Why do fairies in ancient costume dramas always have two loops on their heads? It seems that in the ancient costume dramas I watched as a child, fairies all sported this hairstyle. Usually, there are two loops, but there can also be multiple loops. What's the name of this hairstyle? Let me give the answer first. This hairstyle is called the Double-loop (Bun) Immortal-worshipping Hairdo, which evolved from the Double-loop Hairdo. "Bun" and "loop" are interchangeable, just different terms. The Double-loop Hairdo was originally a hairstyle for young girls, and multiple loops can also be collectively referred to as "Bun Hairdos".
But perhaps because it's so beautiful, this hairstyle also frequently appears in paintings of immortals, such as the famous ancient painting The Nymph of the Luo River and The Scroll of Eighty-seven Immortals. Since then, the fashion has spread throughout history. Because it's the hairstyle of fairies, people weren't satisfied with the traditional name of the double-loop and gave it a new name, "Immortal-worshipping Hairdo". As the name suggests, "this style can only be found in the heavens".
Evolution of the Hairstyle
You can see that there's an evolutionary context from the traditional Double-loop Hairdo to the Double-loop Immortal-worshipping Hairdo. From the high double-loops in the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties to the early Tang Dynasty, the Double-loop Immortal-worshipping Hairdo was taking shape. At this time, the hair buns were still round and full, without too many complex shapes. There were small buns for daily use and exaggerated large buns, even as long as a face. It wasn't until the mid to late Tang Dynasty that the outline of the hair buns developed into a wavy shape, adding a kind of lively charm to the originally single shape.
Popularity in Different Dynasties
In the Song Dynasty, it once led the civilian fashion. You could see some ordinary women wearing such hair buns, and they made some minor adjustments like adding pearl hairpins. They even simplified the exaggerated height, making it more approachable and suitable for daily wear. However, fashions are fleeting. By the Ming Dynasty, this style mostly appeared in paintings of immortals like the Water and Land Paintings. So its development went from the common people and the nobility to immortals, then back to the nobility and the common people, and finally back to immortals.
It's a Wig
Don't think this hair bun was made of real hair. Actually, it was a wig, which is why it could be shaped into various forms. The base was made of wood or rattan to support the shape, and then covered with a layer of hair to make it look real. When using it, you just needed to style your basic hair, put on the wig, and add some hairpins, then you could go out. This also answers a question: ancient women didn't spend three hours styling their hair every morning, as they wouldn't have much time for other things. Having different wigs made combing hair much easier.
Why has this style been so popular from ancient times to now, and why does it often appear in ancient costume dramas? Countless celebrities have tried this style, which is the main reason for its long-lasting popularity. If you look closely, it's actually related to its inherent "fairy-like" charm.
If the traditional double-loop hair bun looks elegant, then the Double-loop Immortal-worshipping Hairdo, with its hair buns curling like clouds, gives people a sense of imagination and the courage to break free from the ordinary. As the poem goes, "The eyebrows are broadened with the fashion, and the hair buns are styled long at will." It really gives the feeling of an immortal in the celestial palace. So it's no exaggeration to call it the "most typical" fairy hairstyle. Do you like it? Whether you're into ancient fashion or just love a good fairy look, this hairstyle is truly a timeless classic.
