History & Culture

We're talking ancient China here, the real deal of human civilization. This isn't just about learning who did what in some dusty past. It’s about diving into a saga so epic, it makes Game of Thrones look like child's play. Ancient China isn’t just another chapter in a textbook; it’s the bedrock of modern civilization. We’re talking about the birthplace of everything from gunpowder to paper money. This is where strategy was born, where Sun Tzu wrote ‘The Art of War’ – a book that business moguls are still geeking over. Each dynasty, from the Shang to the Qing, is a piece of a massive jigsaw puzzle. You’re connecting the dots, finding out how ancient decisions shaped modern life. Think of it as detective work, but instead of a crime, you’re solving the riddles of time. By the end of this wild ride, you’re not just loaded with facts; you’ve got wisdom. You’ll see patterns in politics, in culture, in human nature that echo even today. The Student's Perspective This student, let’s call them the Time Traveler, they’re not signing up for a snooze fest. They’re expecting Indiana Jones meets Confucius. They want to unearth secrets, to crack open the…

Even though there are many holidays being celebrated in China now, there are some important holidays that existed since centuries ago. Only now, their existence are fading and the meaning of them are no longer important. Besides learning about hanfu components, it's also interesting to learn about those holidays and what they mean in ancient China. Over the centuries, many Chinese holidays have slowly faded and lost their meaning in comparison to western holidays that are incorporated into Chinese calendar. While there are some Chinese holidays that spread overseas and are still celebrated, the meaning and feelings have long changed. Not only is the existence of holidays weakening, younger generations are also losing interest in them when it is more or less just a day off from work and school. For example, Chinese New Year. People in the past will be decorating their houses to get rid of the “bad luck” that gathered during the year to welcome the beginning of a new year. Families will also decorate their houses or buy new clothes in festive red colors. They will sit crowded around the table chattering and laughing over hotpots, bring gifts to visit relatives, or call them through phones…

Every year's college entrance examination is a battle that affects countless families. In this battle, parents also play an important role. In their own way, they cheer for the children and hope that the children can achieve good grades in the examination room. Among them, the behavior of wearing cheongsam, and holding sugarcane, or sunflowers for the examination has become a unique scenic line during the college entrance examination in recent years. The cheongsam means "winning the battle with the flag unfurled." On the day of the college entrance examination, many mothers will wear brightly colored cheongsams and cheer for their children outside the examination room. They hope to bring good luck to the children in this way and allow the children to perform smoothly in the exam. Some mothers even go to custom-made cheongsams specifically before the college entrance examination, just to give the children a surprise on this day. Sugarcane means "rising step by step." Some parents will present a piece of sugarcane to the children the day before the college entrance examination, hoping that the children can achieve good grades in the examination, take one step at a time, and continuously make progress. There are also some…

After thousands of years of history, Chinese Hanfu styles are extremely diverse. However, the Hanfu recognized today mainly refers to the costumes of powerful dynasties such as Han, Tang, Song, and Ming, and is also the main basis for contemporary Hanfu design. There is no longer to consider the hierarchy in wearing modern Hanfu, with a richer mix of colors, patterns, and fabrics. Modern Hanfu designs are more simple and more comfortable, incorporating more fashionable elements while not losing beauty. Hanfu enthusiasts can choose and match Hanfu according to their own style and preference. However, because of its distinctive national characteristics, following certain wearing etiquette will definitely make the wearer more elegant and confident.   The Origin of Hanfu Chinese Hanfu is the traditional costume of the Han people. How did the name originate? How is it worn? What is the relationship between Han Chinese costume and Chinese culture? These questions can not be explained in a few words. First of all, we need to understand the origin of the Han Chinese, the early Han Chinese set the tone for the dress of later generations. Hua Xia The Han originated from Huaxia. The term "Huaxia (华夏)" was first used in…

Vocab Palace Belt - 宫绦, gōng tāo, is an accessory worn around the waist to prevent dresses from flowing in the wind. It is commonly paired with hanfu for a simplistic look and referred to as such in modern times. Silk Belt - 丝绦, sī tāo. An accessory that ancient Chinese people used to refer to. However, it was not only used as a fashion accessory but also on fans or flutes. Zhiduo - 直裰, zhídāo. A traditional Chinese robe worn by scholars and officials during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It has a straight-cut Mandarin collar without openings and is a formal attire reserved for special occasions. It is worn over long shirts and wide trousers. Tassels - 流苏, liúsū. In ancient China it had different names, such as 穗子 (suìzi), 缨旒 (yīng liú), and 流苏 (liúsū). Nowadays, 流苏 (liúsū) is the most commonly used name for tassels. Silk ribbon- 绶, shòu - the ribbon with a jade or officials seals at the end.   History of Gong Tao The Palace Belt, known as 宫绦 (gōng tāo), is an accessory that dates back to the Warring States Period. It is a long woven rope with tassels attached on both…

A complete hanfu look is certainly not complete without fine jewelry to match. In the course of ancient history, traditional Chinese jewelry naturally evolved, graceful and luxurious, or refined and small. In this article, we will reveal through the order of dynasties, the fashion secrets in ancient traditional Chinese jewelry boxes. Let's see those periods of "China-Chic" how fashionable.   Wei, Jin and North and South Dynasties: A Fashion Trend from Abroad? The poem "Ballad of Mulan" contains the line: "She combs her hair by the window and, before the mirror, fastens golden yellow flowers." This "yellow flowers (Hua Hunag, 花黄)" refers to the makeup of women in the Wei and Jin dynasties, which was inspired by Buddhism. Stills from "Mulan" Due to the popularity of Buddhism, the Buddha-nature of gold brought inspiration to women, so although the "flower yellow" in makeup may have been a little exaggerated, but it does reflect the characteristics of Buddhism at the time, as well as the pursuit of exoticism. Stills from "Mulan" Of course, the rise of the introduction of Buddhism to the fashion circle brought not only makeup, with the matching jewelry also with a clear Buddhist style. In terms of production…

"Court Ladies Preparing Newly Woven Silk (Dao Lian Tu, 捣练图)" is a famous Chinese painting of the Tang Dynasty. It showing noble women ironing, sewing, and pounding the silk. It is an important custom painting of the Tang Dynasty, and is one of the more chic works among the paintings of ladies in the Tang Dynasty. It is the work of Zhang Xuan (张萱), a painter of the Tang Dynasty, and has had a great influence on the style of later paintings, and is also a great help to the study of modern Hanfu styles. Let's see the special details of this painting. Zhang Xuan of Tang Dynasty "Court Ladies Preparing Newly Woven Silk" was originally painted by Zhang Xuan in the Tang Dynasty, the painting "Lady Guoguo's Spring Outing (虢国夫人游春图)" is also a painting by him. Zhang Xuan mainly depicts the leisurely life scenes of royal and noble women, such as spring Outing, dressing up, drumming the qin, playing music, and enjoying the snow. flourishing Tang Dynasty Copied by Emperor Huizong Tang and Song history recorded dozens of Zhang Xuan's paintings, many also repeatedly copied by many painters, but out of Zhang Xuan's own handwriting of the original work,…

Huaxia dresses brilliantly for thousands of years. How rich is the Chinese traditional wear? Follow the INSTITUTE FOR PLANETS to enjoy a journey through a thousand years of Chinese costumes.   Huaxia Dresses - Prehistory to Shang & Zhou Period Looking back tens of thousands of years ago, human beings learned to sewn clothes with Guzhen (骨针, bone needle). National Museum of China Collection Perhaps inspired by making ropes and bamboo baskets, around 7,000 B.C., Chinese ancestors began to weave fabrics with plant fibers. In order to improve the weaving efficiency, the Fanglun (纺轮, spinning wheel) was created that used pottery sheets to rotate inertial for twisted threads. Nanjing Museum Collection There is also the Yaoji (腰机, waist machine) that is used to bind lines and make them tight and easy to knit. Principle of Yaoji's operation In that era of extremely backward productivity, it was not easy to get fabric, so the shape of clothes was relatively simple. Two narrow pieces of cloth were directly combined and then tie a straw rope, which may be the daily dress. With the continuous development of society, the function of clothing has long been more than just covering up and keeping warm, it…

Ancient Chinese Costume Culture ExhibitionLaunch date: February 6, 2021Venue: North 18 Exhibition Hall, National Museum of China (Beijing) Clothing is not only a necessity for people's life, with the practical function of "sheltering from the cold and heat, protecting from the wind and rain, covering the body", but also an important carrier of ancient culture, with the cultural function of "distinguishing between superiority and inferiority, distinguishing between nobility and inferiority, and distinguishing between affinity and alienation". The development of Chinese clothing culture over the past thousands of years not only reflects the development trajectory of ancient material and spiritual civilization, but also outlines the continuous life of the Chinese people. On February 6, 2021, the "Ancient Chinese Costume Culture Exhibition" was officially opened at the National Museum of China. The exhibition is based on decades of academic research by Mr. Sun Ji and other scholars, divided into six sections according to historical periods, the exhibition features nearly 130 artifacts (sets) covering jade and stone, bone, pottery, costumes, gold and silver accessories, and calligraphy and paintings, with more than 40 auxiliary exhibits, about 170 pictures, and multimedia facilities, making it an extraordinary exhibition. If you are interested in ancient Chinese costumes,…

Thousands of years of Eastern civilization, aesthetics, anecdotes, and legends, as well as ingenuity and divine skills collected between the lines, have traveled through time and space and come before us. While artifacts have no voice, traditional motifs burst out with color: Floral, flying crane, white egret, dragon and phoenix, plum blossom, and persimmon calyx motifs. Unfortunately, due to limitations in craftsmanship and inheritance, many motifs are gradually disappearing or being ignored. The Team Wen Zang (纹藏) has long been dedicated to translating Chinese traditional motifs. With love and exploration, more than 60 team members have designed and recreated thousands of motif data texts throughout more than 1000 days and nights, compiling them in the book, "The Motifs of The Imperial Palace", to allow more people to see and remember the motifs of the Forbidden City. Selected from among millions of cultural relics, classified into five major mediums -- woven embroidery, porcelain, tapestries, enamelware, and architecture -- the book selects and features 117 of the most classic and beautiful motifs, providing a 5000-year visual feast. The Team Wen Zang has long been dedicated to translating traditional Chinese motifs. With love and exploration, more than 60 team members have designed and…

The short drama "Escape from the British Museum" has become popular. This three-episode short video series, co-created by online media personalities Jianbing Guozai and Xiatian Meimei, is the most anticipated work in the film and television industry recently. It not only generated a lot of buzz on major online platforms but also received recognition and encouragement from numerous media outlets. Using personification as a narrative technique, it tells a sophisticated story: a delicate Chinese jade pot escapes from the British Museum and encounters a Chinese journalist named Zhang Yong'an, who is working overseas. They then embark on a journey back home together, fulfilling the task entrusted to her by the Chinese artifacts in the British Museum. With a total duration of less than 20 minutes, despite the insufficient maturity of its production elements such as scenes and props, the storytelling logic is complete, the emotions are abundant and solid, and the conveyed values are positioned at a very high level. It serves as a low-cost, high-level Chinese short drama model. After the release of the final episode, it directly sparked an explosive wave of praise. Many netizens were deeply moved by the scene where overseas cultural relics read letters to…

The program "Nian Jin" at the 2024 CCTV Spring Festival Gala showcased the beauty of traditional Hanfu from various dynasties to billions of viewers. Among them, the exquisite patterns connected the vision of a prosperous new year and allowed more people to understand the essence of traditional Hanfu, which is supported by classical patterns and traditional fabrics. From the grandeur of the Warring States period to the elegance of the Ming Dynasty, this stage performance passed down the beauty of China's thousands of years. Liu Tao, Liu Shishi, Li Qin, and Guan Xiaotong led the singing of "Nian Jin", and they represented the splendor of the Han, Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties, HANTIME will share the highlights in detail with us. Liu Tao's outfit consists of a Zhiju robe and a Gui Yi, with yellow as the main color, representing a solemn and grand emotional meaning. The pattern combines the patterns of the Chinese flowering crabapple and clouds, with a cape made of swallowtail gauze. The hem of the robe is made of Changle Mingguang brocade, a Han dynasty brocade discovered in Loulan, Xinjiang. The pattern mainly features animal motifs, with the words "Changle Mingguang" symbolizing auspiciousness, intricately woven with…

Hanfu (汉服, hàn fú), Chinese traditional costume, the full name of which is "traditional costume of Han nationality". It is also known as Han Yiguan(汉衣冠), Han Zhuang (汉装), and Huafu (华服), which was formed from the reign of the Yellow Emperor to the middle of the 17th century (late Ming and early Qing dynasties), in the main residential areas of the Han nationality, with "Huaxia-Han" culture as the background and the dominant idea. With the Chinese ceremonial culture as the center, through natural evolution, formed the unique style and character of the Han nationality, obviously different from the traditional clothing and accessories system of other nationalities. This guide is classified according to the 1: basic feature of the Hanfu, 2: Hanfu shape & style, 3: Hanfu in different wearing scenes, 4: Hanfu in different dynasties, and the 5: related contents of Hanfu, so as to facilitate readers to understand and query.   Basic Feature of the Hanfu 1.1: Basic Structure Hanfu is cut from 50cm wide cloth and divided into parts: Ling (领, lǐng, collar), Jin(襟, jīn, placket), Ren (衽, rèn, overlapping part), Jin (衿, jīn or jìn), Ju (裾, jū), Xiu (袖, xiù, sleeves), Mei (袂, mèi), Dai (带, dài,…

China is home to some of the world's most magnificent palaces, many of which have been converted into museums. The five Palace Museums (Gu Gong, 故宫) in China are a treasure trove of ancient artifacts and cultural heritage from different dynasties. These museums showcase China's rich history, revealing the grandeur of its past emperors and imperial courts. Each museum offers unique insights into Chinese culture and history, from the majestic Palace Museum in Beijing to the lesser-known Mukden Palace in Shenyang. Whether you're a history buff or just looking for an unforgettable travel experience, these five Palace Museums should be on your must-visit list.   Ming Palace The Nanjing Ming Palace (Nan Jing Gu Gong, 南京故宫) was built during the Ming Dynasty in 1368 when Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty and set the capital in Nanjing. The construction of the palace began on a large scale, and by 1392, this magnificent palace was finally completed. The palace set a precedent for the integration of the palace and the city axis, covering an area of over 1.0125 million square meters, making it the largest palace complex in the world at that time. Restoration of the Ming Palace The Ming Palace…

History of Winter Clothing Festival Winter Clothing Festival (寒衣节,  hányī jié), also known as "十月朝, shí yuè cháo," "祭祖节, jì zǔ jié," "冥阴节, míng yīn jié," "鬼头日, guǐ tóu rì," and "秋祭, qiū jì" is a holiday that occurred on October 1st on the lunar calendar. It emerged in the Zhou Dynasty but does not have any physical written records of it until the Song Dynasty.  Winter Clothing Festival goes along with "Qīngmíng Festival (清明节)" and "Zhōng yuán Festival (中元节)" and get categorized as the top three "Ghost Festivals" in China. The reason is because the three festivals all focused on the living paying their respects and providing their sacrifice offerings to their ancestors on that day. While Winter Clothing Festival Is grouped under the top three Ghost Festival, it is the festival among the others that have the least presence. The other two have a strong focus on people going grave sweeping or doing something unique for this festival, but Winter Clothing Festival it’s more about people expressing the idea of; "The weather is cooling. Winter is approaching soon. We need to start sewing up warm and thick outfits for winter." If you look at China’s cultural belief development,…

Traditional Chinese colors come from nature and from the imagination of the ancient Chinese civilization. Traditional Chinese colors pursue the color concept of giving colors according to types and conveying consciousness through colors. In ancient times in China, there are positive colors and inter colors, with the distinction of respect, and lowly; righteous, and evil. Positive color refers to the color that promote each other, that is, the original color. Ancient primary colors to "Yin Yang Five Phases" doctrine in the five elements, water, fire, wood, metal, and earth, respectively, corresponding to black, red, cyan, white, and yellow as color symbols, known as the five-color system. Traditional Chinese clothing colors are also mainly primary colors. With the development of the times, different dynasties revered different colors, and these popular colors also reflected the material and spiritual civilization of their dynasties to a certain extent. Hanfu Shi Dai has compiled a summary of the traditional hanfu color schemes through dynasties, let's explore together.   Han Dynasty The Han Dynasty was influenced by the Taoist philosophy of Huanglao and Confucianism, and its costumes often pursued the essential beauty of the whole. At the same time, by the previous Qin dynasty, the concept of black…

With the movement and innovation of Hanfu, more and more new styles of Hanfu have appeared in our eyes, but those who are new to Hanfu may not know much about its style, so they don't know where to start to understand Hanfu style. Today, we have collected some basic styles of Hanfu and their corresponding historical prototypes, so let's experience the ancient Chinese fashion together. The Hanfu costume "began in Huangdi (黄帝) and was perfected in Yao (尧) and Shun (舜) ", and was styled in the Zhou Dynasty, and through the Han Dynasty, a complete system of headwear and costume was formed based on the Four Books and Five Classics. Duijin Ruqun (对襟襦裙, parallel collar) Ruqun is a top garment and skirt in Chinese, it is one of the earliest and most basic forms of Hanfu. "Ru", is a short garment, with collar style with parallel collar, crossed collar, or shawl collar (U-shaped collar). "Qun", is a skirt, is usually a one-piece or two-piece. The term "Duijin" refers to the symmetry of the left and right lapels of the Ruqun, and need wearing of an inner Moxiong(camisole). Duijin Ruqun was mainly popular in the Song Dynasty. Compared to other…

The oldest Chinese embroideries found date back to the Zhou dynasty (1027-221 B.C.) and may well be the earliest that ever existed. However, very early embroideries have also been found in Egypt and Northern Europe, so it is not clear in which part of the world the art of embroidery actually originated - it may also have appeared in several parts of the world at about the same time. It is, however, accepted that the Chinese invented sericulture and mastered the art of reeling the cocoons of the bombyx and spinning the silk from very early times. It is therefore not surprising that the ancient Chinese embroideries were made of silk. Strangely enough, embroidery in China was at first reserved for men, before they entrusted this task to the more delicate fingers of their women. The earliest surviving example of Chinese silk embroidery is a ritual garment found in a tomb in Mashan, now Hubei Province, in the fourth century BC, during the early Taoism period (before the appearance of Buddhism in China). However, if we are to believe the patterns drawn on this garment, it could just as well have been used to perform the rituals of a religion…

The Definition of Auspicious Costume Ji Fu (吉服, auspicious costume) was a new classification of clothing formed in the Ming Dynasty, referring to the clothing used for various auspicious occasions such as seasonal festivals, weddings, birthdays, and banquets. In the Qing Dynasty, it became a specialized category within the clothing system. Traditional Ji Fu refers to the clothing used for auspicious ceremonies (major rituals, etc.). With the development of the times and the increase in festivals and celebrations, there was a need for a special auspicious costume for all kinds of festive occasions, so the Ming dynasty referred to a more formal dress than the everyday casual dress for rituals and all kinds of auspicious occasions as the auspicious costume. Although not found in the system, the term "Ji Fu" was repeatedly used in various political books and literary works. During the Ming dynasty, the auspicious costume was not a single standard style, but the same style as the regular and casual hanfu costumes, such as Yuan Ling Pao, Zhi Shen, Yi San, Tie Li, Dao Pao, Ao Qun, etc. The color was mostly in festive colors such as red, for example, the officials used to wear a red round…

Hanfu wedding, which is wearing traditional Chinese clothing: Hanfu, and taking the traditional Chinese wedding system as the prototype. Modern people restore the traditional Chinese wedding, they roughly sum it up as follows The Zhou Hanfu wedding (周制婚礼), represented by the pre-Qin and Han Dynasties. Tang Hanfu wedding (唐制婚礼) represented by Wei, Jin, and Tang Dynasties. Ming Hanfu wedding (明制婚礼) represented by song and Ming Dynasties. The traditional Chinese Hanfu wedding ceremony is generally divided into three parts: pre-wedding ceremony, formal wedding ceremony, and post-wedding ceremony. As we all know, culture is the life of a nation, and etiquette is one of the main signs of all civilized nations and an important window of national culture. As the Chinese nation with a long civilization of 5000 years, attach great importance to marriage. The book of Zhouyi said: Only when there are heaven and earth can there be everything. Only when there is everything can there be men and women. Only when there are men and women can there be couples. Only when there are couples can there be fathers and sons. Only when there are fathers and sons can there be princes and ministers. Only when there are princes and…

The Dragon Boat Festival (Duan Wu Festival, 端午节) is considered one of the oldest traditional folk festivals in China, alongside the Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival. According to records, the Dragon Boat Festival originated from the worship of celestial phenomena and evolved from ancient dragon rituals. The Dragon Boat Festival is an auspicious day associated with this imagery of a soaring dragon; thus, both dragons and dragon boat culture have always been an integral part of its historical legacy. The term "Duan Wu" itself first appeared in Fengtu Ji during the Jin Dynasty. However, nowadays when most people mention the Dragon Boat Festival, they often associate it with Qu Yuan's legend. Legend has it that on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, Qu Yuan tragically sacrificed himself by plunging into Miluo River out of loyalty to his country. Upon hearing this news, local villagers rushed to their boats to rescue him. Worried about their speed not being fast enough, they vigorously rowed while also fearing that fish would devour Qu Yuan's body, hence throwing rice dumplings into the river. Later on, people designated the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar…

Recently, the female characters in the historical drama "The Double" have sparked much discussion with their pearl makeup. Not only do their hair accessories feature pearls, but their faces are adorned with numerous pearls, too, placed on their foreheads, cheeks, and corners of their mouths. Attentive viewers have counted up to 25 pearls on one face, with the least adorned having 8 pearls. This leads to the question: why do they put pearls on their faces? The Trend of Pearl Makeup The practice of applying pearls on the face dates back to the Song Dynasty and was quite popular at that time. Ancient women used rouge and other pigments to decorate their faces or created various patterns with materials like gold, jade, pearls, and colored paper, which they adhered to their cheeks. This practice was known as "Mian Ye (面靥)," with pearl makeup specifically called "Zhenzhu Mianye." Pearl makeup was actually a form of the ornate makeup from the Tang Dynasty, which became fashionable in the Song Dynasty. This trend persisted partly because the Song Dynasty carried on the traditions of the Tang and Five Dynasties periods, where facial decorations were highly regarded. Additionally, influenced by Zhu Xi's Neo-Confucianism, which…

In recent years, the trend of female-centric dramas, including ensemble cast dramas and strong female lead dramas, has become prominent. This trend has extended into historical dramas, leading to new narratives where female protagonists build their fortunes and conquer the business world through their own efforts. For instance, "Blossoms in Adversity," which concluded in early May, tells the story of the noblewoman Huazhi who, along with her family, overcomes adversity by starting a business. This wave of female protagonists navigating the business world in historical dramas shows no signs of slowing down. Numerous dramas wrapped filming from last year to this year, featuring female leads as businesswomen. According to official synopses, the female lead in "Liu Zhou Story," Liu Miantang, opens a porcelain shop; the protagonist in "Brocade Odyssey," Ji Yingying, is involved in the Shu brocade business; and the lead in "The Story of Pearl Girl," Duanwu, deals in jewelry. Moreover, the ongoing production "Flourished Peony" will narrate the story of He Weifang, who starts a flower business. Adding to this, "A Dream of Splendor," which aired last year, centers on the tea house owner Zhao Pan'er, who expands her small tea house into the largest restaurant in Dongjing.…

Silk is one of the symbols of Chinese civilization, China due to the abundance of silk, has been named the "Silk Country" known, the use of silk is also with the development of the times are also changing, from the initial production of clothing, to later become a popular commodity and to some extent, instead of currency, all of these changes have highlighted its unique status. Today begins through a precious Chinese silk robe, discover how the Han dynasty textile industry developed in ancient China. Precious Chinese silk robe: Sucha Danyi In the winter of 1951, while conducting archaeological work in Changsha, archaeologists discovered two connected grave at Wulipai in the eastern suburbs of Changsha. After several difficult excavations until 1974, the Mawangdui Han tombs, which had been dormant for thousands of years, was unveiled. Among the many precious artifacts unearthed, the most notable is the Zhiju Susha Danyi (直裾素纱襌衣, plain yarn garment). "Thin as a cicada's wing, light as floating smoke", this Chinese silk robe was especially valuable because it was 128cm long, with 190cm sleeves, but weighed a mere 49 grams and could even fit in a matchbox when folded. It was hailed by archaeologists as a milestone…