Another type that complements the “cross-collar” is the “straight-collar” and the “round-collar”. The straight-collar refers to a neckline that directly falls vertically from the chest without crossing at the front. Some have ties at the chest while others are left open without any ties. This type of straight-collar garment is generally worn over cross-collar Hanfu as an outerwear, such as overcoats, half-sleeve garments, and robes, which are common in daily outerwear styles. The round-collar is more commonly seen in men's clothing, with a circular collar shape similar to a plate, also right-side dominant, with ties on the right shoulder. It was adopted in official costumes during the Han and Tang dynasties, and there were also round-collar styles in everyday clothing.
In terms of clothing colors, they may not strictly adhere to the official regulations: officials of the first to fourth ranks wore bright red, fifth to seventh ranks wore greenish-blue, and eighth rank and below wore green. Generally, casual attire for officials was mostly dark blue or sky blue, with some green. For official attire with hats, bright red was more common. For example, in historical dramas, we often see scholars and top-ranked scholars wearing bright red official attire, however, according to their ranks, these scholars and top-ranked scholars should wear greenish-blue official attire. Perhaps it is because Chinese people prefer the festive atmosphere of red, so they do not always follow the rules. Female officials also wore more red official attire, hence why we refer to women's embroidery and handicrafts as ‘red work', which reflects the unique cultural characteristics of the nation.
From a cinematic perspective: Qing Dynasty official attire visually resembles zombies more closely due to its straight-cut design, deep coloration, and the shape of the official hat, creating a different look compared to Hanfu. This style of attire conveys a sense of oppression and gloominess, making it ideal for filming zombie scenes. While it is not impossible to use Tang, Ming, or Han dynasty clothing for zombie scenes, the lighter colors (such as white) and looser designs of Hanfu would not be as suitable as Qing official attire, instead imparting an ethereal, fairy-like aura. Therefore, beautiful female ghosts in films like “A Chinese Ghost Story” typically wear ancient Hanfu. Imagine if Nie Xiaoqian wore Qing official attire; what effect would that create?
People often talk about the Qin and Han dynasties together, and indeed, these two dynasties had many similarities. The Han dynasty largely inherited the clothing system from the previous dynasty. It wasn't until the Yongping period of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han dynasty that a new set of regulations for official attire was established. The appearance of Han dynasty official attire was largely similar to that of the Qin dynasty, featuring wide sleeves and a cinched waist, exuding grandeur. In detail, the official attire incorporated many elements of the Han dynasty. However, Han dynasty official attire became more humane and diverse, with different colors for court attire depending on the season: “spring green, summer vermilion, late summer yellow, autumn white, winter black.” The series of changes in Hanfu gave it unique characteristics, making it more elegant and dignified; however, it could not match the solemnity and grandeur of Qin dynasty robes.
During the Song and Ming periods, there was a clear distinction between official and civilian attire in the Song dynasty. There were further distinctions within official attire, such as court attire and regular official attire. Court attire was all vermilion in color, while regular official attire featured round-necked robes with wide sleeves and black gauze hats, with a leather belt around the waist. At this time, there was a significant difference in color between civilian and official attire. Civilian attire was only allowed to be white, and even official attire had strict color distinctions. After overthrowing the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty, the Ming dynasty made great efforts to revive traditional Hanfu, drawing inspiration from the Zhou and Han dynasties and incorporating elements from the Tang and Song dynasties, combining and restoring the traditional styles of Hanfu, adding innovations, and enriching the patterns, reaching a new peak in the development of Hanfu. The weaving and embroidery techniques of the Ming dynasty reached their pinnacle, elevating Hanfu to new heights. In the Qing dynasty, Hanfu faded away with the mandatory change of hairstyle and clothing, but today, Hanfu has reappeared in a novel and fashionable way.
According to modern ergonomics researchers, traditional Han Chinese clothing best meets the requirements of human health, being far more comfortable than modern clothing. The biggest feature of Hanfu is the absence of buttons, minimizing restraint on the body. Hanfu ceremonial attire is elegant and noble, while Hanfu daily attire is graceful and ethereal, like a fairy or a cloud. Hanfu once enjoyed high international prestige! Hanfu encompasses clothing, headwear, hairstyles, facial adornments, shoes, and accessories, rather than just a piece of clothing. Hanfu can be divided into official and civilian attire, which can be further subdivided into ceremonial and daily attire.
Currently, many people on Douyin are wearing Ming dynasty Jinyiwei official attire and presenting it as Hanfu, confusing people's understanding and concept of Hanfu. Hanfu refers to the everyday attire worn by Han Chinese civilians, not the formal attire of officials. Why don't people wear the dragon robes of emperors or the official robes of ministers from Han-led dynasties as Hanfu? Ancient attire is just that – ancient attire. The traditional attire of the Manchu people includes women's cheongsams and men's riding jackets. When have you ever seen them wearing the official robes with bird patches or the official hats with red tassels and blue caps of Qing officials as traditional attire on the streets? Across the country, no other ethnic group wears official robes as traditional attire. If you like wearing it, no one will stop you, but don't mislead others.
I almost forgot that the phrase “ancient attire is not Hanfu” is sometimes used in certain contexts within the Hanfu community. This refers to ancient official attire or more “unusual” styles such as cross-collar, standing-collar, etc. The essence of Hanfu, as defined by the community, represents the word “Han,” meaning it must represent Han ethnicity. Therefore, Hanfu standards include widespread adoption over a long period and active assimilation under conditions conducive to the development of Hanfu. These standards are said to be continuously evolving based on needs. According to the community's standards, ancient attire does not qualify as Hanfu, but what else could it be called? Such attire is collectively known as “ancient attire.” Ancient attire = Hanfu + ancient attire, the community's leading figures are that free-spirited.
However, in the eyes of Koreans, so-called Hanfu is probably the cheongsam from the Qing dynasty, believing that this is the true Hanfu of China, not the Hanfu depicted by old paintings; regarding this point, I must say that the cheongsam mentioned by Korean netizens is indeed part of Chinese Hanfu, but it is only one type of Hanfu, not the entirety of Hanfu. China's Hanfu includes not only the cheongsams and official robes of the Qing dynasty but also the ancient-style Hanfu of the Han dynasty and the official robes of the Ming dynasty, proving the continuous and rich diversity of Chinese history and culture, something Korea cannot compare to.
The Hanfu of the Ming dynasty, as per Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, drew inspiration from the Zhou, Han, and Tang dynasties. Thus, many garments appeared similar to those of the Tang and Song dynasties, featuring both wide-sleeved robes and short-sleeved garments. The official attire of the Ming dynasty was quite diverse, resembling the official attire of the later Tang dynasty, and also had official hats similar to those of the Song dynasty. However, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang introduced the addition of animal emblems on official robes and continued to differentiate ranks using colors. Most officials wore hats, either resembling those of the Song dynasty or the traditional short black gauze hats of the Ming dynasty.