History & Culture

About the ancient Chinese women's makeup,  how ancient women actually groomed themselves? We don't really know. History has left many questions about traditional Chinese makeup: What did the real Yang Guifei look like? How did the pearl makeup of the Northern Song Dynasty evolve? What do the Ehuang, Huadian, and Yuanshan eyebrows refer to? In August, the book "The Beauty…

Since ancient times, osmanthus has been inseparable from the lives of Chinese people, and the history of Chinese people's appreciation of osmanthus has been at least 2,500 years. Whether it is used in wine as osmanthus wine, as a spice, or even as a pattern on clothing, it can be said that osmanthus, is the most appropriate representative of the…

When it comes to the gracefulness and elegance of hanfu, the sleeves must take at least half of the credit for the gesture. I believe the deepest impression of Chinese hanfu costumes is that they have wide sleeves. In fact, types of hanfu sleeves are not only wide sleeves, but they also vary in width, length, and posture, so I…

Unlike the Han, Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties, the Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern dynasties, were the most frequent period of regime change in Chinese history, mainly divided into the Three Kingdoms: Cao Wei (曹魏), Shu Han (蜀汉) and Dong Wu (东吴); Western Jin (西晋); Eastern Jin (东晋); the Northern and Southern Dynasties periods (南北朝时期). The development of Chinese culture…

Why did the Qin dynasty dress admire the black color? What were the forms of women's clothing in the Qin, Han, Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties? What are the characteristics of men's clothing in different dynasties? How was the style and pattern of Hanfu chosen? How did the ancients choose different styles of Hanfu for different occasions? What were the…

Whenever it comes to an important Chinese holiday, the National Day of China or the Chinese New Year. You would always see red color in various places in China. Besides adding to the festive atmosphere, the color red is also an important part of the world's perception of China. Why does red represent China? How did red become the favorite…

With the rise of ancient Chinese costume "Hanfu culture" among young people, the China-chic has become an unstoppable trend. The September issue of Harper's BAZAAR e-magazine features a stylish restoration of hanfu, and a closer look at these "trendy elements" from a thousand years ago that are still stunning today.   HAN DYNASTY During the Han Dynasty, large-sleeved clothes were…

The rejuvenation of modern hanfu is inextricably linked to the redesign of many hanfu styles and the incorporation of modern elements. However, hanfu is still more based on traditional forms, and most Hanfu styles are currently restored based on books, cultural relics, murals, and collections. And speaking of hanfu collections, you may have heard of one place, the Kong Family…

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…

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…

Feiyu Fu (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 Feiyu Fu of the Jin Yi Wei…

Wuxia (武俠), which is a type of Chinese fantasy with a lot of martial arts. It’s a lot of attractive people flying around with swords using powers, and it’s amazing. What you see wuxia world in dramas, what you think is the ancient Chinese cultural ideal world is actually created within the last say a little bit over half a…

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…

You must be no stranger to this traditional lantern, which often appears as a prop for photography with hanfu. Let's learn more about it.   What is Jiang Sha Deng Jiang Sha Deng (绛纱灯), a type of ancient Chinese lantern with a long history, is a common type of lantern used by both the court and the folk, Jiang means…

Chinese Hanfu has a long history and has gone through several dynasties over thousands of years of development, during which time it has evolved and many representative Hanfu styles have emerged, learn more about them together through the exquisite illustrations from Jin Li Qing Nian.   Pre Qin Period China, one of the oldest civilizations in the world, has created…

Chinese tea culture originated in the Tang Dynasty and flourished in the Song Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty, tea had become a necessity in people's daily life. With the overall prosperity of the Song dynasty's social commodity economy, tribute tea, tea sets, tea art, tea workshops, etc., but also flourished. The traditional Dian Cha (点茶, whisking tea) in the Song…

Ancient paintings are one of the most important ways to explore the ancient traditional Hanfu, and the Hanfu styles in some classic famous paintings are even more popular among Hanfu enthusiasts. The charm of the Wei and Jin dynasties, the gracefulness of the Tang Dynasty, the elegance of the Song Dynasty, just flow into reality from ancient paintings. Today, take…

Decorative patterns are the wisdom creation of mankind into civilized society. In order to perfect oneself and beautify one's life, human beings need not only the satisfaction of material life, but also the communication of spiritual life. Decorative patterns, through the beautification of practical objects of clothing, food, housing and transportation, make aesthetic ideals reflected in the practical life and…

Traditional Chinese pants, as important clothing, have a long history in China. Han people generally wear trousers, not only from the Han Dynasty. On the contrary, the Han nationality is considered to be one of the first nations in the world to wear pants. Traditional Chinese pants can be divided into two types: one is called Kun(裈) and the other…

The Ming Dynasty Hanfu has always been known by Hanfu lovers for its dignity and elegance. Compared to the Tang and Song dynasties, Ming Hanfu has a large number of excavated artifacts, heirloom paintings, and costumes to serve as references. Therefore, we can have access to a great variety of Hanfu styles from the Ming Dynasty.   Common types of…

History has annihilated all the past prosperity, and we can no longer witness the traditional dress aesthetics, but can only get a glimpse from the scrolls and terracotta figurines. But the search for Chinese traditional costume culture never stops, looking back at the lost costumes of the years, restoring them and recreating the glory of today. In the first issue,…

During the Ming dynasty, the categories and styles of gold and silver ornaments had greater innovation and development based on the Song and Yuan dynasties, showing different visual aesthetic experiences and artistic styles. Among the various types of gold and silver in the Ming dynasty ornaments, "San Sher (三事儿, sān shèr, three things)" is a unique example. Unlike other ornaments,…

Speaking of the Dragon Boat Festival customs, we can certainly think of many. In addition to delicious Zongzi, dragon boats, are also about decorating objects that symbolize good luck to drive away poisonous, as well as a variety of commemorative activities. But do you know what costume elements were used in the Dragon Boat Festival throughout history? Today, let's follow…

Dunhuang's artistic heritage is the result of the collective creative labor of the ancient Chinese people, spanning nearly a thousand years from the Wei and Jin dynasties (c. 4th century AD) to its gradual decline during the Song dynasty (c. 11th century AD). Through the three forms of plastic arts: architecture, sculpture, and painting, they are interrelated and reflect each…