509222, never believe everything you google. I believe everybody knows that a ponytail is unbrated and pigtails are braided whether it's one or two
Ooma
SlickWiggler, wrong unless it's plural.
George
May12553, umm pigtails are on the side and ponytails are on the back, a plait or braid is a braid! Also, pigtails are short (as in real pig’s tails, hence the name, hence the side!)
Joyous one
gabi, I think it's because a pig's tail is curly and the braid resembles the pig's tail especially when you undo the braid. Then it truly looks like the tail of a pig.
gabi
EvilEve9, Yes, but WHY is the pigtail(s) called a PIGTAIL? The PONYTAIL and PLAITS are easy to understand but I've never seen a piggy with one!
ihavenoname
SlickWiggler, drop dead
Dragon Butter 23
Player #2509222, You would be correct, Google on the other hand is often wrong.
Bijou
Laudy Miss Claudy, Hmm, another form of slavery. What a surprise. :(
Gianna
when I read the word pigtail I thought of one strand of a braid. so a lot of people are disagreeing with that but that's what I agreed with
Buzzem
angeleyes4u2, thanks for the link to the Wikipedia article on the Pigtail Ordinance. So interesting that the usage of "pigtail" has shifted over the years so much that most people here would use it and understand it to mean exclusively a pair. But clearly from the old usage, back then pigtail could be used for one.
Player #6276113
I just watched an episode of The Rifleman about this subject.
Player #36829905
Alypally65, wow is it worth arguing about....
Player #36053794
SlickWiggler, you can have one pigtail.