Is Song Zuer's Han-style look in The Prisoner Of Beauty praised? Some netizens think the makeup and styling of this drama are delicate, while others believe they are overly in the style of internet celebrities. Evidently, the costumes and props in The Prisoner Of Beauty draw inspiration from the Han Dynasty. During this era, the aesthetic of Han-style hair buns was 'hanging without falling apart', rather than the prevalent loose - hair style.
Let's start with the conclusion. From various Han Dynasty female figurines, we can observe the gentle and grand style of Han - style hairstyles. Generally, they were hanging buns without loose hair. Although it seems like a simple center - parting from the front, the hair ends were coiled into a bun or wrapped and tied up at the back, revealing elegance and fashion. There were no high buns or high - padded hair like in later times, nor the common loose - hair styles seen in today's TV dramas. Despite being understated, it had a more genuine, classical, and daily - life beauty.
This hairstyle with coiled hair ends was a classic in the Western Han Dynasty, sometimes called the 'Falling Horse Bun' or 'Hanging Bun'. Its characteristic is that the front part of the hair is center - parted, with both sides close to the scalp. At the back of the neck, the hair is coiled or tied into one strand, and sometimes a strand is pulled out to form a hanging fringe, creating a sense of hierarchy.
This bun was popular during the Qin and Han Dynasties and was an evolution of the cone - shaped bun in the pre - Qin period. It was still sometimes referred to as the cone - shaped bun or hanging bun in the Han Dynasty, and its style even influenced the Three Kingdoms period. It made a deep impression in TV dramas set in the Han Dynasty, such as The Lost Tomb of the Dragon and The Wind Blows from Longxi.
According to The Biography of Liang Ji in The Book of the Later Han, 'Shou was beautiful and good at creating charming postures. She did the sad - browed look, the crying makeup, the Falling Horse Bun, the bowing walk, and the toothache smile.' This reflects the dressing style of Eastern Han women. Even when high buns became popular in the Later Han Dynasty, the Falling Horse Bun remained in vogue. In later generations, it also evolved continuously. Although the styles varied, it still exuded a kind of 'natural beauty' without heavy makeup.
Han Dynasty women could wear hairpins with pendants on their temples, which would sway gracefully as they walked. The noblewoman in the middle section of the T - shaped silk painting from Mawangdui was wearing bead ornaments similar to these hairpins. In today's ancient - costume dramas, there have been breakthroughs in Han - style looks. Instead of being limited to loose hair, tied - up hair and other styles are used. The hair buns on the top of the head are slightly padded, combined with filming effects, creating a style that integrates classical and modern aesthetics, yet it is still quite rare.
For restoration enthusiasts, some looks in dramas like The Wind Blows from Longxi have a more authentic Han charm (most have also been modified for filming), gently showing the low - key but luxurious styling beauty of the Han nationality. When it comes to popular Han Dynasty hairstyles, there are not only the Falling Horse Bun but also flat buns, round buns, etc.
For ordinary drama lovers, modern aesthetic hairstyles with padded buns in dramas like The Lost Tomb of the Dragon and The Prisoner Of Beauty are more visually impactful and make the face look smaller. This combined look has influenced many offline photography styles and has become a popular bun style for Qin and Han Dynasty - themed photography, creating a new Han - style fashion.
It should be noted that the loose - hair styles in today's TV dramas and photography styles on the market cannot be used as restored looks for research. In Confucian concepts, since the Han Dynasty, people with loose hair have been described as 'barbarians', a sign of being uncivilized. The combination of tradition and modernity has its own allure. Currently, the Han - style looks in TV dramas have a relatively fixed modern creative style, while the restored makeup and styling, though simple, reveal a kind of simple, grand, and dignified beauty. Which one do you prefer? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
