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 Ming style Shan/Ao The different Ming Dynasty Shan/Ao styles are mainly composed of the elements of collar, bodice, sleeve shape, and length of the clothing. Ling (领, collar): Zhi Ling (直领, straight collar), Yuan Ling (圆领, round collar), Li Ling (立领, stand collar, also known as Shu Ling), Fang Ling (方领, square collar). Jin (襟, bodice): Da Jin (大襟), Dui Jin (对襟), refers to the intersection of the neckline of the clothes, and also refers to the chest part of the clothes. Xiu (袖, sleeve type): Zhai Xiu (窄袖, narrow sleeves), Zhi Xiu (直袖, straight sleeves), Pipa Xiu (琵琶袖, pipa sleeves), Da Xiu (大袖, wide sleeves). Yi Chang (衣长, length of clothes): Chang Shan/Ao (long), Duan Shan/Ao (short). We will introduce several classic Ming Hanfu styles for girls, based on different collar styles.   Zhi Ling Zhi Ling Da Jin…

Originally published in China Youth Magazine, Issue 10, 2021 @Correspondent: Fan Tuan (饭团) In recent years, there is a phenomenon that people can easily notice: more and more people in "ancient costumes" walking in the streets, they have wide robes and large sleeves, fluttering clothes, forming a landscape of their own, and most of them are young people. Their clothing is called Hanfu (汉服), and they call each other "Tongpao (同袍)" "Paozi (袍子)". So, what is Hanfu? Why are young people so keen on the Hanfu revival? How can ordinary people become Hanfu Tongpao? In this article, we interviewed 10 Hanfu Tongpao. Among them, there are ordinary people, leaders of Hanfu societies, Hanfu models, businessmen, and social media celebrities. Let's get closer to Hanfu in the stories of Tongpao.   Which Hanfu styles does Tongpao prefer? Hanfu, also known as Han Yi Guan, Han Zhuang, and Hua Fu, is a unique Han style and accessory system that was formed through a natural evolution from the reign of the Yellow Emperor to the middle of the 17th century AD (late Ming and early Qing dynasties) in the main areas where the Han people lived, with the "Huaxia-Han" culture as the background…

It's a hot summer day and time to argue whether or not summer is a good time to wear hanfu. As always, the answer I give remains that summer is perfect for wearing hanfu. In this article, we have found some cool hanfu styles for you, I hope it will help you with your summer hanfu dressing inspiration!   Beizi + Airplane sleeves + Pleated skirt Polka dot design and gradient color. Match the green of mint and the yellow of lemon together, and midsummer will become cool.   Song-style airplane sleeves + Xuan skirt The color is fresher and also in line with the popular color of 2021.   Ming-style short Shan + Pleated skirt The color is a vibrant summer model and the material is chiffon, which is not easily wrinkled. The pattern of the skirt is chosen to be checkered + summer plants, which is very suitable whether it is paired with hanfu of the same color, or with fashion.   Polka dot pleated skirt This Polka dot pleated skirt is very fresh, deep, and shallow small Polka dots do not show monotonous, with a round neck short shirt is very cute and daily.   Qixiong Shanqun…

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, Modern Hanfu collated the styles that directly applied ancient paintings to Hanfu, while in the second issue, the restored Hanfu styles that will be presented to you are those that appear in ancient paintings and ceramic figurines.   The Night Revels of Han Xizai "The Night Revels of Han Xizai" is a painting by Gu Hongzhong, a painter of the Southern Tang Dynasty during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Depicting the scene of Han Xizai, an official, holding a night banquet at his home, with songs and music. There are five scenes in the scroll, and each scene is cleverly separated by a screen. This set of restored hanfu is based on the costume of the musician girl in "Han Xizai's Night Banquet", with a dark pattern on the top, a flower pattern on the skirt, and an…

Hanfu has grown very popular today. In fact, the hanfu industry is now worth over 1 billion and has kept increasing over the years. Even today, it is still increasing. Many young and old people alike wear hanfu daily: in the streets, at school, casual wear, etc. The wearers also say that hanfu gives them a sense of national identity. However, how exactly are the intricate pieces made? There are several steps to it. First, silks and fabrics must be made. Second, embroidery and decorations must be done on the cloth. Then, tailors and hanfu makers buy the cloth and sew it. After much work, beautiful hanfu are made but let's get into detail... 01. Silk making 1. In Chinese mythology, silk is said to be invented by Lady Hsi Ling Shih, the wife of the yellow emperor who ruled from about 3000 BC. However, written references of silk was found at the Shang dynasty site in Anyang. Silk was first discovered and created in China. Real silk is very valuable and is one of the most expensive fabrics in the world. There are several types of silk but the most common type is silk made from the cocoons of…

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, the "San Sher" are daily life tools, used for repairing and cleaning, and their main components include hooks, chains, connectors, pendants, etc. Some of them also have storage tubes, and the pendant objects are usually toothpicks, ear picks, and tweezers, which can be worn by both men and women. The "San Sher" is a common name in the Ming Dynasty, but in fact, the number of pendants can be increased or decreased, and the types are also different. The Ming Dynasty gold and silver "San Sher" are exquisite and unique, reflecting the high design aesthetic appeal, and also have a rich cultural connotation.   Design aesthetics of Ming dynasty Ornaments - San Sher   01 Small and applicable: the form of pendant design The gold and silver "San Sher" of the Ming Dynasty pursued unity in form, and the pendant…

The hot summer season does not only represent dullness and bondage, but also softness, ease, breathability and silhouette opening. Besides the hanfu style, there is still a wide range of fabrics to choose from. Han Time's essential guide will start with fabrics and bring you hanfu style suitable for summer wear.   Ramie | Ancient Cloth for Summer Hanfu The ramie is harvested three times a year, and at the time of the Grain in Ear (芒种), the farmers peel off the ramie skin from the pole, which is so coarse that it will break the hands if not careful. But it and Ge Man are the oldest fibers used as the raw material for making clothes. In Chinese, there is a character "Ji (绩)", which refers to the action of spinning hemp fibers into threads, and the process of making hemp threads is called "Ji Sha (绩纱)", which is mostly done by women and elderly people, and then sold to weaving workshops to be made into cloth before it is ready for clothing. Because ramie has a good gap, it has excellent breathability, and the solid color fabric reflects simplicity. If added with the printed and dyed flower color,…

This section contains Pan collar Aoqun (盘领袄裙), which can be divided into: Pan collar Da Ao (盘扣大袄), Pan collar Duan Ao (盘扣短袄). Size range: 155/80A to 175/96A. Please read the introduction of the topic and how to use this guide in advance.   Introduction The round collar tunic was not originally a Han dress, but a new type of dress introduced in northern China during the Sixteen Kingdoms period (when the southern part was under the Eastern Jin Dynasty), and became completely popular in ancient China after the Sui and Tang dynasties. However, this costume has evolved over time and has become completely Han Chinese, and as such has become an important and indispensable style in the Han clothing system. The Ming system Pan collar is a kind of round collar, evolved from the Sui and Tang round collar, generally straight cloth is first folded in half, then ironed into shape, along the inner circle with thread sewn tightly, so that the collar edge curved into a round shape, and the end of the collar edge nailed with buttons for fixed. The Pan collar Da Ao (盘扣大袄) can be used as a woman's formal dress, usually with Pipa sleeves or wide…

Traditional Chinese painting has a long history, and classic heirloom paintings not only give us an idea of how the ancients lived, but some hanfu styles are even inspired by ancient paintings. The paintings we are going to learn about today have even been "printed" directly on the Chinese hanfu costumes. The traditional style of the hanfu combined with the retro tones of the paintings, makes a difference.   A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains The painting "A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains (千里江山图)", now collected in the Palace Museum in Beijing, is one of the ten most famous Chinese paintings, the work of Wang Ximeng of the Song Dynasty. He was only 18 years old when this painting was completed. Wang Ximeng's "A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains," 51.5 cm wide and 1,191.5 cm long, is painting on silk in green and blue, lavish in its elegance, combining the majesty of a thousand miles of rivers and mountains with the smoky atmosphere of life. There are not only magnificent mountains and rocks in the whole work, but also inhabitants on the riverside, who are either moored or working, adding dynamic beauty to the painting. The whole…

  On the evening of 26 May, a unique discussion was taking place in a courtyard in Yibin, Sichuan Province. The participants were all dressed in "Chinese traditional costumes", including a round-necked robe from the Tang dynasty, a Beizi from the Song dynasty, and a short Aoqun from the Ming dynasty, giving a sense of time travel at first glance. They are members of the Yibin Hanfu Association and are working on a plan for a ritual. Li Juan, the owner of the courtyard and president of the Yibin Hanfu Association, listens carefully and gives sound advice from time to time. Li Juan is a lover of traditional culture and has won awards for excellence in calligraphy in Yibin's Cui Ping District, and for excellence in Chinese painting from the Yibin Artists Association, etc. She came across hanfu in 2013 and loved it so much that she has been promoting it with other hanfu enthusiasts ever since. In December 2019, she took the lead in setting up the Yibin Hanfu Association, and has held many events such as the Flower Festival, coming-of-age ceremony, and the Qu Yuan Ritual Ceremony at the Dragon Boat Festival, bringing hanfu and traditional rituals to…

As a symbol of good fortune, Ruyi (如意, scepter) is a traditional handicraft unique to China that emerged during the Warring States period and has evolved in form and cultural connotation through the Han, Wei, and Jin dynasties, Tang, Song, and even Ming and Qing dynasties. Interestingly, the initial function of the Ruyi is the same as the backscratcher we use today. Only later did it evolve from a practical tool to a beautiful display at a later stage. Origin of Ruyi According to the National Palace Museum, Ruyi originated from the "Sao Zhang (搔杖)" (now called backscratcher) used by the ancients to scratch an itch. The earliest Ruyi, the end of the handle in the shape of a finger, to reach that the hand can not reach, so that can follow heart to relieve the itch, so-called Ruyi. Later, the "Sao Zhang" was combined with "Hu (笏, referring to the hand board used by courtiers to record their business at court)", and the shape gradually evolved into a curved head, and the end of the handle changed from straight to small Lingzhi-shaped, cloud-shaped and other shapes. The head and tail echo each other, the main body is streamlined, the…

A complete hanfu look is certainly not complete without fine jewelry to match. In the course of ancient history, traditional Chinese jewelry naturally evolved, graceful and luxurious, or refined and small. In this article, we will reveal through the order of dynasties, the fashion secrets in ancient traditional Chinese jewelry boxes. Let's see those periods of "China-Chic" how fashionable.   Wei, Jin and North and South Dynasties: A Fashion Trend from Abroad? The poem "Ballad of Mulan" contains the line: "She combs her hair by the window and, before the mirror, fastens golden yellow flowers." This "yellow flowers (Hua Hunag, 花黄)" refers to the makeup of women in the Wei and Jin dynasties, which was inspired by Buddhism. Due to the popularity of Buddhism, the Buddha-nature of gold brought inspiration to women, so although the "flower yellow" in makeup may have been a little exaggerated, but it does reflect the characteristics of Buddhism at the time, as well as the pursuit of exoticism. Of course, the rise of the introduction of Buddhism to the fashion circle brought not only makeup, with the matching jewelry also with a clear Buddhist style. In terms of production materials, although gold and silver remained…

Source: China Daily According to data from people.cn, Chinese hanfu consumers surpassed 2 million in 2018, tripling the level of 2017. A recent report from Guangzhou-based consultancy iiMedia Research estimated that by 2021, China’s hanfu fans will reach 6.89 million, and the hanfu sales volume will total 10.16 billion yuan ($1.58 billion). Popular Hanfu Currently, there were more than 3,000 registered hanfu-related enterprises in China, among which over 60 percent were registered in the past five years, data from business information provider Tianyancha showed. Guangzhou-based bespoke hanfu manufacturer, Minghuatang, is known as the “Hermes of hanfu.” Data from Minghuatang’s official website on May 17 showed that the customer service is busy handling orders submitted on May 11, and the tailoring period has been scheduled to mid-March 2022. Apart from high-end markets, inexpensive hanfu is also popular. Data from Alibaba’s Taobao platform showed that hanfu that are priced between 100 yuan and 300 yuan took up over 60 percent of sales, while those over 500 yuan accounted for roughly 30 percent of sales.   Why Hanfu became popular Zhang Yi, the chief analyst at iiMedia Research, said during an interview with online fashion media Vogue Business, that from a niche hobby…

In summer, there are long days, lazy afternoons, beautiful sunsets, pink peach, sweet watermelon smoothies, and cold mint sodas ...... Although summer has its share of hot weather, beauty lovers always have the best of both worlds. Modern Hanfu sends you refreshing summer hanfu, please check it out. 1. Pick a summer hanfu according to color In the hot summer, we need fresh and beautiful colors to bring a touch of coolness. So we need to try to choose more fresh colors for our summer hanfu as well. A sky blue hanfu is fresh and elegant without being cheesy, reminiscent of a clear spring in the mountains. If a girl wears a sky blue hanfu, she will be the most playful fairy in summer! Sunset yellow with its unique gentle, unique in the summer. If you like warm tones, don't miss it, a sunset yellow tone hanfu, can make you more gentle and intellectual. Mint green is a name that makes people feel cool from the bottom of their hearts. It is like a breeze, quietly ruffling your hair in the summer, taking away the heat. A mint green hanfu not only makes you look energetic, but also brings a…

With the popularity of hanfu, more and more people are starting to pay attention to hanfu, but besides hanfu itself, there is one very important thing to match, and that is traditional Chinese hairpins. There are many kinds of Chinese hairpins, and they are as exquisite as the hanfu, so today we will introduce some of the most beautiful kinds of Chinese hairpins for you.   01 Chan Hua The raw material for Chan Hua (缠花) is silk thread, cardboard, and metal wire. It is a traditional Chinese folk craft, which is mainly made by cutting cardboard into different basic shapes, and then wrapping the wire inside the cardboard with silk thread evenly, and finally bending and combination, a beautiful Chan Hua is completed. The silk thread is used to make the flowers, which are delicate, soft, and elegant. In ancient times, it was an ornament often worn by folk girls.   02 Heat-shrink sheets hairpin The main raw material of the heat-shrink sheet hairpin is a kind of sheet (heat-shrink sheet) that shrinks when exposed to heat and colored powder. The flower petals and leaf patterns are traced on the frosted heat-shrink sheet, cut out, colored with colored pencils…

Ancient China attaches great importance to silk production. Shang Dynasty, silk weaving, and utilization has been quite popular, and has a certain scale of production, mastering a higher degree of weaving technology. By the Qin and Han dynasties, silk weaving handicraft production flourished, and the industry has reached a more mature scale, the Tang and Song dynasties are more prosperous. As for the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, the ancient silk weaving technology reached the highest level, it is not difficult to imagine the prevailing situation. Today, let's learn about the whole process of Chinese silk production through the Qing dynasty Jiao Bingzhen's paintings: "Geng Zhi Tu Ce (耕织图册)". More about Hanfu and Chinese silk you may like:

Just in time for the spring flower viewing season, you can always find many videos on social media of girls wearing hanfu on spring tours during this May Day holiday. Nowadays, it's not normal to go to major scenic spots and events in China without encountering young people wearing hanfu instead. Hanfu is no longer a niche hobby, but it has a long way to go to achieve true industrialization. This wave of hanfu popularity is mostly crowded by young people under the age of 24. Some of them will buy more than 30 pieces of hanfu a year and wear them all the time except for sleeping; some are willing to spend half a year to make a treasured hanfu by hand, and some spend all their spare time on hanfu promotion activities. Has Hanfu still considered a niche hobby? From the 2019 Xi'an Datang Everbright City's "Tumblers show", to this year's Spring Festival's “Tang Palace Night Banquet” all received unanimous praise, the rise of traditional culture boom, and so has the attention to Hanfu. And this "hanfu popularity" is the first to attract young people. Hui, a designer by profession, was initially attracted by the "classical beauty" of…

Many of the first time Hanfu wearers may be confused about the layers of Hanfu wear, because we usually focus more on the outermost layer of clothing, so how do you choose the inside of the Hanfu skirt? Is it a Zhongku (中裤)? In this article, Han Time will introduce several styles that are suitable for matching inside Hanfu skirts to dispel your worries. Chen Qun (衬裙) The Chen Qun can be understood as the bottom version of the hanfu skirt, and the shape is the same as the outer skirt, but it can also be inconsistent. The Chen Qun that we see nowadays are mainly Ma Mian Qun style, pleated skirt style, and Po Qun style (破裙款). Chen Qun is worn for three purposes. The first role: is to increase the skirt's sense of fluff, play the role of skirt support. Another role: can be used as decoration, generally, now the Hanfu Chen Qun also has a decorative lace edge pattern, can reveal some of the lightness of the skirt under the outer skirt. The last role: the most important avoid being seen inside your skirt, in general, light-colored thinner fabric if there is no lining (i.e., single layer)…

During the Republic of China, the three most classic men's clothing, in addition to suits, Zhongshan suit, there is a Chinese traditional Changshan. At that time, gentlemen usually wear a ankle-length Changshan, only the leakage of Western-style leather shoes, so as to look enlightened and progressive, but also not lose the traditional elegance.   Characteristics of the Traditional Changshan Changshan (长衫, long shirt, or tunic), also known as Changgua (长褂, long coat), it is a style of clothing that was improved by the Han Chinese during the Qing dynasty based on the traditional robe and following the Qing dynasty clothing system. Changshan can be worn with a Magua (马褂, the prototype of Tang suit), "Magua Changshan (Changpao)", became the most common male wear in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. After entering the Republic of China, the number of ordinary people wearing Magua in their daily general life gradually decreased. If someone wears a Magua outside the Changshan, it is already a very grand dress, and a blue Changshan with a black Magua is the formal dress in the Republic of China. Different from the Manchu Qi dress, traditional Changshan is characterized by: no horseshoe sleeves,…

Hezi Qun (诃子裙), a kind of Moxiong long skirt with a big-sleeved shirt, has suddenly become a popular hanfu style for summer. Perhaps your initial impression of it is that it is one of the Tang Dynasty hanfu styles. But it's much more than that, and today we're going to introduce you to the origin and types of the Hezi Qun in more detail. Let's get started. 1. What is Hezi Let's first understand what Hezi is. Hezi(诃子) is one of the ancient Chinese women's undergarments, also known as "Waxiong (袜胸)", "Moxiong (抹胸)", "Lanqun (襕裙)", "Hehuan Lanqun (合欢襕裙)", and so on. It was popular in the Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties. From the back to the front of the bundle, the following line, can also be tied around the waist of the skirt, also known as the Dudou (肚兜) in the Qing Dynasty. Originally, Hezi had little to do with hanfu. In most of the ancient literature, Hezi is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine. The earliest documentary record about Hezi and hanfu is found in the Song Dynasty. Song dynasty Zeng Zao in his book "Lei Shuo (类说)" has recorded: one day, Yang Guifei and An Lushan had a…