The Xia Dynasty, believed to be the first dynasty in Chinese history, lasted from around 2070 BCE to 1600 BCE. Despite its importance, little is known about the Xia Dynasty's customs and traditions. One area that has captured the interest of historians and anthropologists is the clothing and makeup worn by the people during this period. In this article, we will take a brief look into the fascinating world of Xia Dynasty costumes and makeup, exploring their styles, materials, and cultural significance.   The Clothing of the Xia Dynasty After successfully controlling the floods, Yu the Great was spontaneously supported by the people and established the Xia Dynasty. The system of succession was changed from abdication to hereditary. There were a total of fourteen generations in the Xia Dynasty, which lasted for about 471 years. This dynasty marked the formation of China's slave society, and the clothing system developed during this period, known as the "Guanfu" system, was one of the earliest forms of dress code in Chinese history. In ancient primitive times, clothing was primarily a result of aesthetic and sexual competition needs, followed by the requirement for warmth. During the periods of the Yellow Emperor, Yao, Shun, and…

The ancient Chinese were designed the clothing and crown system with distinct rank differences, to conform to the social order. Women's clothing is the same as men's, was constrained by system and etiquette. This article, centered around Ming Hua Tang's hanfu, introduce you to the detail of royal hanfu dress for noblewoman (Ming Fu, 命妇) in the late Ming Dynasty.   The Definition of Ming Fu According to Ming Dynasty regulations, officials from the first to fifth ranks are eligible for the "Gao Ming" (诰命). The title "Gao Ming" is mandated by the imperial court. It is the "sacred decree" commonly known as folklore, like the exhortation came from The emperor himself. The "Gao Ming" is all vouchers for the court to grant officials and their relatives. According to the rank of officials, obtaining a "Gao Ming" sometimes requires considerable effort. For example, have made achievements in politics or the military. Women follow the rank of their husband or son. A woman who is granted a "Gao Ming" is called a "Ming Fu" (women with imperial exhortation). According to the rank from high to low, there are titles such as Fu Ren(夫人, the Honorary), Shu Ren(淑人, the Kindness), Gong Ren…

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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 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…

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…

The hanfu culture is no longer just a celebration for a small group of people; an increasing number of ordinary individuals are now sharing their hanfu experiences through creative short videos, integrating hanfu into their daily lives. At the same time, the seemingly unrelated realms of hanfu and fashion have also begun to merge. Hanfu covers in fashion magazines have sparked discussions within the hanfu community, fashion circles, and academic circles alike. Among them, we can find replicas, traditional designs, and fusion styles of hanfu. Dongjin Shangyu has compiled a collection of fashionable magazine spreads featuring hanfu throughout the years for you.   Hanfu in 2013 "FHM" Ten years ago, social networks were not as active as they are today. However, even at that time these three photos broke through the aesthetic norms of the hanfu community and even attracted attention from the media industry. One of these works was used as a cover photo in Issue 112 of "CHINESE HERITAGE" magazine. At that time, Yu Lingyuan was responsible for this photoshoot and said: "The structure of Western suits is similar to Western sculpture - it is very complex in terms of craftsmanship and has a three-dimensional quality. However, what…

Have you ever wondered about the animal motifs on your hanfu and what they stand for? Why are there so many dragons in traditional Chinese art? And what’s up with the monkey statues everywhere? Let's delve into the symbolism of animal motifs. It will only take about 5 minutes of your time, and hopefully, you'll learn something new or revise what you already know! Each hanfu garment is unique. It has various styles and designs, that reflects different historical periods and regional influences. Although the differences are significant, many of them include similar animal embroidery and motifs. Animals that have been deeply intertwined with Chinese culture from its earliest days. Animals in Chinese culture are thought to be symbolic representations of various aspects of life. Understanding the symbolic meaning of an animal will lead to grasping the hidden message of the art. It is not only an important decorative element but also adds meaning, symbolism, and cultural significance to the art, particularly in the context of Hanfu garments.   Most commonly used animal motifs are: Birds: Birds are often associated with the sun and allegorical folk-tales. Each bird carries its own unique symbolism, though most are connected to happiness and…

Music in Ancient Chinese society Music was always a part of chinese culture. It was used in many things such as dance, ceremonies, banquets, rituals, entertainment, and more. Music along with other things was molded into ancient society. Today, many people still play these instruments and dedicate their lives to study them. 1. Pipa 琵琶 The pipa (琵琶) is one of the most played Chinese instruments today. It is commonly described as a four stringed plucked lute shaped like a pear and played vertically. It is named by how it is played; pi (琵) meaning played forward, and pa (琶) meaning played backward. A lute that looked like the pipa was seen in the Indian Kusana scriptures in the first century ad. That is why it is likely that the pipa may have been introduced to China from India or Central Asia. The pipa has more than 2000 years of history in China. Because of its beauty, the pipa is used in many wuxia dramas and hanfu photo shoots. One of the historical four beauties of China is always drawn with a pipa. The pipa became known in China by the second century ad. Pipa is usually made of rosewood…

So maybe you’ve been interested in hanfu for a while, and you’ve vaguely started to pick out the differences between Ming Dynasty aoqun and Tang Dynasty heziqun, but you still have no clue what the order of the time periods are or even what they were characterized by. Upon a quick sift through Wikipedia, there’s just wayyyyy too much information to process, and you don’t even know what information to look for—what matters to your understanding of hanfu culture. Fear not! Here’s a compendium of what you need to know about the historical context of hanfu. The Structure of Ancient Chinese History There’s a phenomenon in Chinese history that we call the Dynastic Cycle. Ancient China was ruled over by many different time periods called Dynasties, each with a family of rulers, and most of these follow the same general scheme: the central ruling power is established, the population goes up and the country flourishes, corruption starts affecting the political scheme, people revolt, and the country either dissolves into several warring states or gets conquered by another group of people. Then one state emerges victorious over the other ones or the invaders, the next dynasty is established, and the cycle…

Hey everyone, sorry for the hiatus! I’m back now with a new series of articles—Hanfu Unearthed, a series examining the more technical, historical origins of hanfu. This series of articles is going to focus on the archaeological side of hanfu research: the relics that we’ve uncovered from various dig sites and tombs. The way that hanfu is defined by most is that its shape and construction is designed off of these relics, so let’s take a look at the real historical references that we have. A quick disclaimer—this series of articles is a result of my own research. I’m not a trained historian or archaeologist, I’m an inexperienced student with an interest in hanfu and chinese history. I don’t have a works cited page for these (though I can point you towards some of the resources I used off the top of my head if you really want them), and I didn’t spend a long time verifying my sources beyond checking with multiple sources to make sure the information was consistent, because frankly I don’t have the time to do that. All articles will come with this disclaimer, so please, please understand that I’m doing my best with what I…

When we introduced the Xiapei during the Song and Ming dynasties, we mentioned that the Xiapei hangs flat in front of the chest. The creation of Hanfu ornament: "Peizhui (帔坠)" is to ensure that the Xiapei (霞帔) is flattened in front of women's chest and belly when they move, maintaining a dignified image. Nowadays, you can often see girls who like Ming-style Hanfu hanging their Peizhui pendant around their neck for decoration. As an important part of Song and Ming women's costumes, the historical Peizhui pendant is integrated with the Xiapei, which serves the function of beautifying decoration and distinguishing social hierarchy. In the excavated tombs of Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, the silk fabric of Xiapei is not easy to be preserved, but the gold, silver, and jade quality of Peizhui has been preserved. Today, let's learn more about Peizhui pendant, a precious Hanfu ornament! Peizhui is usually made of two patterned curved pieces that are fastened together and attached to the end of the Xiapei in front of the body. The patterns are mostly hollow, often mistaken for scented sachet when unearthed earlier. The Peizhui unearthed in Song, Yuan, and Ming tombs are mainly made of gold, silver,…

Fabric and craftsmanship are both very important aspects of hanfu making. In this article, several common hanfu fabric processes will be briefly introduced to you.   Zhuang Hua Zhuang Hua (妆花) is the most complex variety of weaving technology in Nanjing cloud brocade, and also the representative jacquard silk weaving variety with the most local characteristics of Nanjing, was popular in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Traditional Zhuang Hua is made of artificial weaving, and the Zhuang Hua on nowadays are all "imitation Zhuang Hua", which are made by machines. The Zhuang Hua fabric is characterized by many colors and is rich in color changes. In terms of the weaving method, the pattern on the fabric is partially painted by using a colored fleece weft bobbin. The color matching is very free and there are no restrictions. The main pattern of the design is usually expressed in two or three levels of color, and some patterns are expressed in simple color (such as pedicels, leaves, and buds). A piece of Zhuang Hua fabric with patterns and colors can be matched in more than a dozen or even 20 or 30 colors. Although there are many colors of Zhuang Hua, but…