The Hanfu wedding in Taiyuan is a traditional Han ethnic wedding ceremony held by Hanfu enthusiasts in Taiyuan, wearing the traditional Han Chinese clothing “Hanfu”, based on the “Rites of Zhou – Ritual for the Marriage of a Scholar” to hold a traditional Han ethnic wedding that conforms to modern aesthetics and understanding of etiquette. It can be roughly categorized into Zhou-style weddings, Tang-style weddings, and Ming-style weddings. The traditional Hanfu wedding ceremony generally includes pre-wedding rituals (asking for consent → inquiring about the name → declaring good fortune → giving betrothal gifts → setting the wedding date), the main wedding day (welcoming the bride → completing the ceremony upon arrival of the bride → sharing wine from a calabash → remaining rituals), and post-wedding rituals (the bride meeting her in-laws → the in-laws welcoming the bride with libations → the bride offering gifts to her in-laws).
The 1986 edition of “The Legendary Cases of Di Renjie” was a historical detective drama produced by Taiyuan Television Station, which I had the privilege to watch. Objectively speaking, this series, both in terms of its production and plot, is excellent. The plot is full of twists and turns, the cases are complex, and the actors' performances are spot-on, making it a very good TV series. However, why isn't it well-known? In my opinion, apart from being old and having a limited audience, the main focus during the filming of this series was solely on the intricacy of the cases and the process of solving them.
In this era, an invitation is extended to all of Taiyuan, and even throughout Shanxi Province, to attend a grand traditional Chinese cultural feast. This culminates in a registration form, where participants fill in their phone numbers and names to take part in offline exhibitions and accumulate check-ins. There is a chance to gain qualification for participation in the Hanfu Cultural Festival. Online promotional activities include: spectators taking photos of actors performing flash mobs in business districts and sharing them on social media to receive free gifts at designated areas. This method of sharing on social media helps expand the reach of the event's promotion. A performance event takes place in high-traffic outdoor areas in Taiyuan City and Jinzhong City (such as Wanda Plaza), featuring actors dressed as Li Bai, Yang Guifei, and Wu Zetian performing a rap flash mob titled “Inviting You to Visit the Tang Dynasty.”
After the performance, the press group met Zhang Aixian, the inheritor of Taiyuan gongs and drums, at the Jin Drum Garden. “Today's performance piece is ‘Flying Cymbals – Universal Celebration',” said Zhang Aixian. One of the characteristics of Taiyuan gongs and drums is the prominence of cymbals. “You can see the performers wielding their cymbals left and right, flipping them up and down with the drum beats, spinning rapidly to create patterns.” It is understood that Taiyuan gongs and drums have a history of over a thousand years. When intense, they sound like mountains crashing and thunderous waves; when gentle, they are like a small stream flowing, or the sound of deer stepping on snow. The sounds are melodious, like pearls falling on jade plates, and the cymbals fly like the surging tide of a river, creating a majestic and earth-shaking effect.
When all the team members were at a loss, the choir director Duan Yuling took the initiative to act. Born in 1954, Duan Yuling graduated from Taiyuan Institute of Technology's automobile manufacturing program in 1982. In 2004, at the age of 50, she graduated from the musicology program at Taiyuan Normal University, and on March 1, 2006, she founded the Taiyuan Cadre Choir. For nearly two years thereafter, she led the choir in rehearsals and performances across multiple cities in China, participating in various choral competitions, and even led the choir to win three awards in Taiwan in 2013.
This event is hosted by the Taiyuan Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau and organized by the Taishan Museum of Taiyuan and Taihe Ritual Music, with the venue provided by the Taishan Museum. The Taishan Scenic Area is located southwest of Taiyuan, between Longshan and Mengshan. The scenic area features the legendary five-layer Tang Dynasty coffin and Buddha relics, and since 2014, the Dragon Spring Temple has been rebuilt over four years. The Tang-style architectural cluster is nestled among lush green forests, making it a tourist destination combining culture and scenery.
Yili Hanfu is the first traditional Hanfu brand in Shanxi, dedicated to the inheritance of traditional clothing craftsmanship. They mainly engage in the research, design, production, and sales of traditional clothing. The founder and designer Luo Chunlin is a ritual advisor at the Shanxi Folklore Museum, an inheritor of traditional clothing craftsmanship, and a member of the Taiyuan Folk Artists Association. In the Yili Hanfu studio located in Liujiabu Village, there are official robes, ceremonial attire, deep clothing, and skirted robes, showcasing a wide array of elegant and graceful Hanfu styles that attract visitors for appreciation and experience.
Mount Yunding is the highest peak in Taiyuan, standing at an altitude of 2,789 meters, more than 2,000 meters higher than Taiyuan city. Its steep slopes rise straight up into the clouds, with a flat and vast plateau at the top, a vast grassland, idyllic scenery, magnificent forest seas, and a delightful journey. Travel via Taiyuan-Gutuo Expressway to Guyou, then head towards Zhenchengdi along the Tianchidian direction to reach the scenic area, passing by the Fen River Reservoir. Riding a bike or driving to Shentanggou, Taohuagou, and Langpo, these places are all great spots for enjoying the Mid-Autumn Festival moon. Enjoy lanterns, wear Hanfu, and celebrate the ancient Mid-Autumn Festival.
On May 2nd, the “Flower Festival Hanfu Festival,” hosted by the Taiyuan Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau and organized by the Taishan Museum of Taiyuan, opened. Many visitors wore various free Hanfu costumes provided to tour the garden and scenery, joining the Hanfu festival actors in a parade, displaying the charm of traditional Chinese culture. It is reported that as a continuation of the “Flower Festival Hanfu Festival,” starting from today, the Taishan Museum of Taiyuan will provide over 2,000 sets of Hanfu and accessories to visitors entering the park, aiming to create the first scenic area in Shanxi Province where all visitors wear Hanfu.
Here, you will experience the past and present of Hanfu; here, you will feel the charm of Hanfu and learn how to wear it with fellow enthusiasts. Inheriting Hanfu etiquette culture and presenting the most beautiful you. In addition to discussing Hanfu culture, the group will also periodically announce Hanfu-related events in Taiyuan. We welcome Taiyuan enthusiasts who love Hanfu culture, Hanfu photography, and Hanfu makeup to join us for exchanges and learning. We hope that through the Taiyuan Hanfu community, we can pass on Hanfu culture, and we look forward to the participation of all Taiyuan Hanfu enthusiasts!