Recreating Historical Hanfu Makeup - Bloger Xiao Zhuang

The thriving hanfu and its derivative culture are coming back into the public view in a creative, distinct, and diverse way, lending its light and color back to the energetic youth. In this article, follow "THE GREAT SHOKUNIN" and meet Hanfu makeup blogger @Xiao Zhuang (小庄).

 

Creative Ancient Hanfu Makeup

The account @Xiao Zhuang is actually run jointly by two Hanfu enthusiasts, with makeup, appearances, editing and post generally handled by Qing Qing (晴晴), while photography and filming are done by Xiao Zhuang.

They have collaborated on over 200 videos, the most popular of which is the series "The Beauty of China's Millennium", which has received nearly 10 million views.

In this series, Qing Qing restored the history of the evolution of makeup, hairstyles, accessories, and hanfu clothing of the Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties.

Before this, we mostly got a glimpse of ancient women's grooming, makeup and lifestyle from ancient TV dramas, but the style was mostly uniform, lacking in creativity and sophistication. On the contrary, in Xiao Zhuang's video, you can fully experience the changes of women's makeup and costume in different dynasties.

Taking the Tang Dynasty makeup of this series as an example, the complete reproduction of the stylistic features from the early Tang Dynasty, the Wu Zhou period, the heyday period, the middle Tang Dynasty, to the late Tang Dynasty, it is impossible to present such beautiful images without a deep understanding and delicate knowledge of traditional culture.

 

Early Tang Dynasty (618-650)

The overall makeup style of this period is still light and slender.

• Eyebrows: Yue Leng Mei (月棱眉), the eyebrows were like a curved moon, with a clear upper profile and a slight halo at the bottom.
• Lips: the lip style of the early Tang dynasty was still slender and beautiful.
• Huadian: simple dot or drip bead shape.
• Hairstyle: double bun, a popular hairstyle from the Jiangnan region.
• Headdress: gold flower hairpins, on both sides of the bun.
• Dresses: during the Sui and early Tang dynasties, slim and narrow sleeves were fashionable, and "inter-colored skirts" were popular for women's attire.

 

Wu Zhou Period (651-712)

With the advent of the Wuzetian era, women's makeup became more dense and beautiful.

• Eyebrows: Han Yan eyebrows (涵烟眉) were a popular style in the late Wuzetian period, with the eyebrows pointed and haloed at the end.
• Lips: lip style gradually fuller.
• Huadian: Huadian fills the forehead, which is complex and colorful.
• Xiehong: the eyebrows, eyes, and cheeks were covered with heavy rouge, and the style was rich and more colorful.
• Hairstyle: Jiao Xin Ji (交心髻, cross bun) is one of the daily hair styles for women at that time.
• Headdress: Buyao hair ornaments became popular, with various gold flowers and precious stones.
• Dresses: during the period of women's participation in politics, the style of dress changed from the delicate and slender style of the past to long and spirited, and the waist of the skirt gradually moved down.

 

The heyday of Tang Dynasty

With the passing of the Wuzetian era, female makeup became softer again.

• Eyebrows: willow eyebrows.
• Cheeks: red powder was applied under the eyebrows until the cheeks were full, called halo makeup.
• Lips: during the heyday of Tang dynasty, the full, thick and rounded lip style reached its peak.
• Huadian: Huadian was pre-made with gold, pearl and cui, and pasted on the forehead.
• Hairstyle: Wo Dou Ji (倭堕髻), two sideburns fluffy bulge, the back hair hanging neck and then pulled up, the head pulling the doughnut-shaped bun.
• Headdress: gold beads and crystal necklace, gold hairpin inlay in the center of the bun, and both sides.
• Dresses: in the background of the heyday ofTang Dynasty, noblewomen became more and more voluptuous, and their attire was gradually plump and loose, with chubby as beauty. The sleeves were loose, cylindrical and straight, and the skirts were popularly pleated and covered with decoration patterns.

 

Middle Tang Dynasty (756-840)

After the An-shi Rebellion, the country's power declined and women's makeup became lighter.

• Eyebrows: Yuanyang eyebrows, also known as crying eyebrows, are shaped like frowning and crying, and have been popular since the Zhen Yuan period of the Middle Tang Dynasty.
• Cheeks: no rouge powder makeup, following the nomadic "ochre face" custom.
• Lips: popular round and small lip makeup, and black peculiar lip color.
• Hairstyle: high bun.
• Dresses: the style developed to be more elegant and graceful, and the style of dresses became broader.

 

Late Tang Dynasty (841 - 907)

With frequent wars, women's makeup returned to a slender and delicate look.

• Eyebrows: Yuan Shan Mei (远山眉), eyebrow color such as smoke and clouds in the gentle emergence of a vein of distant mountains.
• Cheeks: rouge was applied to the bottom of the cheeks.
• Lips: in the late Tang Dynasty, there was already a lip makeup that emphasized the staining effect, which was stained from the center of the lips outward.
• Huazi (花子): flower-shaped Huadian, bird dimple, shaped like a flying crane.
• Mianye (面靥): embellished with gold flowers.
• Hairstyle: Yun Ji (云髻), was a popular style in the late Tang Dynasty, with a wide bun like a cloud, making it easy to insert hair clips and jewelry.
• Headdress: The hair comb was inserted into the hair bun and the temples, and because of the declining state, the noblewomen could not afford to buy the gorgeous hairpin, so they used the gold and silver hairpin as a substitute for ceremonial jewelry.
• Dresses: the most popular top style among the noble women in the late Tang Dynasty was called "Pi Shan (披衫)".

Such a meticulous and elaborate video, in the process of enjoying the beauty, more embellished to achieve the dissemination of classical history. For Qing Qing and Xiao Zhuang, this is also the motivation that makes them promote the culture of traditional makeup.

There is another noteworthy video in the series "The Beauty of China's Millennium". Using traditional Chinese colors as the creative origin, one traditional color is given to each historical period. From the pre-Qin, Qin and Han dynasties, Wei, Jin and North and South dynasties to the Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties, the video, renders the makeup-making, clothing, and rituals of each dynasty.

In the color, there are philosophical thinking and ritual understanding, there are great events and small situations from the country to the folk, there are poems and songs, there are national plans and livelihoods. Qing Qing and Xiao Zhuang express the modern young people's understanding of traditional colors in the form of makeup creation and video.

 

Anthropomorphic national treasures

In addition to replicating the evolution of ancient women's hanfu clothing, @Xiao Zhuang also turned her attention to national treasures.

Under Qing Qing's interpretation, the national treasures of the Qianlong period were transformed into images of graceful, elegant and dignified women.

The stunning glazed pagoda arch, which is an important architectural component of Nanjing's Great Bao'en Temple, a representative of Ming Dynasty royal temple architecture, and the glazed pagoda in the temple, is known as one of the seven wonders of the Middle Ages.

Although the pagoda is no longer there, we can imagine the golden splendor and majesty of the glazed pagoda at that time by this archway. From Qing Qing's anthropomorphic presentation, we seem to be able to return to the scene of the elegant and splendid civilization.

Qing Qing also tries to find creative inspiration from ancient paintings. This painting of a lady by Tang Bohu of the Ming Dynasty is a treasure because of its clever conception and beautiful brushwork. It expresses the graceful charm and mood of a noble woman to the fullest.

We can see more and more powerful young people trying to pass on, guard and carry forward traditional culture in their own way. The beauty of tradition is being reborn.