History & Culture

An increasing number of young people are beginning to experiment with wearing hanfu, these clothing styles, which were widely used in different historical dynasties in ancient China, are now being reintegrated into contemporary life and have become an important part of youth culture.   The Origin of Hanfu Culture: From Niche to Popular Typically, the origin of the modern Hanfu culture is traced back to 2003. On November 22nd of that year, a power worker named Wang Letian from Zhengzhou, Henan, walked into a downtown commercial street wearing hanfu. This event was reported by Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao, making Wang Letian the first modern Chinese person wearing hanfu to appear in public. Wang Letian was introduced to hanfu culture through forums Han Wang, and around 2003, the first hanfu enthusiasts gathered around Han Wang and other online hanfu forums, gradually forming the Hanfu circle. At the same time, some offline Hanfu culture communities began to be established. Around 2011, the subculture of adolescent internet culture rapidly developed. With the successive rise of the Lolita and the JK uniform fashion subculture, as well as the development of the cosplay community, hanfu has found its place among various clothing subcultures and has gained…

The tiger hat (虎头帽, tiger head hat) is a typical child's hat style in Chinese folk costumes with the image of a tiger. Tiger hats, tiger shoes, tiger bibs, tiger dudou, etc. as an important part of Chinese children's clothing, with distinctive characteristics. The tiger is considered a kind of auspicious beast in Chinese traditional culture, and is an important object of totem worship for the Chinese nation. The tiger hat as a folk handed down to this day a kind of children's hat ornament, with the tiger as the image, hat shape, the pattern is also more tiger head model, so-called the tiger hat.   Origin and Development Origin 1: Ancient China was a traditional agrarian society that experienced a lot of hardships in claiming nature's materials, and various symbols and forms of divine power to help ward off disasters emerged. The tiger, as a positive symbolism, was recognized as a sheltering god that could block disasters, and the tiger totem has been passed down to this day in the worship of many evil suppresses. People gradually infiltrated this worship as a belief into the people's daily life, and developed unique handicraft clothing such as tiger hats. Origin 2: Chinese tiger…

The ancient Chinese revered the saying "Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles" as the supreme path to pursuing knowledge. While traveling ten thousand miles requires venturing out into the vast lands, where should one go to read ten thousand books? Some may argue that in the past, there were examples like Kuang Heng of the Han Dynasty who read by the light coming through a hole in the wall, or Che Yin of the Jin Dynasty who read by the light of fireflies in a sack. As long as there is a desire to read, does it really matter where one reads? Is a specific location truly necessary? Ancient literati believed that they were a group with aspirations, where each day included moments of quiet contemplation, accompanied by tea, poetry recitation, writing poems, and ultimately, writing in the Shu Zhai (书斋, study room). The study room was a specific space for literati to read and write, akin to a modern-day studio. However, the study was not merely a functional physical space; it encompassed rich spiritual and cultural symbolism, existing as a unique entity in the minds of literati. From site selection, design, construction, and decoration, to naming, couplet…

More than a thousand years ago, Wei Zhuang once wrote the poem "Spring Tour, apricot blossoms blowing all over the head", walking towards the apricot forest during the blossoming season, and the apricot blossoms would fall on hair bun at the wind. In ancient times, seasonal flowers in addition to floating down in the hair bun, but also may be inserted in the hair or brim, embellished as a touch of spring color in the ancient head. Putting flowers on the head is also called Zan Hua 簪花 (Flower Hairpin, or wearing flowers). In ancient times, both Sheng Hua and Xiangsheng Hua were used to Zan Hua. Sheng Hua is flower, and Xiangsheng Hua is a kind of fake flower made in imitation of a flower. All the flowers mentioned in this article are Sheng Hua. Apricot flowers In the Han Dynasty, although the culture of wearing flowers was not really formed, but flowers had already entered people's lives in various forms. For example, on the day of the Chongyang Festival, people in the Han Dynasty, in addition to climbing mountains and drinking chrysanthemum wine, would take off dogwood flowers and wear them around their waists to avoid disasters and…

Unlike the noble and elegant clothes of women in the Tang Dynasty, when it comes to Song Dynasty women costumes, maybe we are thinking of a graceful and restrained and a plain and neat feeling. The Song Dynasty was the dynasty with the most prosperous literati temperament in Chinese history. Women’s clothing in the Song Dynasty not only inherited the women's clothing system in the Tang Dynasty, moreover, combined with the characteristics of the times, created a dressing mode that belongs to the Song Dynasty. Its aesthetic standard is skinny beauty with fresh and elegant. It advocates slenderness and fit, exquisite material processing, soft tone, lightness, softness, elegance, and it has a strong atmosphere of life. So what kind of clothes did the women wear in the Song Dynasty thousands of years ago? In this article, ArtMoment will introduce 11 classic Song Dynasty women costumes to you.   1-Top In the Song Dynasty, women’s clothing was basically still coat and dress shape, divided into different forms. Tops mainly have Moxiong, Shan, Ru & Ao, Pao, Beizi, Banxiu, and so on. Moxiong Moxiong (抹胸, bandeau) is the most close-fitting clothing for women in the Song Dynasty. Its function is like today’s…

The bronze mirror had a special meaning and use for the ancients. After the death of Wei Zheng, Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty, said, "Using copper as a mirror, one can arrange one's clothes; using history as a mirror, one can know the ups and downs of history; using others as one's own mirror, one can know one's gains and losses every day." It can be seen that the mirror is not only a cosmetic appliance, but also rose to the humanistic meaning of mirror for people. Before the widespread use of mercury glass mirror, the ancients by adjusting the ratio of copper, tin and lead, so that the bronze mirror is a necessary tool to reflect the face of ancient Chinese people when dressing. Han Dynasty Female Terracotta In order to prevent the bronze mirror surface from becoming blurred by air oxidation, on the one hand, mirror boxes were needed for storage and preservation, and on the other hand, the mirror needed to be wiped and polished from time to time. So the mirror table, mirror frame, mirror trousseau, mirror box and other devices came into being, mirror polisher craft also passed down for thousands of years.…

Weddings are important ceremonies across the globe and one of the most fascinating aspects is the attire worn by the bride and groom. China, in particular, boasts a rich history of traditional wedding clothing that has evolved over thousands of years. From the hanfu of the ancient dynasties to the modern qipao, each style holds significant cultural and symbolic meaning. In this article, we will delve into the captivating history of Chinese wedding attire and explore the significance behind some of the most iconic designs.   Black Wedding Attire in Zhou Dynasty The Zhou Dynasty was known for its emphasis on ritual and its marriage system also highlighted this. The wedding ceremony in the Zhou Dynasty was called the "Hun Ceremony". As the name suggests, "Hun" means dusk, and the ceremony was held at dusk, with a solemn and dignified atmosphere. "The Book of Rites - The Ceremony of the Marriage of a Scholar" is the earliest record of Chinese wedding ceremony, and of course, it is not only applicable to the scholar class. According to "The Book of Rites", the wedding attire of the Zhou Dynasty was mainly black with red as a complementary color. In the eyes of…

The pavilion (Ting, 亭) is a type of traditional Chinese architecture, originating from the Zhou Dynasty. Often built along roadsides, it serves as a place for pedestrians to rest, cool off, or enjoy the scenery. Pavilions are usually open-sided structures, without surrounding walls, and their roofs can take various shapes such as hexagonal, octagonal, or circular. Due to their lightweight design, diverse materials, and flexible layout, pavilions are widely used in garden architecture. The Forbidden City's Imperial Garden boasts twelve pavilions, while the Summer Palace features over forty pavilions. In the Humble Administrator's Garden and the Garden of Pleasance, pavilions actually make up more than half of all the structures in the gardens. "No pavilion, no garden" - you may have encountered pavilions to a greater or lesser extent in various gardens, but only briefly stopped to rest or admire the view, without truly observing the pavilions themselves. Are they square or circular? Hexagonal or octagonal? What decorations adorn the pavilions? What wisdom lies in the arrangement of pavilions? Some say, "Pavilions are one of the simplest architectural types." But are pavilions truly that simple, to the extent that they are overlooked by most people? Architecturally, pavilions have actually reached…

Ming Dynasty Hanfu clothing refers to the clothing system in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, inherited the costume style of Zhou, Han, Tang, and Song Dynasties and re-established the costume system in order to rebuild the national pride and etiquette and remove the influence of ethnic minorities. In the middle and later period of the Ming Dynasty, there were some new styles, such as stand collar, and a large number of buttons were used in the conspicuous part of a garment. It was gradually banned during the Qing Dynasty, but there are still a few styles and features that have been handed down to this day.   The characteristics of Hanfu in the Ming dynasty In the Ming Dynasty, a series of measures were taken to develop production, which made the industry and commerce develop continuously, and the production technology of each industry has improved. After the rise of the citizen class, the aesthetic interest has become the aesthetic orientation of the general dress in the Ming Dynasty. "Secularization" of the aesthetic and cultural sources and a relatively general, casual, and loose historical and cultural environment.…

The magnificent filigree inlay, representing the pinnacle of precious metal production technology, from the old days dedicated to the court, to nowadays spread to the folk, there has been a lot of people contact, wear filigree inlay products, and for its exquisite and intricate technology by.   What is Filigree Inlay? Filigree inlay (花丝镶嵌), also known as "fine gold craft", is a long-established traditional Chinese handicraft technique, mainly used in the production of ancient Chinese royal jewelry, by the combination of "filigree" and "inlay" two production techniques. Filigree Inlay Art in THE GREAT SHOKUNIN Filigree refers to drawing gold and silver into fine wire, using filling and weaving techniques to make crafts. Inlay refers to the hammering of gold and silver flakes into vessels, and then burin out the pattern, set with pearls or gemstones, and become. As one of the "Eight Unique Skills of Yanjing", the art of filigree mosaic was included in China's national intangible cultural heritage list in June 2008. The objects that can be applied with filigree inlay can be divided into three categories. The first category is jewelry, including bracelets, necklaces, earrings, brooches, pendants, cufflinks, etc. The second category is the display category, mainly indoor…

China is an ancient civilization with a history of more than 5,000 years. There are many kinds of handicrafts, and they are all dazzling. Chinese traditional handicraft, each of them is a treasure of Chinese culture, and these handicrafts are worth inheriting and protecting.   1 Tuanshan Tuanshan (团扇), also known as Gongshan (宫扇) and Wanshan (纨扇), is traditional handwork and art of the Han nationality in China. It is a round fan with a handle, which represents a friendly and auspicious reunion. Fans have long circles, plum blossoms, hexagonal and other shapes; and making with silk, thin silk and so on; the craftsmanship includes Suzhou embroidery, Kesi, gold and silver inlays, and so on; the fan handle has wood, bamboo, bones, and so on. A Tuanshan contains too much learning.   2 Cheongsam The cheongsam (旗袍) is one of the traditional women's clothing that can represent Chinese characteristics. The cheongsam was formed in the 1920s, and some scholars believe that its origin can be traced back to the Shenyi of the pre-Qin and Han dynasties. Although its definition and timing are still controversial, it is still one of the most gorgeous phenomena and forms in China's long-standing clothing culture.…

You might think, 'Is the author crazy? A full article about windows?' Yes and yes. But you know the saying - something about eyes and windows... I don’t know... So keep your eyes on THESE windows and let me make it even worse by inserting a poem. The article will not take more than 5 minutes, less if you only look at the pictures (yes, I see you!). Quiet Night Thought (Chinese: 靜夜思) by Li Bai 床前明月光 疑是地上霜 舉頭望明月 低頭思故鄉 Thoughts in the Silent Night, translation by Fercility Jiang Moonlight shining through the windowMakes me wonder if there is frost on the groundLooking up to see the moonLooking down I miss my home town The connection between windows and nature has been referenced in Chinese poetry throughout the ages. There are many types, styles, and colors of traditional Chinese windows, combining beauty with practicality and tradition with novelty. These windows are always in harmony with nature, as is typical in Chinese architecture, allowing the feeling of wind, rain, and light to pass through (hence the poems!). Buildings and windows, included, have had to consider feng-shui, the forces of "wind and water" in traditional geomancy (earth divination), as well as the…

Decorative patterns are the wisdom creation of mankind into civilized society. In order to perfect oneself and beautify one's life, human beings need not only the satisfaction of material life, but also the communication of spiritual life. Decorative patterns, through the beautification of practical objects of clothing, food, housing and transportation, make aesthetic ideals reflected in the practical life and play a subtle role, thus further promoting the improvement and development of human civilization. -- Chinese Decorative Patterns Through the Ages Today, let's follow the Modern Hanfu and learn about the history and modern application of the classic Tang Dynasty patterns.   History of Traditional Patterns As early as the Neolithic era, patterns appeared, and the ancestors painted their inner desires and aesthetic interests into various patterns, which were entrusted with good luck and good wishes, and incorporated them into their lives. These patterns can be found on pottery and stone carvings, and probably on costumes as well, but unfortunately we do not have many costume artifacts yet. The culture of costume is closely related to the development of society, as early as before the Han Dynasty, dyed fabrics have been printed (with) traditional Chinese patterns, with the opening and…

It's Qingming Festival again. Around the Song and Yuan Dynasties, Qingming became a festival centered on ancestor worship and tomb sweeping, blending the Cold Food Festival tradition with other activities like the Double Third Festival spring picnic and kite flying. Wearing a willow twig as a head accessory was also a custom of ancient people during the Qingming Festival. Apart from folding willows, there is also the tradition of flying kites during Qingming. Ancient people believed that the wind during this time of year was suitable for kite flying. Nowadays, cities like Weifang and Wuhan hold kite festivals every april, where thousands of kite enthusiasts gather to celebrate this grand event that began in the Tang Dynasty. In addition, ancient people would start cockfighting from Qingming and continue Summer Solstice, but why did they choose this time? It was because people discovered that wild chickens mate and hatch eggs during this period, and the roosters would fight each other to find a mate. Domesticated roosters also exhibit fierce behavior during this time, making for an exciting spectacle when two roosters engage in a battle. The "Zuo Zhuan" contains the earliest record of cockfighting in China, and by the Tang Dynasty,…

In modern society, everyone is equal. There is no difference in clothing. What you want to wear is optional. But in ancient times, there was a very strict hierarchy, which clearly stipulated that emperors, nobles, officials, rich people, ordinary people, servants, people of different identities had relevant dress regulations on different occasions. So what are the Chinese peasants wear? As early as the Xia and Shang Dynasties, the hierarchy of clothing has been initially established. In the Zhou Dynasty, a set of the more complete hierarchical system was established, and the form, texture, color, pattern, and ornament of clothing were specified in detail, which became an important part of the etiquette system of the Zhou Dynasty. Peasants, as the largest part of the ancient Chinese common people, mostly wore Duan Da (短打) clothes that could do farm work. Duan Da is a kind of ancient Chinese Hanfu, made of coarse cloth, include with top and lower trousers, the length of the coat is generally above and below the hips and knees. Duan Da is also called "Shu He (短褐, 裋褐)", the word "He (褐)" refers to clothing woven from hemp fabric or animal hair. So, the original meaning of the…

You must be no stranger to this traditional lantern, which often appears as a prop for photography with hanfu. Let's learn more about it.   What is Jiang Sha Deng Jiang Sha Deng (绛纱灯), a type of ancient Chinese lantern with a long history, is a common type of lantern used by both the court and the folk, Jiang means dark red, Sha means gauze, and Deng means the lantern. The most important function of the Jiang Sha Deng is lighting, but certainly, it is more decorative than other lighting appliances, which is the reason why it was loved by the and the court. The ancients liked to use Jiang Sha Deng in processions at festivals and wedding ceremonies, and often took it on trips for the simple reason that they looked beautiful. The traditional Jiang Sha Deng with metal bracket to separate the gauze, do not worry about the candle fire to burn it, while the modern Jiang Sha Deng with electronic lights.   What is Jiang Sha Deng made of? Bamboo wood as the skeleton, copper candle plate, wrapped with red, green and blue gauze outside. The pole is colored with dark red lacquer. The head of the…

The Tang Dynasty was known for its admiration of plumpness and loose clothing style, which emerged after the appearance of Yang Guifei. By examining these reliable historical materials, we can discover that the Kaiyuan and Tianbao periods were the fastest-changing phases in fashion during the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, we will use Yang Yuhuan's life as a reference to explore the history of women's fashion during the flourishing Tang Dynasty, focusing on four stages: her childhood in the early Kaiyuan period, her time in Luoyang during the middle of the Kaiyuan period, her status as a noble concubine in the early Tianbao period, and her tragic end in the late Tianbao period. From the early Tang Dynasty to the Wu Zhou period, the trend of women's fashion can be summarized as follows: from the slender and conservative style at the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, to the gradually opening up under the reign of Emperor Dezong, and finally to the magnificent and flourishing Wu Zhou era. This was a time when the aesthetic ideals of Tang Dynasty women were characterized by elegance, confidence, and the willingness to showcase their figures. It was closely related to the influence of Empress Wu Zetian,…

Traditional Chinese pants, as important clothing, have a long history in China. Han people generally wear trousers, not only from the Han Dynasty. On the contrary, the Han nationality is considered to be one of the first nations in the world to wear pants. Traditional Chinese pants can be divided into two types: one is called Kun(裈) and the other is called Ku(袴). traditional Chinese pants in ancient paintings from the Ming Dynasty   Kun(裈) Kun is an ancient underpants with the crotch, according to the present archaeological evidence, Kun can be traced back to the late Neolithic. It can be divided into two types: one is very short and similar to the contemporary triangle underpants, which was called " Dubi Kun (犊鼻裈dú bí kūn)" in ancient times; "Dubi Kun" has a history of more than 5000 years and is still used in some parts of Contemporary Asia. the other is slightly wider and similar to the contemporary beach pants, which have two obvious pants with knee-length. Compared with the "Dubi Kun" to be more formal, so it has been widely used in the past dynasties, especially in hot areas. Usually, in ancient times, few people will directly expose Kun…

In 1904, the construction of the Bianluo Railway began. As a part of the later Longhai Railway, this transportation line passed through Mangshan to the north of Luoyang city, an ideal place for emperors, officials and civilians to choose their burial grounds since at least the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. The construction of modern railways undoubtedly broke the peace of another world, but it also allowed underground treasures to see daylight again. Among many damaged Tang tombs, a type of color-glazed ceramic funerary object that had never been seen before by people drew attention from antiquarians; this is "Tang Sancai". Since then, people have been indulging in the gorgeous and lustrous colors of Tang Sancai as if all the grandeur and majesty of Tang Dynasty were condensed into such an object. It was an era completely different from that during Qing Dynasty; gazing upon and playing with Tang Sancai might help one temporarily withdraw from chaotic times and dream peacefully in a book room filled with sandalwood aroma.   The Legacy of the Tang Dynasty In fact, although they are called Tang Sancai, there is no record of such object names in historical documents. The name "Tang Sancai (唐三彩, Tang Tri-color…

Wuxia (武俠), which is a type of Chinese fantasy with a lot of martial arts. It’s a lot of attractive people flying aroundwith swords using powers, and it’s amazing. What you see wuxia world in dramas, what you think is the ancient Chinese cultural ideal world is actually created within the last say a little bit over half a century in the 1950s. In this post, I am going to attempt to explain the rather complicated concept of Wuxia and Jianghu that even a lot of Chinese native people actually don't quite know about that. So if you're coming from a different cultural background and you don't speak the language it might be even more confusing for you to understand what jianghu. So first we have to understand the word Wuxia, and then the concept of Jianghu. Wuxia World in Chinese Dramas If you have been watching a lot of Chinese dramas, you may realize a large proportion of current Chinese dramas are of the period drama genre and within this genre. A large proportion is the Wuxia genre or versions that branch off from this genre or even if it's really a serious political or Romantic period drama, which…

The Chinese ancient armor protecting the head was called Zhou (胄, helmet) in the pre-Qin period. In oracle bone inscriptions, the helmet is painted as a shield with a vertical tube at the top. And many of the bronzes excavated from the Yinxu tomb in Anyang are fully consistent with this phenomenon. However, there is a lack of a standard for the definition of other ancient helmets without vertical tubes in Western Zhou and Spring and Autumn Warring States. Therefore, the emergence of iron head armor as the dividing line, before that, regardless of whether they had vertical tubes or not, they were called Zhou regardless of whether the material specifically leather or bronze, after that, they were divided into two categories: Dou Mou (兜鍪, helmet) and Kui (盔, helmet). But those with vertical tubes with feathers as decoration were still called Zhou, such as the unified style of the Qing Dynasty.   Ancient helmets from the pre-Qin period Bronze Zhou (胄) of the pre-Qin period is bounded by the Shang and Zhou (周) dynasties. The surface of Zhou in the Shang Dynasty is generally cast with Taotie, round sunflowers, and other patterns, and the unearthed objects in Xingan County,…

Perhaps you often see some Ming styles of Chinese female outfits with complicated names, such as: Duijin Shuling Pipa Xiu Duan Ao (对襟竖领琵琶袖短袄, short jacket with vertical lapels and pipa sleeves), Xiejin Shuling Long Ao (斜襟竖领长袄, long jacket with slanting lapels). But if you break these names down and analyze them, they are actually very easy to understand. In this article, Zhua Xiao Ye will introduce to you the structure and naming rules of the Ming Chinese female outfits for women, and hope it will help you if you are particularly fond of the Ming-style Hanfu. Step 1: Ling (领, collar) Ling is the collar of the clothes. There are more kinds of collars in Hanfu, the most common one is the Jiaoling (交领, cross collar), which is characterized by Jiaoling Youren (交领右衽), that is, the left lapel covers the right lapel (when wearing, but if viewed from the front, that is the right lapel covers the left lapel), showing a "y" shape, which started from the Shang and Zhou period and was used until the Ming Dynasty. In addition to the cross collar, more types of collars were developed in the Ming Dynasty: Yuanling (圆领, round collar), Fangling (方领, square…

Diji and Tiaopai are two magnificent pieces of traditional Chinese hair jewelry, often paired with Ming-style Hanfu. The Ming dynasty was one of the most commercialized periods in ancient Chinese history, particularly in the Jiangnan region. From the point of view of hair jewelry, the most significant change shown in gold and silver jewelry during the Ming dynasty, compared to the Song and Yuan dynasties, was an increase in the number of types and styles, and a more detailed distinction in names. Various types of traditional Chinese hair jewelry, have different names, depending on where they are worn, or on their decoration, style, and even their length. Today we will focus on the Diji and Tiaopai. Diji (䯼髻, dí jì) [History and structure] Diji is a new type of wig bun that appeared in the Ming Dynasty, generally made of gold and silver wire or horsehair, and hair, covered with soap-colored yarn and worn over the top bun. The appearance of the Diji was influenced on the one hand by the wearing of Guan by women from the Northern Song Dynasty onwards, and on the other by the popularity of the 'Baoji (包髻)' hairstyle during the Jin and Yuan Dynasties.…

Su embroidery (苏绣, Suzhou Silk Hand Embroidery Art) is the general name of embroidery products in Suzhou, the traditional folk arts. It is one of the four famous embroideries in China and was listed as one of the national intangible cultural heritages in 2006. Su embroidery (苏绣, Suzhou Silk Hand Embroidery Art) is the general name of embroidery products in Suzhou, the traditional folk arts. It is one of the four famous embroideries in China and was listed as one of the national intangible cultural heritages in 2006. The origin of Suzhou embroidery is in the area of Wu County, Suzhou, and now it has been widely distributed in Wuxi and Changzhou. Embroidery is inseparable from silk reeling, so it is also called silk embroidery. The Qing Dynasty was the heyday of Suzhou embroidery, with many different styles and famous embroiderers emerging. Su embroidery has a unique style with beautiful patterns, exquisite ideas, meticulous embroidery, lively stitching and elegant colors, and strong local characteristics. The most famous Su embroidery is from Zhenhu town, and about 80% of the Su embroidery products come from Zhenhu.   History of Su Embroidery Su embroidery is an art of intertwining and blending between cloth…