Exploring the Aesthetics of Song Dynasty Costumes through The Song, Painted

Unlock the aesthetics of the Song Dynasty and its people through this selection of elegant and inspiring paintings.

"The Song, Painted" is a digital exhibition launched by CGTN, which comprehensively presents the living scenes of ancient people in Song Dynasty paintings. Several artists, scholars, and curators share their professional insights to analyze the historical and cultural elements hidden within the Song Dynasty paintings.

In this article, let's follow the Hanfu Shidai and renowned designer Chu Yan into the world of Song Dynasty paintings to appreciate the beauty of Song Dynasty costumes and makeup in detail.

Song Dynasty costumes were renowned for their refined and elegant beauty. -- Chu Yan

During the Song Dynasty, there was a significant shift in female body aesthetics. While plumpness was considered beautiful in the Tang Dynasty, thinness became the beauty standard in the Song Dynasty. Simple and elegant clothing styles were widely popular during this time.

In "Palace Concert Rehearsal," we can see characters dressed in simple and modest Beizi (long-sleeved garments) with straight collars and side slits. The loose fit and narrow skirt worn with a tight chest wrap fully showcased the slender and graceful physique of Song women.

The painting "Enjoying the Moon on Terrace" is exquisitely beautiful, depicting noblewomen standing on a jade terrace admiring the moonlight. Wearing a horn-shaped headdress and narrow-sleeved Beizi, they presented an elegant and refined image of female beauty during the Song Dynasty.

Taking "The Night Revels of Han Xizai" as an example, Ms. Chu Yan will continue to introduce us to hanfu in Song Dynasty costumes.

In the painting, most of the performers are wearing Ruqun (a narrow-sleeved jacket with a long skirt and a Pibo), with straight or crossed collars and a tight chest wrap. The overall look is slender and delicate, with the long and narrow Pibo adding a touch of elegance to the dress.

This narrow-sleeved jacket with a pleated skirt and Pibo combination were already important during the Tang Dynasty, but it evolved during the Five Dynasties and Song Dynasty. The skirt's waistline dropped, and the Pibo grew longer.

One of the significant characters in the painting is Wang Wushan, who is dancing in a round-necked robe. A waist accessory made of leather decorated her waist, and the gown had slits on both sides. The round-necked robe is slit on both sides, and wears pants inside, portraying the standard image of a maid or handmaid.

The elegant and graceful character designs in Song Dynasty paintings have become an aspiration for many people. Moreover, many modern fashion trends, including makeup, can be traced back to Song Dynasty styles.

If we take a closer look at the characters in Song Dynasty paintings, they often wear flowers in their hair, regardless of their status. Flowers were quite fashionable during this period, and their popularity can still be seen today as many headpieces and designs incorporate floral patterns.

Observing the colors of daily clothing for women during the Song Dynasty, there is an overall lightness that differs greatly from the heavy, colorful, and luxurious beauty of the Tang Dynasty's preference for red and green. This formed two completely different aesthetic directions.

During the Song Dynasty, clothing typically used intermediate colors, which is what we call today a slightly grayish tone, with high brightness and reduced saturation.

The Song Dynasty valued elegance and this was also reflected in their makeup. The San Bai makeup, similar to modern makeup for women, uses whiter powder to brighten the forehead, nose, and chin. The pearl makeup uses pearls as a Hua Dian (花钿) to decorate the cheeks, face, and brow, and the delicate and warm pearls meet the Song people's pursuit of beauty. Noble women generally used pearl makeup for important ceremonial occasions.

During the Southern Song Dynasty, people may have often been in a misty environment, which brought a hazy and dreamlike sense of beauty. This is completely different from the gorgeous beauty of the Tang Dynasty's strong collision. If the Tang Dynasty was a kind of elegant and luxurious beauty, the Song Dynasty was a clear and refreshing beauty.

On the basis of aesthetics, the clothing of the Song Dynasty inherited many clothing styles from the Han and Tang Dynasties, while also creating its own new era of extremely simple, elegant, flexible, and elegant clothing styles. This was also an important transitional period in the history of clothing.

The Song people's passion for life and their delicate perceptual abilities created a refined aesthetic that became a new trend that influenced later generations.

If you would like to learn more about Song Dynasty costumes and makeup through Song Dynasty paintings, please visit "The Song, Painted" to learn more.