The thousands of years of traditional Chinese culture have given birth to many excellent ethnic customs, and “clothing, food, shelter, and transportation” are among the simplest and most directly related aspects of people's lives. The variety of traditional clothing is abundant, differing across dynasties, and traditional Hanfu is now more widely accepted. Many “Hanfu stores” have appeared in the market, making it easier for more people to learn about Hanfu and promote traditional Chinese culture. However, a recent news story has caused public dissatisfaction: “A college student was labeled as mentally ill by her class tutor for wearing Hanfu,” with the tutor even threatening the student: “Transfer or drop out if you don't change your clothes!”
During the Xitang Hanfu Culture Week, there are always some fellow enthusiasts who lack understanding of Hanfu culture and come to join in the fun. Some wear Manchu attire, others put on Hu-style robes, and some even pair them with sneakers. As for those wearing jackets and skirts while holding selfie sticks, I find it hard to describe. In Hanfu forums, such laments can often be seen: “When will the day come when our Han people can wear Hanfu without being pointed at, not be called in ancient costumes, and not be labeled as backward revivalists or mentally ill time travelers?” “Why has our own ethnic attire become ‘clothes that should not be worn'?” In fact, since modern times, the revival of Hanfu began with Mr. Zhang Taiyan, a democratic revolutionary, who, during his exile in Japan, changed into a kimono marked with the character “Han”. The road to reviving Hanfu has been nearly a century long, yet it remains a challenging journey.
In today's society, there is always a trend towards modernization, which is a good thing. However, we cannot lose sight of tradition. Many people, upon seeing someone in Hanfu on the street, might think they look strange or even consider them mentally ill, simply because their attire differs from the norm. In reality, clothing is merely a surface matter; how others choose to dress is their right. Moreover, this class tutor, instead of focusing on education, makes an issue out of these trivial matters, which is quite ridiculous.
At Shijiazhuang Medical College, two female students, driven by their love for Hanfu, boldly wore it to class. They expected to receive recognition but were unexpectedly labeled by the tutor as wearing “strange outfits.” These two girls agreed to wear Hanfu on campus. However, when they encountered their tutor, they were criticized for wearing “strange outfits” and were even called mentally ill. The tutor demanded they immediately return to their dorms to change clothes and threatened to expel them if they didn't comply, and even said they would call the police if they wore Hanfu again.
Not only could this student not understand the tutor's remarks, but the author also finds it hard to comprehend the tutor's thinking. How can wearing Hanfu be considered “strange attire”? Although Hanfu is not the mainstream attire in contemporary society, many people still enjoy wearing it, especially young people. It's common to see young men and women in Hanfu on the streets, creating a beautiful landscape.
Regarding accessories, it is not mandatory. Those who have accessories and wish to learn about them are welcome, but if not, it doesn't matter. When I wore Song-style attire, tying my hair up and going out wasn't an issue. No one would scold you for not wearing accessories. If anyone did, they would be the ones with a mental problem. Normal Hanfu enthusiasts wouldn't do such things. Similarly, if you wore sportswear on the street, only a mentally ill person would scold you for not matching it with sports shoes. Who cares?
Following the incident at Wuhan University, another school in Shijiazhuang had a similar occurrence due to Hanfu. A student wearing Hanfu for photos was advised by the tutor to withdraw, which many found incomprehensible. Hanfu is a part of our country's culture, embodying a beauty beyond words. In today's society, clothing styles have greatly changed, especially Hanfu, which has largely faded away. Wearing it again is a way to promote our cultural heritage. It's unclear what the tutor's intentions were.
Recently, at Shijiazhuang Medical College, a similar incident occurred where two female students wore Hanfu to class and were criticized by their teacher, who then called them in for a talk. The tutor severely reprimanded them, labeling Hanfu as “strange attire” and calling them mentally ill for wearing it on campus. The tutor demanded that these students immediately return to their dorms to change into regular clothes before resuming classes, threatening expulsion if they didn't comply and saying they would call the police if they wore Hanfu again.
It turned out that two girls had agreed to wear Hanfu to class. On the way, they met their tutor, who became very angry and demanded they change their clothes before class. If they entered the classroom dressed like that, they would be expelled. The student couldn't understand the tutor's actions and shared the experience online, quickly drawing comments from netizens. Some felt that universities shouldn't be so strict, questioning whether it was a university or high school. Others believed Hanfu shouldn't be worn as everyday attire for class due to its length, which could lead to conflicts and danger.