History & Culture

When you browse through the tutorials of hanfu hairstyles, you will find that the use of wigs is widespread. Is it true that girls had long and dense hair in ancient China? The eternal problem of thinning hair is not only a problem for modern people, but ancient beauties also needed to rely on wigs to complete the look. The application of wigs has a history of thousands of years. Today we briefly introduce the history of wigs.   Di (髢, dí) and Bi (髲, bì) were the original names for traditional Chinese wigs. However, not everyone had access to wigs in ancient China. At the beginning of the wig's birth, it was not an ordinary accessory. The Rites of Zhou records that Zhuishi (追师), a kind of palace official in charge of the empress' headdress, made wigs and headdresses. 追师掌王后之首服，为副编次追衡笄…… ——《周礼》 Fu (副), Bian (编), Ci (次) are three different levels of wig types, only worn during critical events such as rituals, and only for the exclusive use of noblewomen such as empress and madam. The famous Mawangdui Han tomb has unearthed a well-preserved "Fu" wig. This set of wigs is thick and black, and Lady Xin Zhui chases…

For thousands of years, the Chinese have used rings to symbolize essential events, births, deaths, weddings, anniversaries, etc. The rings are generally worn by the oldest person present and passed down through generations. While the modern ring represents romantic love and commitment, what are the symbolic meanings of the traditional rings in Chinese history? Let's go into the past life of the ring.   Ancient - The Ring of Bone More than 5,000 years ago, when humankind was still in its primitive society, the "ring" was already born. At that time, it did not have an exact name, but was just a ring-shaped object worn on people's fingers. In 1959, archaeologists found twenty traditional rings in the burials of the Dawenkou Longshan culture in Tai'an, Shandong province. Several of them are still worn on the finger bones of the deceased. These rings were made from natural animal bones, tooth bones, jade, etc. Although the process was simple, they were well made, and the surface was polished smooth, and some were inlaid with turquoise. This is the earliest "ring" found in China. It appeared in people's daily lives before records about it in history books.   Yin Shang - The Ring…

What hanfu styles are from which dynasties? Can you tell what dynasty the cover photo for this article depicts?

The ancient women left their stunning figures in the ancient poets, and their bejeweled were equally eye-catching. That brilliant hanfu jewelry like a river of stars, will set them off quiet, elegant, highlighting the unique charm. In this article, let's go into the history of gorgeous Chinese traditional necklace and choker and see how the ancient people carried forward the beauty of neckwear.   The Ancient Times When our ancestors were still living in cold, dark caves, the sense of beauty was already awakened. They searched for anything that resembled "beads", drilled holes in them, strung them on chains, and wore them around their necks. Some of them were also painted red with hematite powder. At the Zhoukoudian Peking Man site, which is about 30,000 years old, a large number of neck ornaments have been unearthed. These neck ornaments are made of different materials, including gravel, animal teeth, fish spine bones, and bird bones, all of which have been carefully selected and polished. Among them, there is a string of rabbit bone chains, consisting of 12 pieces of rabbit backbone, each of which has a hole for threading. The holes have been worn out and deformed due to long-term wear,…

The Qingming Festival is coming up soon! Learn more about where this holiday came from and some things that you can do to participate in celebrating it, both in the way of the ancients and the way that people do now.

Giving gifts is a great way to show appreciation, gratitude, or love, but there are a few things that shouldn’t be given as gifts in chinese culture. Some are due to double meanings, others due to symbolism, but just to make sure you don’t slip up and accidentally give your friend a taboo gift, pay attention to these key gift taboos!

Chinese traditional auspicious ornaments are an important part of an artifact. The decoration on the object not only increases the beauty of the object, but also sends people's expectation and hope for the future through the ornaments with good meaning. The most complex and exquisite period of traditional Chinese ornamentation belongs to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Especially the Ming dynasty gold and silver jewelry, the use of Lei Si (累丝), Xiang Qian (镶嵌, inlay), Chui Ye (捶鍱, pounding thin) and other processes, in a small and delicate Tou Mian (头面, a Ming dynasty jewelry) to make a variety of plants, animals, people ornaments, and embellished with precious stones, more rich and elegant. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, on various handicrafts and even stone carvings, furniture, and architecture, some common ornaments, such as dragon and phoenix signify auspiciousness and power; peony signifies wealth and prosperity; pine, crane, and peach signify longevity; pomegranate signifies to have many descendents. There is another category of ornamentation, which is a combination of animal and plant patterns, expressing good meanings through harmonics pun, very simple and easy to understand. For example, an old lion and a small lion, meaning that the family soon to…

From the beginning of the hanfu revival to today, regardless of the general acceptance of hanfu, there are always some hanfu lovers who wear hanfu to some events and occasionally encounter the question asked by others: Are you going to attend a Peking Opera performance or the recording of the show? Of course, such embarrassing situations may be rarer nowadays, but most people still confuse traditional Chinese opera costumes with the hanfu. The costumes used in Beijing opera are also categorized with traditional Chinese opera costumes, which are different from the Chinese hanfu costume. It is because some of the opera costumes are inspired by hanfu and naturally there are similarities in some parts, but what are the specific differences between the two? Let's follow the Hanfu Shidai (汉服世代) and find out.   Chinese Opera costume vs Hanfu Hanfu - the full name of the Han traditional costume system - is divided into two historical stages: ancient and modern. The ancient hanfu originated from the creation of the Yellow Emperor's garments and vanished at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty under the policy of "Tifa Yifu", which was a self-contained cultural system. The modern hanfu is a traditional national dress…

01 The cheongsam loved by women Eileen Chang once said, "Clothes are a language", and every heroine in her novels would use the style of cheongsam to interpret the sorrow and happiness of love, and the prosperity of silk to lament the impermanence of fate. And Eileen Chang's love for cheongsam can be described as close to crazy. Cheongsam is not only an important prop in her novels, but also an indispensable costume in her life, and it is an expression of her views on life, aesthetics and women. The cheongsam maker who made her cheongsam recalled that he couldn't remember how many pieces of cheongsam he made for Eileen Chang, but he remembered that each piece of cheongsam was made "according to the drawing", and the design came from Eileen Chang herself. Not only Eileen Chang, but also Chinese women in the 1930s and 1940s seemed to be very fond of cheongsams. Soong Mei-ling was no less fond of cheongsams than Eileen Chang, and she had hundreds of cheongsams in her closet. Film and television stars such as Hu Die, Ruan Lingyu, and Zhou Xuan are also fans of cheongsam, they not only wear cheongsam out of their own…

Chinese Intangible cultural heritage is no longer just stay in the museum for the public today. As of November 2021, the number of Chinese intangible cultural heritage projects is 1,557. In addition to the old traditional folk crafts to be guarded by the old generation, the most important thing is to combine innovative elements with the deep-rooted intangible cultural heritage. Tencent Video has crossed over with Chinese traditional craftsmen from different fields to create new peripheral works using traditional cultural elements and skills for a number of popular cdramas, documentaries and variety show IPs. This is not only the heritage of traditional Chinese culture, but also new ideas for Chinoiserie gifts. Let's see what wonderful artworks they bring together.   NO.1 Rong Hua: Tradition, Ultimate Romance Rong Hua (绒花) was first introduced as a tribute to the royal family in the Tang Dynasty, and was also known as "Palace Flower", which means good luck and blessing. Most of them use a combination of harmonics and artistic images to express. After "Story of Yanxi Palace" became a big hit, the female character of the costume drama "Court Lady", which was broadcasted this year, wore snowflakes on her head, which again brought…

The Han Dynasty was the longest feudal dynasty in ancient China after the great unification of the Qin Dynasty. More than four hundred years of the Han Dynasty laid a solid foundation for Han, Hanzi, and Han culture. The same is naturally true in traditional Chinese makeup history. Overall, the core ideas that influenced women's aesthetics during the Han Dynasty were the ideas of Taoism and New Confucianism. The former had the greatest impact on the early and mid-Han Dynasty. The policy of "Recover from a Social Upheaval and Restore Production and Develop" was implemented by the rulers in the early Han Dynasty. Taoism's "Huang–Lao political ideology" responded to this social demand. Focused on the development of natural and "Wu Is the Origin ideas", while advocating an open, positive atmosphere, had a profound impact on the aesthetics of female makeup in this period.   01 Han Dynasty Makeup powder Compared with the pre-Qin dynasty, makeup powder in the Han dynasty had a great development. The powder for the face was based on rice powder, and with the rise of alchemy in the Qin and Han dynasties and the improvement of smelting technology in the Han dynasty, lead powder appeared and became…

The history of traditional Chinese eyebrows makeup can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period(770 to 476 B.C.). There is a verse in "Chu Ci" that says "Black-painted eyebrows and white-powdered cheeks(粉白黛黑，施芳泽之).", which means that women were wearing powder, drawing eyebrows and rouge at that time.   Traditional Chinese Eyebows Tools Eyebrow tools are crucial. Unlike modern eyebrow pencils, eyebrow powders, eyebrow cream, etc., there are a wide variety of tools to choose from. But the ancients were still creative with their limited tools. Before there was a specific material for eyebrow painting, Dai (黛), it was mainly used to draw eyebrows with burnt willow sticks, which women used to burn and apply to their eyebrows. The earliest material used to paint eyebrows was Dai, a black mineral also known as "Shi Dai (石黛)". Stone inkstones for grinding stone Dai are found in Han tombs, which means that this cosmetic was already in use in the Han Dynasty. Before paint eyebrows, stone Dai had to be ground on the stone inkstone to make it into powder, and then water was added to mix it. In addition to black color, there is also a dark gray material for painting…

The ancient Chinese were designed the clothing and crown system with distinct rank differences, to conform to the social order. Women's clothing is the same as men's, was constrained by system and etiquette. This article, centered around Ming Hua Tang's hanfu, introduce you to the detail of royal hanfu dress for noblewoman (Ming Fu, 命妇) in the late Ming Dynasty.   The Definition of Ming Fu According to Ming Dynasty regulations, officials from the first to fifth ranks are eligible for the "Gao Ming" (诰命). The title "Gao Ming" is mandated by the imperial court. It is the "sacred decree" commonly known as folklore, like the exhortation came from The emperor himself. The "Gao Ming" is all vouchers for the court to grant officials and their relatives. According to the rank of officials, obtaining a "Gao Ming" sometimes requires considerable effort. For example, have made achievements in politics or the military. Women follow the rank of their husband or son. A woman who is granted a "Gao Ming" is called a "Ming Fu" (women with imperial exhortation). According to the rank from high to low, there are titles such as Fu Ren(夫人, the Honorary), Shu Ren(淑人, the Kindness), Gong Ren…

Hanfu vs Qipao, both are excellent representatives of traditional Chinese costumes. Hanfu (汉服), Han national traditional costume. Qipao (旗袍, cheongsam), the women's clothing of the Republican era. Whenever traditional Chinese clothing is mentioned, the cheongsam is usually the first thing that comes to mind. But with the expanding influence of Hanfu, a costume that better represents Chinese history is being preferred by more and more people. What exactly are the differences between the two costumes?   1. Hanfu vs Qipao in Different Origins Origin of Hanfu Ancient hanfu was the traditional clothing and accessory system of the Han Chinese from the time of the Yellow Emperor to the middle of the 17th century AD (late Ming and early Qing dynasties). Origin of cheongsam Cheongsam was formed in the 1920s and later became the most common women's clothing at that time, being one of the most splendid phenomena and forms in China's long-standing dress culture. The controversy of the origin of cheongsam There are still many controversies about the definition of cheongsam and the time of its production, focusing on the following. 1. It is believed that cheongsam is developed directly from the robe of Qing Dynasty. 2. It is believed…

The magnificent filigree inlay, representing the pinnacle of precious metal production technology, from the old days dedicated to the court, to nowadays spread to the folk, there has been a lot of people contact, wear filigree inlay products, and for its exquisite and intricate technology by.   What is Filigree Inlay? Filigree inlay (花丝镶嵌), also known as "fine gold craft", is a long-established traditional Chinese handicraft technique, mainly used in the production of ancient Chinese royal jewelry, by the combination of "filigree" and "inlay" two production techniques. Filigree refers to drawing gold and silver into fine wire, using filling and weaving techniques to make crafts. Inlay refers to the hammering of gold and silver flakes into vessels, and then burin out the pattern, set with pearls or gemstones, and become. As one of the "Eight Unique Skills of Yanjing", the art of filigree mosaic was included in China's national intangible cultural heritage list in June 2008. The objects that can be applied with filigree inlay can be divided into three categories. The first category is jewelry, including bracelets, necklaces, earrings, brooches, pendants, cufflinks, etc. The second category is the display category, mainly indoor decorative items, such as hanging scroll, vase,…

In museums, we can often see many female figurines from the Tang Dynasty. In this article, we will select some of the common female figurines to introduce their hairstyles.   Duo Ma Ji (堕 马 髻) Duo Ma Ji is perhaps one of the most familiar hairstyles of the Tang Dynasty. In fact, this name already appeared in the Han Dynasty, but the exact form of Duo Ma Ji in the Han Dynasty is still uncertain. The name was used during the Tang Dynasty to describe a bun that was tilted to one side. The shape of the Duo Ma Ji is the hair falls between the ears and is combed towards the face, and the bun is not located in the middle of the head, but to the side. It is also known as the "Pao Jia Ji". This kind of bun is especially common in the late Tang Dynasty. In the famous "Lady Guoguo's Spring Outing", you can see the image of woman wearing the Duo Ma Ji.   Wo Duo Ji (倭堕髻) Wo Duo Ji also has the form of double sideburns holding the face, with single or multiple buns placed on top of the head from…

Ming Dynasty Hanfu clothing refers to the clothing system in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, inherited the costume style of Zhou, Han, Tang, and Song Dynasties and re-established the costume system in order to rebuild the national pride and etiquette and remove the influence of ethnic minorities. In the middle and later period of the Ming Dynasty, there were some new styles, such as stand collar, and a large number of buttons were used in the conspicuous part of a garment. It was gradually banned during the Qing Dynasty, but there are still a few styles and features that have been handed down to this day.   The characteristics of Hanfu in the Ming dynasty In the Ming Dynasty, a series of measures were taken to develop production, which made the industry and commerce develop continuously, and the production technology of each industry has improved. After the rise of the citizen class, the aesthetic interest has become the aesthetic orientation of the general dress in the Ming Dynasty. "Secularization" of the aesthetic and cultural sources and a relatively general, casual, and loose historical and cultural environment.…

With winter approaching, what to wear to keep warm is a top priority. Why not take a look at how the ancient Chinese wear to kept warm?   The thinnest winter coat - paper clothes Did the ancients enjoy the winter with wine and food, wearing mink and fox fur? Perhaps slightly different from the Chinese drama, that is just the illusion created by the rich people, in fact, before the popularity of cotton, there were also paper clothes in history. Zhi Qiu (纸裘, paper clothes), as the name implies, it is made of paper mulberry, rattan paper, and other paper made of clothing, since the emergence of the Wei and Jin, to the Tang and Song dynasties, began to be popular on a large scale in the folk. According to historical records, at that time, the poor people suffered from war and were displaced, so they made paper clothes to protect themselves from the cold due to the lack of cloth. The low cost of paper materials, easy to obtain, so it can be widely popular. Not only did the people favor paper clothes, there was also a group of people who liked to wear paper clothes, namely monks.…

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 golden autumn. In the Song Dynasty, there is also a record: "the moon to be full when the flowers are just in full bloom, then flowers will be disabled after the moon is waning". This is a description of the flowering period of osmanthus. If there is no accident, then the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar is the day when the osmanthus is in full bloom, and after half a month the flowers wither, the moon will also become waning, the flowers bloom and fall, corresponding to the loss of the moon. The human plants and the vast universe are linked together in such a form.   Ingredients - The Fragrance of Sweet Osmanthus Cinnamon is excellent as an ingredient. However, fresh osmanthus contains tannin and tastes astringent and bitter, so they are usually pickled…

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 wonder which "sleeve posture" is most to your liking?     Large sleeve Large sleeves (大袖), also known as the wide sleeve, or what we commonly call the "wide sleeve", is known for its wide sleeve width, with the width of the cuff even approaching the sleeve length. It is the most classic sleeve shape of Hanfu, and also the most "fairy" one. The pose of "wide clothes and large sleeves" is the most common in hanfu dresses. Because it is inconvenient to work, it is mostly reserved for the upper class and is often a symbol of etiquette. However, due to changes in the system, status, wearing occasions, socio-economic culture, and other factors, the same large sleeves have different forms. Among the Ming official uniforms, the large sleeves of the "Chaofu (朝服)" and "Gongfu (公服)" was relatively wider, with…

The oldest Chinese embroideries found date back to the Zhou dynasty (1027-221 B.C.) and may well be the earliest that ever existed. However, very early embroideries have also been found in Egypt and Northern Europe, so it is not clear in which part of the world the art of embroidery actually originated - it may also have appeared in several parts of the world at about the same time. It is, however, accepted that the Chinese invented sericulture and mastered the art of reeling the cocoons of the bombyx and spinning the silk from very early times. It is therefore not surprising that the ancient Chinese embroideries were made of silk. Strangely enough, embroidery in China was at first reserved for men, before they entrusted this task to the more delicate fingers of their women. The earliest surviving example of Chinese silk embroidery is a ritual garment found in a tomb in Mashan, now Hubei Province, in the fourth century BC, during the early Taoism period (before the appearance of Buddhism in China). However, if we are to believe the patterns drawn on this garment, it could just as well have been used to perform the rituals of a religion…

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 during this period was particularly affected by the long period of feudalism and continuous wars. As a result of the interplay of many new cultural factors, the Northern and Southern Dynasties became a tumultuous but poetic era, with the amorous style of a flamboyant gentleman and the leisurely thoughts of a gentle girl. In a simple and bright move under the skirt, there is a unique "Northern and Southern Dynasties" hanfu flavor, and the poetry of the oriental landscape is linked in the softness and simplicity. In this article, let's take a closer look at the unique aesthetic of this era and teach you how easy it will be to match the "Northern and Southern Dynasties Hanfu" with a classical flavor.   The style trend of hanfu in the "Northern and Southern Dynasties" During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, hanfu…

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 characteristics of makeup in different periods of history? If you are new to Hanfu (traditional Chinese dress), you certainly have many questions and will feel that Hanfu is very complicated. Moreover, the Chinese Hanfu costume covers not only the dress, but also the makeup, hair, and accessories. So we will compile in this post documentaries on Hanfu, if you are interested in Hanfu and Hanfu related culture, you may get your doubts solved through them.   李白 / Li Bai "Li Bai" is divided into four episodes, attempting to sketch a clearer and more complete outline of this artistic giant through the life of Li Bai, and tracing the spiritual character of the Chinese people for thousands of years. To vividly tell the important episodes and present the atmosphere of Li Bai's literary works, "Li Bai" combines realistic scenes and…

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 color of the Chinese people? Today we will talk about the China-red!   How much do Chinese people like red? China-red, as the underlying color of Chinese culture, is everywhere, all the time. Such as the vermilion gate, red walls and pillars of the Forbidden City, or the redwood furniture and red quilts of people's homes. From the bride's red veil, red wedding dress, red embroidered shoes, etc., to the red Dudou (肚兜) worn by children. And red Fai Chun, red lanterns, red paper cutting, red envelope, red seals ...... There are too many objects off red in China to count. The Chinese can be said to have applied the color red to an extreme. Chinese directors also like to apply red in their films, such as Zhang Yimou. The films "Hong Gao Liang (红高粱)", "Ju Dou (菊豆)", "House of…