The Chinese ancient armor protecting the head was called Zhou (胄, helmet) in the pre-Qin period. In oracle bone inscriptions, the helmet is painted as a shield with a vertical tube at the top. And many of the bronzes excavated from the Yinxu tomb in Anyang are fully consistent with this phenomenon. However, there is a lack of a standard for the definition of other ancient helmets without vertical tubes in Western Zhou and Spring and Autumn Warring States. Therefore, the emergence of iron head armor as the dividing line, before that, regardless of whether they had vertical tubes or not, they were called Zhou regardless of whether the material specifically leather or bronze, after that, they were divided into two categories: Dou Mou (兜鍪, helmet) and Kui (盔, helmet). But those with vertical tubes with feathers as decoration were still called Zhou, such as the unified style of the Qing Dynasty.   Ancient helmets from the pre-Qin period Bronze Zhou (胄) of the pre-Qin period is bounded by the Shang and Zhou (周) dynasties. The surface of Zhou in the Shang Dynasty is generally cast with Taotie, round sunflowers, and other patterns, and the unearthed objects in Xingan County,…

The ancient historical series "The Long River (天下长河)" released on November 11, 2022, tells the story of the Kangxi Emperor unconditionally promoting Chen Huang (陈潢) and Jin Fu (靳辅) to take control of the flood in Yellow River flooding. After working despite winds and rains, and dealing with countless turmoils from the court for almost half a century, the emperor and the ministers gradually pacified the flood, leaving the future generations a legacy to be praised for the great achievements of the true historical story. The three main actors are Luo Jin, Yin Fang, and Huang Zhizhong. And the six supporting actors are Xi Meijuan, Liang Guanhua, Su Ke, Lu Siyu, Gong Lei, and Zhao Qi, all of them have their own strengths. Every character in the series has distinctive character traits, and each actor's grasp and interpretation of the characters is perfect. The Long River puts emphasis on the interpretation of history and flood management strategies. Unlike most of the costume dramas today, which are dressed like historical stories but with a core of loving stories, the Long River focuses on the flood in the Yellow River and values the tradition of historical dramas, telling the legendary story of…

The "Chinoiserie Grand Ceremony (国潮盛典)" is a cultural gala jointly produced by Kuaishou and Henan TV. The gala incorporates diversified program art forms, rich in type and both aesthetic, and allows more people to discover, experience and inherit culture through the collision of Chinoiserie culture and technology and the expression of unique perspectives. The gala has been broadcasted on November 9, 2022.   01 Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Show The story revolves around a small restaurant where the two bosses are run by the two stars of the classic martial arts TV series "My Own Swordsman", Wang Shasha and Fan Ming. While thinking about how to generate revenue for the restaurant, they come across a skill convention held in the neighborhood and have many interesting stories with all kinds of people on the street. Such a program setting not only continues the previous format of stringing programs with stories; the wonderful program design and elaborate hanfu costumes also continue the previous aesthetics. For example, the sequel of the "Tang Palace Night Banquet": "San Cai Nao Qian Deng (三彩闹千灯)". If the "Tang Palace Night Banquet" shows the funny things that happen on the way to the performance of the ladies…

In the Book of Songs, it is said, "The peach blossoms are in full bloom, their colors are bright and vivid like fire. This girl is getting married and will make her husband's family happy and harmonious. (桃之夭夭，灼灼其华。之子于归，宜其室家。)" With a few words, it outlines a prosperous scene of joyfulness and marriage of men and women. Chinese marriage rituals were formed during the Xia and Shang dynasties, and because the ancient ritual of marrying a wife was often held at dusk, it was known as the "Hun Li (昏礼)". Since ancient times, people have attached great importance to weddings, and on this day people dress up to celebrate this important event in their lives and gather many good wishes on their wedding clothes. In recent years, more and more people are choosing traditional Chinese wedding dresses for their weddings, and the beauty of the Feng Guan (凤冠, phoenix crown) and Xia Pei (霞帔) has stunned countless people. Chinese traditional wedding dresses are not only beautiful, but also have the weight and uniqueness of the ancient oriental culture, let's follow ArtMoment to explore the romance that has lasted for thousands of years and belongs to the Chinese people.   Tang Dynasty: warmth…

If you’ve read my previous article that attempts to give a general overview of the many terms for supernatural beings in Chinese mythology and folkloric tradition, then you’ll know how nearly impossible it is to, well, give a general overview of Chinese mythology and folkloric tradition! Chinese culture is simply too vast, too complicated, with too many little offshoots and alternating viewpoints all fighting for prominence. Each mythological system comes with its own unique highlights and fascinating characters and stories, making each and every system indispensable, because no matter how much groups throughout China’s history have tried to clamp down on other traditions, religions, or mythologies, ultimately cultures and stories cannot be destroyed so long as they genuinely hold the fondness and interest of the people. So if you’re like me and are very interested in learning more about Chinese mythology—especially the roots of where they came from, and landmark works of literature that have helped various traditions and tales maintain popularity and longevity—then read on! In this article I’ve complied a list of six of the most well-known, most influential, and most well-written works of Chinese mythology and folklore. This is based on my own research, so it may…

Entering autumn, in addition to adapting to the weather, we also should change the style of clothes we wear. Temperatures in autumn are around 60% cold and 40% hot, because the sun doesn't last long and the weather tends to seem dark. It often rains but not heavily, when in early autumn there is a lot of fog that appears in the morning. So, warm clothes are more suitable to wear during this season. Now, the spread of hanfu is getting more and more widespread, and everyone can definitely see many people wearing hanfu in everyday life. Be it male or female, young or old, there are many people who wear Hanfu. So, what kind of hanfu should you wear in autumn? It's early fall, and the weather is a little cooler than summer, but not too cold. Therefore, hanfu worn in summer can still be worn today. For example, qixiong ruqun. In addition, Song dynasty hanfu, such as xuanqun, beizi, baidiequn, and others are also very suitable to be worn in autumn. When autumn is a little deeper, everyone can wear thicker hanfu. For example, the Ming dynasty hanfu which is very suitable to be worn in autumn. Of…

Armor was an important war material in the cold weapon era, and its quality and quantity were crucial to the combat power of ancient armies and the rule of feudal dynasties. The Chinese emperors paid attention to improving the ability and quality of armor manufacturing, but also strictly controlled the private possession of armor by strict penalties and laws. During the Song and Yuan dynasties, this restriction was even stricter, and those who hid the whole set of armor privately would be regarded as having conspiracy to commit rebellion to be executed. The armor could only be handed out during the war and collected into the national treasury after the war. These military treasures were eventually destroyed and lost during the war between the dynasties, so except for a few surviving artifacts from the late Qing Dynasty that have been preserved as cultural relics, the rest of the dynasties have rarely survived to this day. However, after the death of the royal family and the senior military class, armor could be buried in the burial chamber as burial goods. For example, the Qin Dynasty, the images of armor portrayed on the terracotta warriors and the stone armor excavated from the…

"Story of Yanxi Palace" is a drama with a strong sense of history and court aesthetics. Previous dramas of the same kind focus on dramatic conflicts, while Yanxi is particularly prominent in the aspects of palace life, which is extremely rare. The whole drama gives the audience a strong sense of substitution, as if they have followed the characters live in the Forbidden City for 70 episodes. The furnishings in the palace are carefully arranged by the crew, whether it is Shoukang Palace, Chuxiu Palace or Yanxi Palace. Among them, the most impressive is the cloisonne! When it comes to cloisonne, it might not be known to everyone, but it definitely leaves a deep imprint in every viewer's heart. When stepping into the Qianqing Palace, the red-crowned crane and incense burners in front of emperor seat, all of which show the supreme power and dignity of the royal family. Let's learn more about cloisonne, the ancient royal luxury.   The characteristics and history of cloisonne China cloisonne, the national intangible cultural heritage, is one of the famous special metal handicrafts with a history of more than 600 years. It is also known as "copper padding thread weaving vitreous enamel", which…

Haha so I lied in the last article, we’re actually doing the Tang Dynasty next! This is for sure going to be a favorite of everyone—after all, who can resist the flamboyant, vibrant beauty of the Tang Dynasty? Let’s get right to it and see where some of our favorite Tang Dynasty hanfu comes from. The Tang Dynasty was a period of time (618–907CE) preceded by the Wei/Jin Northern and Southern Dynasties and proceeded by the Five Dynasties Ten Kingdoms period, and then the Song Dynasty (the Five Dynasties Ten Kingdoms period is often regarded as part of the Tang fashion period for hanfu purposes because the fashion trends followed pretty closely). A flourishing golden age for China, the Tang Dynasty saw leaps and bounds in art, poetry, and exchange of culture—the most open-minded society that has existed in the world in a very long time. People freely exchanged cultural norms, aesthetics, and ideas between nations from the Silk Road and beyond, resulting in a blossoming of the world of clothing as well, and a rich collection of art for us to reference our hanfu off of.   Astana Cemetery Interestingly, not a lot of clothing of the Tang Dynasty…

Who says hanfu is uncomfortable for daily use? Some people feel that hanfu is too complicated to wear, uncomfortable, and unsuitable for modern daily life. Hanfu itself is a kind of Chinese national dress that includes the everyday clothes of all the ancient Han people. Back then, no one had ever said that hanfu was uncomfortable and can't be used in daily life. Like ancient hanfu, modern hanfu is a type of clothing that can meet people's daily needs at home, travel and work. Modern hanfu? Modern hanfu is functional and elegant. With a blend of sophisticated cotton & silk fabrics, this style is easy to wear and easy to wash. It is enough to care for it by washing it in cold water on a gentle cycle and then hanging it to dry. The luxury modern women crave, whether it's layering or lounging, this piece is durable and soft. Who tend to wear modern hanfu most often - in some cases on a daily basis - are girls and boys, students and teachers, tourists and cultural workers. In some places with unique views of ancient gardens, it is required to wear traditional or modern hanfu clothing whenever appearing in…

Gods, ghosts, demons. These are terms we’ve all heard before, of course. When it comes to gods, you might think of the eclectic pantheons of Greek, Norse, or Egyptian tradition, or the capital “G” God of many huge, organized religions; for ghosts, you might think of translucent, ethereal, figures; for demons, horned and fork-tailed monsters. Chinese mythological traditions have these supernatural beings too—but in China, these beings are assigned very different traits and come from very different cultural roots. The problem stems from the fact that the Chinese names of these beings are often translated using English counterparts that already have pre-established, similar meanings (yet terms that are also just different enough that they can cause confusion and misunderstandings). So to those unfamiliar with Chinese mythology or Chinese folkloric tradition, here is a compiled list of the main supernatural beings of Chinese mythology, as well as there etymological roots, their interrelationships, their similarities, and their differences. I hope this will help you prevent accidental conflation of terms and mythologies, and I hope you have fun learning something from the guide below!   Gods（神） Let’s start at the very top: Gods, or 神/shen. Chinese folkloric tradition is home to innumerable thousands…

In the past two years, there have been countless cultural variety shows that got public praise, but the most impressive estimates are "Tang Palace Night Banquet", underwater Flying Dance "Pray", and "The Painting Journey—The Legend of A Panorama of Mountains and Rivers", and most of them are showcased in gorgeous and beautiful dances. Recently, the variety show "The Mews (美好年华研习社)" has once caused a frenzy among hanfu lovers in the form of a brand-new program.   The Highlight of "The Mews" "The Mews" was initiated by famous hosts Wang Han and Ma Ke. It gathered 12 young members and divided them into two groups. With historical figures as the topic, the members of the two groups studied separately, designed a show for the two ancient women, and participated in it. Therefore, each episode is about the process of the groups members from getting the questions to completing them. It combines almost all stage forms: drama, musical, stand-up comedy, dance, and hanfu show, through the stories of ancient women, to tell the aesthetics and culture of their times. The program is aimed at the majority of young audiences, promotes and popularizes the traditional aesthetics of the Chinese represented by "Chinoiserie" and…

  Vocabulary Velvet Flower - 绒花 (rónghuā) - a realistically made flower made artificially from silk threads and copper wire. Palace Flower - 宫花 (gōng huā) - another way to call ronghua with the rise in popularities of ronghua to females in the palace. Untwisted Silks - 无捻蚕丝 (wú niǎn cánsī) - when it comes to silk threads, depending on the type and material of the threads, one single thread can be made up of thinner threads twisted together. Untwisted silk thread means there are no smaller twisted threads. You can directly skip to the brushing steps in ronghua making process. Hunan Embroidery Thread - 湘绣线 (xiāngxiù xiàn) - another type of thread used in ronghua making. Suzhou Embroidery Thread - 苏绣线 (sūxiù xiàn) - another type of thread used in ronghua making.   History 绒花, rónghuā, an artificial handcraft head accessories made from materials such as silks and coppers. It existed since the Qin Dynasty. There are many known “brands” of ronghuas, such as Nanjing Ronghua. In the Tang era, Wu Zetian listed Nanjing Ronghua as a royal tribute to the Yangzhou area becoming a luxury only princes and princesses can use. Eventually, Nanjing Ronghua became something that represents Nanjing but also…

1. The Picture of the Ode of the River Goddess The Wei and Jin dynasties, the most elegant era in Chinese history, were full of poems and famous scholars, leaving behind countless brilliant literary works. Cao Zhi's Luo Shen Fu (洛神赋) is one of the most brilliant pieces. This long poem, about a traveler who meets a goddess on the shores of the Luo River, but who eventually parts from her because of the difference between the gods and the people, has its roots in the great poetic tradition of the Chinese people, but also contains the romance of Chinese native mythology. The poem Luo Shen Fu was depicted by another legend of the Wei and Jin dynasties, the painter Gu Kaizhi (348-406), in the form of painting: "The Picture of the Ode of the River Goddess". Since then, from poetry to painting, "The Picture of the Ode of the River Goddess" has been permanently engraved in the memory of Chinese people and sublimated into an immortal cultural symbol.   2. Emperor Taizong Receiving the Tibetan Envoy One thousand four hundred years ago, during the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, Songtsen Gampo, an admirer of the prosperous…

Hey everyone, thanks for waiting! Our next topic is gonna be pretty exciting for most of you who love the classic ruqun aesthetic: we’re going to be going over the historical relics for the Wei/Jin and Northern/Southern Dynasty! Since there are so few of these relics, this article is going to focus on the Wei/Jin Dynasty as a whole, including restored relics, art references, and misconceptions about the Wei/Jin Dynasty. It might be a bit of a shorter article due to little material, but I know that people are really interested in this period of time, so let’s get to it! 魏晉南北朝/魏晋南北朝/wei4 jin4 nan2 bei3 chao2/Wei/Jin and Northern/Southern Dynasties refers to the period of time between 220 and 589CE. Also known as 六朝/六朝/liu4 chao2/Six Dynasties, this set of dynasties are compressed into one general block of time by historians because of the rapid exchange of power. Following the Eastern Han dynasty, the Three Kingdoms period had the Cao Wei kingdom at its forefront, with the Western Jin Dynasty coming right after ruled by Sima Yan. This was followed by the Northern Dynasties, when the Northern Wei, Western Wei, Easter Wei, and Northern Zhou and Qi Dynasties followed each other rapidly,…

Which ancient China period is the most fascinating? The Tang Dynasty may be the best choice. As the most powerful and advanced existence in the world at that time, the Tang Dynasty has strong national power, a booming economy, and splendid culture. There were prosperous scenes of different countries from all over the world coming to visit, but also the wonderful legends and stories of countless capable people. This undoubtedly provides a wealth of creative materials for contemporary film and television creation, among which the suspense works are quite representative. From "Amazing Detective Di Renjie" starring Liang Guanhua, "Detective Dee" series of films directed by Xu Ke, "Legend of the Demon Cat" directed by Chen Kaige, to "The Imperial Coroner" and "Luoyang" in the past two years. Nowadays, when a new drama "Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty" of the same type is popular, let's follow Peng Xiao Xian and the four elements: city, palace, market, and stagecoach to explore the story of the Tang Dynasty.   01 City At the beginning of the drama "Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty", Chang'an county magistrate Wu Daqi was killed by a demon cat and died strangely. And the main character Su Wu Ming…

  Tang Dynasty - Fei Qian Fei Qian (飞钱, flying cash) in the Tang Dynasty, the earliest prototype of Chinese paper money. The New Book of Tang – Recordings of foods and goods contains: “商贾至京师，委钱诸道进奏院及诸军诸使富家，以轻装趋四方，合券乃取之，号飞钱。” Fei Qian are also called "Bian Huan (便换, convenient exchange)" and "Bian Qian (便钱, convenient money)". In the middle of the Tang Dynasty, the production of copper coins could not meet the market demand, and there were many restrictions on the flow of copper coins. Besides, the carrying and transportation of large amounts of copper coins were also a problem. So, a new financial method was born. The merchants in the capital sent the money to the Jin Zou Yuan (进奏院, the official statutes of report) which is the office in the capital, and the Jin Zou Yuan issued a ticket for the merchants, with the amount, date, name and other items written on it. And this ticket would be divided into two halves, half sending to the merchant, and another half back to the local. The merchant returned with his half of the ticket to the designated department to exchange for the money, as long as the two halves of the ticket can be…

Recently, Dragon Television announced that China's first documentary to briefly describe the creation story of China and Chinese civilization with national archaeological discoveries, "He Yi Zhong Guo (何以中国)", will officially meet with the audience in the near future. The program team spent more than 400 days and nights photographing more than 40,000 kilometers, which is equivalent to more than one week around the equator, and photographing more than 230 archaeological sites, archaeological workstations, museums, and other sites across the country. In the "He Yi Zhong Guo" Special Program: Talk About Archaeological History, the program team invited the Chinese Hanfu restoration team  (中国装束复原小组). In the program, they took the audience on a tour of "fashionable clothing" from the Spring and Autumn period to the Three Kingdoms period through a hanfu show. The first is the long dress from the late Spring and Autumn periods to the early and mid-Warring States Period. It is characterized by the hollowing out behind the long dress, revealing the long skirt dragging on the ground. Red is the right color, which is suitable for the attendance of some important occasions. The hairstyle is a chic and delicate combed bun, showing the slender neck behind the head.…

The 馬王堆漢墓/马王堆汉墓/ma3 wang2 dui1/Mawangdui Han tomb is one of the most famous Han dynasty archaeological sites in China. Located in Mawangdui, Changsha, this elaborate tomb was found in 1968 and excavated in 1972 to reveal the remains of an incredibly well-preserved noblewoman that we now know was the wife to the Marquis of Dai in the Han Dynasty Kingdom of Changsha, Li Dai. A multilayered burial site containing furniture, food, art, accessories, and other belongings, the tomb contained her personal seal, which was found with the name 辛追/辛追/xin1 zhui1/Xin Zhui engraved in it; thus we know her as 辛追夫人/新追夫人/xin1 zhui1 fu1 ren2/Lady Xinzhui.  (A quick disclaimer—this series of articles is a result of my own research. I’m not a trained historian or archaeologist, I’m an inexperienced student with an interest in hanfu and chinese history. I don’t have a works cited page for these (though I can point you towards some of the resources I used off the top of my head if you really want them), and I didn’t spend a long time verifying my sources beyond checking with multiple sources to make sure the information was consistent, because frankly I don’t have the time to do that. All…

Hey everyone, sorry for the hiatus! I’m back now with a new series of articles—Hanfu Unearthed, a series examining the more technical, historical origins of hanfu. This series of articles is going to focus on the archaeological side of hanfu research: the relics that we’ve uncovered from various dig sites and tombs. The way that hanfu is defined by most is that its shape and construction is designed off of these relics, so let’s take a look at the real historical references that we have. A quick disclaimer—this series of articles is a result of my own research. I’m not a trained historian or archaeologist, I’m an inexperienced student with an interest in hanfu and chinese history. I don’t have a works cited page for these (though I can point you towards some of the resources I used off the top of my head if you really want them), and I didn’t spend a long time verifying my sources beyond checking with multiple sources to make sure the information was consistent, because frankly I don’t have the time to do that. All articles will come with this disclaimer, so please, please understand that I’m doing my best with what I…