Ruqun (襦裙), is one of the earliest and most basic forms of Hanfu. Ru means top garment, and Qun means skirt.
There are two types of Ruqun if categorized by where the skirt is tied, one with the skirt tied above the chest (the chest-high Ruqun – Qixiong Ruqun), and the other one is tied on the waist, and for today, we are going to talk about the waist-high Ruqun – Qiyao Ruqun.
Let's take a look at history and how to wear the Qiyao Ruqun.
1: History of Qiyao Ruqun
Ruqun is one of the styles under the Yi Chang (衣裳) category of hanfu, Yi Chang basically means top and skirt, although traditional Chinese clothing varied greatly from each dynasty to the next, the few basic styles remained unchanged for the most part.
During the Tang Dynasty, other than the iconic Qixiong Ruqun, a variety of Qiyao Ruqun styles were also in favor. In this famous Chinese painting “Night Revels of Han Xizai (韩熙载夜宴图)”, all the musician ladies were wearing Qiyao Ruqun, with bold and vibrant colors.
2: Wear the Top Garment of Qiyao Ruqun
Unlike Qixiong Ruqun, you have to wear a camisole with the Qiyao version since the skirt ties on the waist. This is a single layer top garment called Ru (襦) or Shan (衫). It has parallel collars and ties together, the sleeves are narrow in shape.
It is very common to find round decorative patterns on fabrics during the Tang Dynasty. There is a middle seam on the back that represents a person's righteousness.
Put the blouse on first, and tie the knot.
3: Wear the Skirt of Qiyao Ruqun
This is a one-piece half-pleated skirt with the pleats only on top. The waistband is mint green paired with cream color belts. It also has the signature Tang Dynasty patterns, one of them is a golden phoenix.
To wear a traditional one-piece skirt, wrap it around the body, lift one end up from the inside and fold it down along the waistline.
Cross the belts on the back and tie them on the front, then you are all set.
This outfit is the bright contrasting colors and can choose the hair accessories that are inspired by the Tang Dynasty style.
You can click on the video to see the details of how to wear Hanfu – Qiyao Ruqun.
For more information on Chinese traditional dress and how to wear Hanfu, please click here.
