On the evening of October 25, the Wuzhen Theater Festival, which lasted for a duration of zero days, kicked off. According to data from Mafengwo, as the opening approached, the keyword “Wuzhen Theater Festival” saw its popularity rise by 37%. On the day of the opening, it became the most searched keyword under the destination “Wuzhen”. In fact, as early as August when tickets were released online for the theater festival, fans had already started their carnival. Tickets for 28 performances across 4 shows sold out within 2 hours, with some popular plays even being snapped up instantly. Data from Mafengwo also showed that hotel prices generally saw a significant increase on the eve of the opening of the Hanfu Culture Week, with many hotels experiencing price hikes of 200% to 400%.
Notably, participants in these cultural brand events have demonstrated a clear trend towards younger demographics, with the post-90s generation and even post-00s students making up the main consumer group for such activities. At the same time, visitors tend to stay longer at their destinations during these events. On regular days, the most popular products for destinations like Xitang and Wuzhen are often day tours departing from nearby cities. However, during the Hanfu Culture Week, tourists will be interested in a variety of activities including ritual music performances, Hanfu fashion shows, traditional weddings, and cultural fairs, spending 3 to 5 days in Xitang. Among visitors to the Wuzhen Theater Festival, the proportion of drama enthusiasts is also increasing, with some staying for a week or even longer. The 2018 Wuzhen Theater Festival even added tent camps to alleviate accommodation pressures in the area.
Starting from traditional costume photography but not stopping there. Yang Jian revealed that the future goal is to build a platform or industrial chain for Chinese lifestyle. Currently, Panzi Women's Studio has begun developing its own Hanfu brand and established a clothing factory; secondly, it plans to promote ancient-style photography in popular tourist attractions such as Lijiang, Wuzhen, and Fenghuang, combining it with local ancient-style hotels to offer some ancient-style photography tourism products; meanwhile, it will also use Douyin's matrix accounts to produce small historical costume micro-dramas.
The five historical dramas “The Snow of Heroes”, “The Great Song Palace”, “Munan Zhi”, “The Pearl Lady”, and “Mirror Twin Cities” are about to air, bringing a feast for viewers who love Hanfu. In an era where various types of TV series are blooming, no type of TV series can evoke as much passionate response as historical dramas, especially those with palace intrigue plots. Many viewers must have been left questioning history due to the twists and turns in these court dramas.
As a popular tourist destination in people's hearts, the beauty of Wuzhen speaks for itself. Li Shaohong's “Dream of Red Mansions” was filmed in Wuzhen, and Liu Ruo'ying also shot an advertisement here, with its tranquility and melancholy deeply attracting every visitor. The southern Jiangnan water town, with its bridges over flowing streams, has remained unchanged, just like the flourishing Hanfu. Many men and women come here to either purchase or rent Hanfu to wear, along with their shoes, swaying gently back and forth, reviving classical elegance in the bustling world, with the hem of the Hanfu fluttering gracefully and naturally. Its luxurious attire dances through the ages. Perhaps because the aesthetics of Hanfu have not been completely eradicated in this water town, like a steady stream, it does not feel pretentious. Imagine if men and women in some northern cities dressed in Hanfu, it would definitely seem abrupt and ridiculous.
In the west side of the first floor of the Xinya Shopping Plaza on Tiejishan District's pedestrian street, there is a traditional costume photo studio called Yaoyao's Youth. Behind the drawn curtains in the display window, Hanfu is displayed. Xu Jie, the 27-year-old owner, majored in image design, and opened the store mainly to promote Hanfu. “On weekends, there are quite a few high school students peering into the shop, and even many boys like Hanfu but dare not enter. We invite them in to take a look,” said Xu Jie. She initially saw that Hanfu was very popular in Shanghai and Suzhou, like there are many Hanfu factories in Suzhou. “Hanfu takes more time to dress and style hair due to its different cut from modern clothing, being relatively loose, so many people who come to take photos often can't find the sleeves. With makeup, it usually takes about an hour.”
Firstly, who will modify it? Hanfu merchants? Regardless of the form, what is the difference between arbitrary modifications and historical costumes in TV dramas? Will your so-called modifications be influenced by Western culture? If you don't understand the culture of traditional Hanfu forms, how can you create good clothes? If everyone modifies, what is the standard for Hanfu? However, I do not discriminate against modern Hanfu elements, everyone can wear them, but traditional Hanfu should not be abandoned. I appreciate the forms of Hanfu but also wear Han elements. But I know in my heart what true Hanfu is.
Editor's note: This is a set of beautiful pictures posted by Brother Hongjun on his WeChat Moments titled “Seems to Have Returned to the Han Dynasty in Wuzhen”. Savoring them carefully, Wuzhen, located in the northern part of Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province, has a history of over six thousand years. Historically known as Wudun and Qingdun, it is one of the six major ancient towns in Jiangnan, a typical ancient town in the southern Jiangnan region, with the reputation of being the “land of fish and rice, the capital of silk”. Having long heard that the ancient town is worth visiting, in recent years, Hanfu experiences have frequently gone viral on the Internet. A pot of old wine, two good friends, strolling around, what you see is the long-lasting charm of ancient costumes and ancient tunes in the ancient town, which seems to transport you back to the flow of history, coexisting with modern society, creating an immersive experience that is enviable. Good things should be shared, after consulting Brother Hongjun, we are publishing it here for more friends to enjoy.
There is a Hanfu experience store in Dongzha that provides costumes and makeup services. The cheapest package seems to be around 200/300, but I'm not sure. I took photos there two years ago, and there weren't many costumes available. If you have your own, you can bring your favorite ones. There are places in Xizha where you can take pictures in qipaos. In addition, there are now many independent photographers or photography studios that can take photos in the scenic area. You can discuss details about makeup and costumes with them. When going to Wuzhen, look for “Wuzhen Appointment Shoot” “Jiaxing…
China Business News/China Business Network (Wang Ning) At the end of October, on a regular weekend, while many destinations began promoting “off-peak discounts,” two Jiangnan towns experienced new waves of tourist arrivals. A group of travelers lugging large suitcases filled with Hanfu headed to Xitang, while another group of young people with tickets they had booked two months in advance rushed to Wuzhen. According to data from Mafengwo Tourism Network, in late October, while the popularity of most destinations across the country declined, the tourism heat in Xitang increased by 22.6% month-over-month, and the tourism heat in Wuzhen rose by 4%.