Dear veteran viewers of ancient Chinese costume dramas, I'm sure that for everyone, the plot of the hanfu beauty, palace plot, power rivalry, wrongly paid life, and so on has long been known. However, I wonder if you have caught the details to keep up with the fashion trends of traditional accessories throughout the dynasties? For example, what kind of ornaments did Empress Cao put on her face? Another example is that the "tip set" worn on Ru Yi's fingers was for decoration or for something else? And, did the yellow and red powder applied to Mulan's face before the blind date actually exist in history? Also, will this level of hair volume be standard per person? The story of jewelry is long and wide, fine and splendid. We might as well put together a "Top 10 List of Ancient Traditional Accessories Trends" for all the major categories of accessories, based on their length of popularity, usage, and popularity, etc. Since history is too voluminous to be told in one article, this list temporarily selects the mainstream accessories.   No.10 Hu Zhi - Nail Guards Hu Zhi (护指), also know as Nail Guards, is the Qing Dynasty drama, the aristocratic…

While more and more young people are wearing various Chinese costumes and it is also common to see exciting videos related to hanfu on social media. The hanfu market, which was once considered a "niche" market, is also gaining in popularity. According to the China-Chic Economic Development Report 2020-2021 published by iiMedia Research earlier this year, by the end of 2020, there will be more than 5 million hanfu enthusiasts in China, and the hanfu market sales scale will reach more than 6 billion yuan. Growing from a niche hobby to a $10 billion market, the hanfu industry chain has flourished in design, clothing, sales and peripheral industries, with such things as hanfu festivals, traditional tea experiences, hanfu social products, and hanfu photography services springing up. Many young people have also taken up these emerging positions because of their love and interest.   New career options born from hobby "Amazing! In the Ancient Chinese Costume Exhibition, there is one hanfu whose edge is designed by me!" At the beginning of this year, Qianqian, a 21-year-old Tianjin girl, had her "highlight moment". But five years ago, she had no knowledge of design software, fabric selection and other expertise, despite her love…

Many newcomers to hanfu often wonder, what hanfu style suits me? Which dynasty hanfu style is more suitable for my body shape? If you have this same confusion, please don't worry, after all, hanfu is a brand new style of clothing for most people, but it's really not that complicated. In this article, I will share a few hanfu selection suggestions for you, which will start from the most common hanfu styles and eliminate your confusion.   Hanfu Fashion Trends Hanfu is the collective name for the costumes of the ancient Chinese dynasties, which has a distinctive brand of the times and contains very deep historical values, in addition to the unique aesthetic orientation of hanfu, which is also very appealing. So there is a wide range of hanfu, both the "Classical Hanfu" that adheres to the traditional form; there are also many fashionable "Hanfu Inspired" models, which retain some of the hanfu design, but by and large are more modern. If you want to choose a traditional hanfu that has a deep ancient charm, you may need to have an understanding of the form before you buy it.   The essential knowledge of choosing hanfu How to choose a…

This section contains Zhiduo (直裰), Zhishen (直身), Daopao (道袍). Size range: 165/88A to 185/104A. Please read the introduction of the topic and how to use this guide in advance.   Introduction Zhiduo is a kind of costume from the Song Dynasty, the initial is mostly worn by monks, a few literati also wear, Song Zhiduo is generally not slit. By the Ming Dynasty, Zhiduo had become widely popular among literati and scholars, and the basic features of Ming Zhiduo were the cross collar, knee-length garment, slit on both sides without Bai (摆), generally with a collar guard on the collar, and mostly with pipa sleeves. The cutting and sewing patterns in this chapter are based on Ming Zhiduo. Zhishen was also an important costume of the Ming Dynasty, as well as Zhiduo and Daopao, the basic features of Zhishen are the same as Zhiduo, with a cross collar, more collar protection, pipa sleeves, and knee-length, but the difference is that there is outside Bai on both sides in Zhishen. Daopao is one of the traditional costumes of Taoism, but it was also the main style of casual wear and dress for scholars in the Ming Dynasty, so Daopao was not…

Cheongsams or Modern Qipao are a kind of figure-flattering Chinese dress perfect for showcasing a lady’s features gracefully. It is no wonder they’re becoming ever more prevalent to wear, particularly for special occasions like your wedding. But the modern qipao can be worn anytime for any event. Although there are nearly too many choices when shopping for the Western wedding outfit, purchasing Chinese wedding clothing or Modern Qipao (cheongsam) can be a maddening experience if you don’t know what to look for in a Modern Qipao dress. How will you get the best Cheongsams or Modern Qipao if you don’t know them well? Fortunately, we have reviewed a complete list of 5 vital things to check before you buy a cheongsam or modern qipao dress in this article below. It will certainly help you to get the best qipao China dress from anywhere in the world!   What Is a Modern Qipao or Cheongsam Chinese Dress? As a type of Chinese dress, qipao is at all times a classic option for women. Cheongsams or qipao originated almost a century ago in Shanghai in China as a contemporary take on the Chinese Manchu dress, and then it remained among the most…

Hanfu is not just the costume of the Han Dynasty, as many people understand. Rather, it refers to the clothing system developed over the past 4,000 years from the Yellow Emperor to the end of the Ming Dynasty, with Chinese civilization as the center. It represents China's national character of harmony, elegance, and gentleness, which is dignified but not too gorgeous. Hanfu is not only a simple clothing representative, but also the embodiment of Chinese national etiquette and culture. Hanfu styles are diverse, or gentle and dynamic, or comfortable and leisurely, and this article mainly introduces you to the "Gorgeous Style" Chinese formal dress for female, which symbolizes wealth and dignity.   Highlights of Gorgeous Style Hanfu Dressing The Gorgeous Xiapei Xiapei (霞帔) is one of the most common decorative parts of gorgeous hanfu, similar in form and function to a modern shawl. It is also a symbol of status for different classes and has strict rules on texture, color, and pattern. Although the Xiapei does not account for a large percentage of the entire hanfu set, it is indeed the most eye-catching part. The Xiapei is often the same color as the hanfu, and is embellished with gold embroideries…

On the afternoon of Aug. 4, 2021, a group of post-95 and post-00 girls gathered at a Hanfu Experience Hall in Guangzhou to try Hanfu styling for the first time. The room was decorated with landscape paintings on the wall, ink, and brush, and guzheng on the table, and the hanfu stylist was weaving twist braids for the experience participants, bending them into a circle and coiling them backwards, and then inserting a hairpin, and the shape of a Han Dynasty lady appeared in front of them, perfectly blending with the environment full of ancient style, highlighting the traditional, classical Chinese beauty. How did the hanfu styling experience become popular? How to bring this new fashion trend into the public's daily life?     Nandu Polling Center (南都民调中心) invited a number of hanfu stylists to share their experiences and conducted a questionnaire survey on hanfu lovers to gain a deeper understanding of the group's career status from multiple angles, and recently released the Hanfu Stylist Career Survey Report (2021). The report shows that 60% of the respondents hanfu lovers like hanfu culture very much and mostly done hanfu styling in Hanfu Experience Hall. Hanfu stylists provide services such as hanfu…

The explosion of hanfu in China in recent years can be described as a top-to-bottom movement of traditional literary revival. Both the popularization of knowledge by various academic professionals and the vigorous promotion by private forces have brought the field to life. The reason why hanfu is as blooming as it is today is that there are many people who have played a pivotal role in driving this trend. For example, "Yan Wang wf (燕王wf)". Yan Wang wf He is a researcher of ancient Chinese costumes, also an illustrated book writer, has participated in the restoration of historical figures for many times, and was the dress director of the drama "Serenade of Peaceful Joy (清平乐)". Written and published "A Guide of Time Travel to the Tang Dynasty", and has worked with publications such as "China National Travel" and "Chinese Heritage".   The mysterious forum years The topic started more than ten years ago, when there was a relative lack of channels for ancient costume enthusiasts to gain knowledge about hanfu. Xiefang Zhuren (撷芳主人) and a few friends created a forum, and Yan Wang was one of the main members. After the forum was established, Yan Wang shared the latest diagrams…

Hanfu is the general name for traditional Chinese costumes of various dynasties, and it is known for its complicated system and rich and varied style, which not only has a deep historical heritage, but also its unique aesthetic value. Therefore, in recent years, many people are more and more favorable to hanfu, and the tolerance of the society is getting bigger and bigger, so hanfu is also used in more common life scenes. Some simple and generous hanfu can even be worn for the workday, fashionable. In this article, we'll take a look at those hanfu outfits that are suitable for commuting and working days, and teach you how to easily wear hanfu outfits for the workday   Trend of Hanfu Hanfu is a traditional dress with a classical form, and most of its clothes are designed to be flowing, but there are also many designs that are closer to daily life. For example, the simple shape of the Song Beizi (褙子), the design of the lapel is very cool to wear in summer. Or the Ming Pipa sleeves Ao (袄), sleeve shape elegant and generous, very intellectual. In addition, there are also some Xuan Qun (旋裙) and Zhe Qun…

As we all know, there are various types of Chinese long skirt, and it is hard not to be impressed by the classical and elegant patterns, with either plain or gorgeous embroidered prints, and various accessories that make the whole person look dignified and atmospheric. Today, we will introduce you to the hanfu set match with "Hua Niao Qun (花鸟裙, flower bird skirt)", which is elegant and does not look too plain. Hua Niao Qun, from the collection of the Kong Family Mansion (孔府旧藏), is one of the most artistically valuable, highly crafted and elegantly fresh of the Ma Mian Qun. The dress depicts a vibrant scroll of flowers and birds, including cuddly mandarin ducks, hibiscus and kingfishers, heron and stone bamboo, pomegranate and lotus flowers, and brilliant red polygonum. Beautifully embroidered and detailed, wearing the Hua Niao Qun, you seem to have a garden on your skirt folds, fairy air.   The Fashion Principle of Hanfu "Hua Niao Qun" As the name implies, the "Hua Niao Qun" is a kind of Chinese long skirt combination of flowers and birds with the Hanfu style, which is embroidered on the hem of skirt. As shown in the picture, the whole hanfu…

The recently released new Chinese drama "Song of Youth" attracted a lot of people's attention. The drama tells the story of Lin Shaochun, the daughter of an official family, who maintains the relationship between her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law within the Sun family and solves various crises outside to finally achieve a happy and successful life. Many viewers are attracted by the exquisite costume modeling in the drama, praising its detailed and elegant beauty. Then let's take a look at the beauty of Ming Dynasty costumes by referring to the costumes in Song of Youth.   I. Ming Style Hanfu The dress and skirt attire of women in the Ming Dynasty was similar to that of the Song and Yuan Dynasties, mainly the upper Shan (衫, shirt) and lower Qun (裙, skirt), but with more attention to details. Its main features are the use of buttons as decoration in the front lapel, small round collars in the inner wear, the standing collars at the neck, and the use of Yunjian (云肩, cloud shoulders), Bijia (比甲) and Xiapei (霞帔), etc. The Ming Dynasty had strict hierarchical requirements for all classes of dress, and although the dress of the commoner women and the…

Feiyufu (飞鱼服) first became known to the public because of the "New Dragon Gate Inn (新龙门客栈)", "Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (龙门飞甲)", "Brotherhood of Blades (绣春刀)" and other martial arts film works about the Jin Yi Wei (锦衣卫, Embroidered Uniform Guard) appeared one after another. The look of a handsome black leather Feiyufu of the Jin Yi Wei undoubtedly attracted the attention of many people. As Feiyufu became more and more famous, it almost became the representative of the Ming Dynasty official uniform in the general public's mind. So what exactly is Feiyufu and did every Jin Yi Wei in history get to wear it? In this article, we will introduce the history of Feiyufu and the origin of Jin Yi Wei, hope it will be helpful to you.   What is a Feiyufu? The name Feiyufu does not refer to a specific style of hanfu, but all hanfu decorated with Feiyu embroidery or Feiyu Buzi (补子, Mandarin square) are called Feiyufu, which only limits the style of the pattern, not the style of the clothing. In the Ming Dynasty, the Buzi on the Changfu (常服, work formal wear) of the officials were patterned with birds and animals. In the…

Have you ever heard of that trivia tidbit where it's like "the Chinese were so impressed by Kung Fu Panda that they held meetings to figure out why they couldn't produce something as good as it with their own culture"? Well, it's true. That did happen. And the answer is probably a combination of a lack of financial and cultural support for artists, government censorship of storytelling, and animation not being taken seriously as an artform. But what did Kung Fu Panda do that was so right? What influences did it take from Chinese culture? I'm gonna try and figure that out. I'll talk about my opinion on whether it matters that this movie was made by white people when Chinese audiences liked it so much. So let's start! Wuxia Jianghu Dream To begin with, these mountains in the opening immediately reminded me of Huangshan, or the Yellow Mountains. It's a pretty famous mountain range in China with a lot of these jagged stony peaks and clouds surrounding them. The Kung Fu Panda artbook confirms that the Valley of Peace is inspired by the Yellow Mountains and the Li River Valley, another place famous for being really, really pretty. And…

Umbrellas are very common in daily life. Whether it's a hot sun or a downpour, an umbrella is definitely your best assistant. Not only that, in the modern hanfu shooting, the appearance rate of the ancient style oil-paper umbrella is extremely high. The demand for shade from the sun and rain has been there since ancient times, take a look, the the history of ancient Chinese umbrellas, to see what kind of umbrellas the ancients used.   Pre-Qin Period The early Chinese umbrellas were called "Gai (盖)" or "Deng (簦)", made of grass, pieces of bamboo, etc., with a handle to hold, much like the current umbrella, but it could not be put away. Chinese umbrellas made of silk first appeared in the Western Zhou period, silk umbrellas are expensive, generally used by the nobility, are mainly decorative items and symbols of power for the dignitaries, noblemen, and the scholar. The common people could not afford to buy silk umbrellas, so they mostly used Douli (斗笠), or Suoyi (蓑衣, straw raincoats) in their lives. Suoyi has an important feature and symbol of ancient Chinese costume: Shang Yi Xia Chang. The top is called "Suoyi Pi (蓑衣披)", which is draped over…

This section contains Shuhe (裋褐). Size range: 165/88A to 185/104A). Please read the introduction of the topic and how to use this guide in advance. Introduction Shuhe (裋褐), also known as "Duan Da (短打)", originally meant a coarse cloth upper garment woven with coarse hemp or animal hair, was a simple cross-collar upper garment worn by commoners in ancient China, usually with looser pants underneath, mostly used for casual wear or work clothes. The basic features of the Shuhe are Jiao Ling You Ren (交领右衽, cross collar and wrapping the right side before the left), the shortest sleeve length over the wrist, the longest slightly beyond the fingertips, mostly straight sleeves or arrow sleeves, narrower cuffs, the length of the garment to below the waist, the longest above the knee, and the two sides need to be divided into slits. Shuhe can not simply be equated with the cloth worn by the poor, although this garment can not do the formal occasions worn by the dress, but its use is very wide, and the use of Shuhe is determined by its characteristics, because wearing Shuhe more convenient for action, so it has become a daily work, farming, long-distance travel necessary…

This section contains Banbi (半臂). Size range: Jiao Ling Banbi  (155/80A to 185/104A), Zhi Dui Jin Banbi and Xie Dui Jin Banbi (155/64A to 175/96A). Please read the introduction of the topic and how to use this guide in advance. Introduction Banbi (半臂), also known as "half-sleeve", is a short tunic developed from the upper Ru (襦) since the Wei and Jin Dynasties, and can be roughly divided into two collar types: Jiao Ling (交领, cross-collar) and Dui Jin (对襟, lapel). Compared with long-sleeved tops, the difference is that the sleeve length can reach the elbow. In the Tang Dynasty, the Banbi was already a popular garment worn by both men and women. In the long years, its wearing method is also basically limited to the set of other long-sleeved clothes, because in formal occasions, the ancient people will never wear Banbi alone and show the arm. But with modern aesthetics, today's Jiao Ling Banbi (交领半臂) can be worn alone in summer, which is somewhat similar to the short-sleeved T-shirts worn by modern people, and because of its shorter sleeve length, it does not hurt to pair it with a modern skirt, and men can also wear a Banbi with…

Summer is here, want to keep cool all summer long? The "cool" summer hanfu is here to save you. You can refer to these hanfu and inspired hanfu styles that will make you stand out and still keep you fresh.   The first set is a light green Song style hanfu, as if it is a summer lake, clear and cool. The Song Chang Shan (长衫), the placket with jade Ruyi and flower embroidery, pleated skirt head embroidery exquisite full. Jade Ruyi and floral prints embellish the whole hanfu, as if the flowers fell on the lake and caused ripples.   The chilled sparkling water, refreshing summer taste. Plain elegant quiet blue and white wear, simple white Duijin Shan (对襟衫), showing the thin effect is very good. Sweet little daisy in the improved Qixiong dress, dress-type design, lining the slender figure. That beautiful girl, smile charming and unforgettable.   The third set is a black and purple gradient Ming-style He Ling Dui Jin Shan (合领对襟衫), printed with star, cherry blossom, and wisteria print, adding a sense of mystery. With a light purple short pleated skirt, it is suitable for daily wear and does not require a high figure. Soft skin-friendly…

Sericulture and the spinning and weaving of silk originated in China thousands of years ago. Because of its rich colors and patterns, silk played an important role in ancient solemnities and ceremonies and also gave rise to a rich folkloric tradition.   The History of Silk As archaeological findings show, China was the first country to develop sericulture and silk spinning and weaving. In 1977, at Hemudu (河姆渡), a 7,000-year-old archaeological site in the city of Yuyao (余姚) in Zhejiang Province (浙江), a silkworm-shaped carving was found that represents a testament to the early engagement of China's ancient people in sericulture-related activities. Among the inscriptions on bones and turtle shells discovered in the ruins of Yin (殷墟), capital of Shang dynasty (商, ca. 1600-1046 BC), there are numerous references to silkworms, the Morus alba or mulberry tree and silk. This reinforces the thesis that silkworm rearing and silk weaving were already an important part of the lives of the people of that time. Until reaching the years of the Warring Kingdoms (战国时代, 475-221 B.C.) the development in China of the now well-known Jacquard comotelar, the various silk fabrics, a fine and resistant silk, silk gauzes, brocade, silk twill, damask and…

What is it like to be a hanfu designer? Let's take a look at Hanfu Shi Dai (汉服世代) interviews with four hanfu designers.   Kong Xin Yan (空心砚) Hello, I'm Kong Xin Yan and I've been in touch with hanfu for more than 10 years! Over the years I have been concerned about the demand for modern hanfu and saw the potential market demand for non-antique hanfu, but there are many inconveniences in wearing traditional hanfu directly, which triggered my design inspiration and also formed my own design feature - "Shi Zhuang Han Cai (时装汉裁, tailoring fashion in Han style)". Traditional hanfu leaps directly from ancient times into modern times, missing the process of cultural renewal, and many styles are based on the ancient social background. If we want to further develop hanfu, we have to think about these questions: How should traditional hanfu serve the current fast-paced society and what functions should it achieve in an era when there are noblemen like emperors, generals and princesses? "Shi Zhuang Han Cai" is my answer to these questions after thinking and practicing. In fact, my family has been reluctant to wear hanfu for more than ten years, but they are happy…

When talking about celebrity in the modern Hanfu, Shiyin will surely come to mind. She not only has been dedicated to the promotion of traditional and modern Hanfu, but also often shares the traditional Chinese culture with everyone. Shiyin shares six different styles of modern Hanfu look in her latest video, let's take a look. https://youtu.be/WaQ2zAZ1aGk   LOOK 1 - Street Cool Girl Style For the first set, Shiyin chose a Ming-style Duijin Duan Shan (lapel short shirts) with a very special color clashing design, which is perfect for a cool street style look even though it is a men's style. Shiyin chose to turn down the collar, one of the corners of the shirt tucked into the bottom, and the sleeves on both sides can be rolled up. Then, she paired it with denim shorts in the same color and a leather necklace.   LOOK 2 - Fresh style The second Hanfu item is a women's semi-transparent Ming-style Li Ling Duijin Duan Shan (standing collar lapel short shirts) with a very fresh design. Wearing a camisole inside, unbuttoning the shirt, turning the collar out, and tying a knot in front of the waist. The bottom with light-colored denim shorts…