The Basics of Hanfu

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…...

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…...

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.   了不起的匠人 - 第二季 THE GREAT SHOKUNIN II THE GREAT SHOKUNIN II is a documentary focusing on oriental aesthetics. The program captures the most heartfelt stories of each artisan, conveys the distinctive and different character of each artisan, and shows the production process of each artifact in a delicate and beautiful way, revealing its shocking side. From each craftsman and each artifact, it conveys a…...

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 Mansion (孔府). As the largest noble house in China, the Kong Family Mansion holds a large collection of heirloom clothing objects, which is unique in the world for its quantity, completeness of system, and orderly transmission, and is a masterpiece of traditional costume culture. Today, we will introduce you to the Kong Family Mansion and its Hanfu collection. Kong Family Mansion, also known as Yan Sheng Gong Mansion (衍圣公府), is the official and private residence of the descendants of Confucius, located in Qufu City, Jining, Shandong Province, China, and is a typical Chinese noble gateway house. It was built in 1377 and rebuilt in 1503, covering an area of 240 acres. The Kong Family Mansion, together with the Temple and Cemetery of Confucius, is known as the "Three Confuciuses", and was listed as one of the first major cultural relics…...

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 is called Ku(袴).   Kun(裈) Kun is an ancient underpants with the crotch, according to the present archaeological evidence, Kun can be traced back to the late Neolithic. It can be divided into two types: one is very short and similar to the contemporary triangle underpants, which was called " Dubi Kun (犊鼻裈dú bí kūn)" in ancient times; "Dubi Kun" has a history of more than 5000 years and is still used in some parts of Contemporary Asia. the other is slightly wider and similar to the contemporary beach pants, which have two obvious pants with knee-length. Compared with the "Dubi Kun" to be more formal, so it has been widely used in the past dynasties, especially in hot areas. Usually, in ancient times, few people will directly expose Kun to the outside except for the farmers, servants or soldiers.…...

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…...

Perhaps you often see some Ming styles of Chinese female outfits with complicated names, such as: Duijin Shuling Pipa Xiu Duan Ao (对襟竖领琵琶袖短袄, short jacket with vertical lapels and pipa sleeves), Xiejin Shuling Long Ao (斜襟竖领长袄, long jacket with slanting lapels). But if you break these names down and analyze them, they are actually very easy to understand. In this article, Zhua Xiao Ye will introduce to you the structure and naming rules of the Ming Chinese female outfits for women, and hope it will help you if you are particularly fond of the Ming-style Hanfu. Step 1: Ling (领, collar) Ling is the collar of the clothes. There are more kinds of collars in Hanfu, the most common one is the Jiaoling (交领, cross collar), which is characterized by Jiaoling Youren (交领右衽), that is, the left lapel covers the right lapel (when wearing, but if viewed from the front, that is the right lapel covers the left lapel), showing a "y" shape, which started from the Shang and Zhou period and was used until the Ming Dynasty. In addition to the cross collar, more types of collars were developed in the Ming Dynasty: Yuanling (圆领, round collar), Fangling (方领, square…...

1. Hanfu Types Summary The ancient Chinese costume Hanfu system can be divided into two categories: the "Fa Fu (法服)", which was based on the ritual and music system and the "Bian Fu (便服)", which was not limited by the rank system. In contemporary society, the ancient ranking system has died out, but the dress culture behind the "Fa Fu" should still be respected. Based on the dress etiquette requirements of the majority of people in each ancient era (i.e., the ancient scholar and citizen class), some historical costumes are selected and summarized into a contemporary Hanfu system. Among them, the dresses for the Guan Ji Li (冠笄礼) and wedding are based on the basic requirements of the rituals inherited from the Ming Dynasty, while the informal dresses are based on the dresses of the late Ming Dynasty. The Hanfu system and dress codes and mentioned in this article was proposed by Zun Zhou Cheng Ming (尊周承明) 1.1 Hanfu Menswear System 1.1.2 Li Fu (礼服, formal dress) It belongs to the outer clothing layers. It is one of the most solemn dresses in the contemporary men's Hanfu system and is not suitable for daily wear (the same applies to the…...

There are many different forms of Hanfu, and different dynasties may have different styles, so we often mention some proper names of Hanfu in our articles. And this article brings together some words that are easily confused in Hanfu costume structures, and I hope it will be helpful to you. 1. Hanfu collar types 2. Hanfu collar protector types It is used to ensure that the garment is protected from stains and can be removed for washing. The style is available in different lengths of width. 3. You Ren refers to the chest part of the clothes. The Ren of Hanfu is usually covered to the right (when viewed from the front, the right lapel covers the left lapel), which is called You Ren (右衽, right overlapping). 4. Hanfu sleeve types 5. Center seam It refers to the centerline of the garment when it is measured and made, and is a metaphor for the philosophical theory of neutrality and integrity. 6. Robe hem The cloth added on both sides of the robe, used to create a three-dimensional feeling by pleating control. It is also used as a function to cover the slit of the robe. According to the hem, the…...

This article introduces you to the components of the Hanfu upper garment. Use the most common cross-collar shirt for demonstration. This is a Ming Dynasty women's woven gold cross-collar short shirt currently in the Confucius Museum in Shandong. 1. Guard collar (Huling, 护领): added to the outside of the collar parts, shorter than the collar, made of plain cloth, can be used to prevent wear and tear dirty. 2. Lapel (Jin, 襟, jīn): it refers to the edge of the chest part of the clothes, which is the collar edge of the clothes with cross collar and straight collar. 3. Ren (衽, rèn): refers to the chest part of the clothes. The Ren of Hanfu is usually covered to the right (when viewed from the front, the right lapel covers the left lapel), which is called You Ren (右衽, right overlapping). 4. Du (裻, dú): refers to the middle seam of the clothes, due to the narrow width of the cloth in ancient times, will be seamed in the middle of the back, called the Zhong Feng (中缝, middle seam). 5. Lacing: The rope belt used to fix the clothes. 6. Ge (袼, gē): refers to the sleeve root, which…...

In the process of evolution, there are dozens or even hundreds of styles of Chinese clothes. This article mainly introduces the most classical styles of Chinese Hanfu clothes.   Women's clothing Suit Ruqun(襦裙) Ruqun is a kind of hanfu, also call: Shanqun (衫裙), short clothes worn on the upper body, call "Ru", and the dress of the lower body, call "Qun", together call "Ruqun". It is a typical "Shangyi Xiachang(top clothes and underdress) " form. Ruqun has an obvious feature: short top and long dress. The Ruqun appeared in the Warring States Period, Ruqun was worn by ordinary people(female) until the end of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Jiaoling Ruqun/ Shanqun(交领襦裙/衫裙) Jiaoling Ruqun is a kind of Ruqun, the main feature is: the top collar is cross. It is quite common in the Song Dynasty. Wearing method: First: Wear top clothes, Align the collar of the top clothes; Tie a knot in right Jin(襟, the chest part of the top); Tie a knot in left Jin. Second: tie up the dress, Put the dress in front of you, wrap the skirt behind you; Two sides of the dress overlap behind; Folding outwards the pressing on the inner layer of dress;…...

A complete set of Hanfu includes Shoufu (首服, headdress), Tiyi (体衣, clothes), Zuyi (足衣, shoes, and socks) and accessories. Let's talk about the Chinese headdress today. Chinese headdress brief introduction The Chinese headdress is one of the important parts of ancient Chinese clothing, In ancient times, both men and women of Han nationality coiled their hair into a bun and fixed it on their heads with a hairpin. The main Chinese headdress is Guan (冠, crown, a hat that goes with a formal dress in ancient), Mao (帽, hats), Jin(巾, kerchief), etc. Mao mainly includes gauze hat (纱帽), hood (风帽)and Jin mainly has the black silk ribbon scarf (纶巾), the net kerchief (网巾) and so on. When the Yellow Emperor invented the Guan, the rite of adulthood of the Han nationality - the rite of male Guanli (冠礼) and the rite of female Jili (笄礼) - shows that Shoufu plays an important role in the national cultural psychology. Since the Qin Dynasty, there has been no separation of Yi and Guan (clothes and hats). However, due to the feudal concept, the number of women in the civilian class wearing the Guan is very small. Many years later, in the era when history…...