The ancient historical series "The Long River (天下长河)" released on November 11, 2022, tells the story of the Kangxi Emperor unconditionally promoting Chen Huang (陈潢) and Jin Fu (靳辅) to take control of the flood in Yellow River flooding. After working despite winds and rains, and dealing with countless turmoils from the court for almost half a century, the emperor and the ministers gradually pacified the flood, leaving the future generations a legacy to be praised for the great achievements of the true historical story. The three main actors are Luo Jin, Yin Fang, and Huang Zhizhong. And the six supporting actors are Xi Meijuan, Liang Guanhua, Su Ke, Lu Siyu, Gong Lei, and Zhao Qi, all of them have their own strengths. Every character in the series has distinctive character traits, and each actor's grasp and interpretation of the characters is perfect. The Long River puts emphasis on the interpretation of history and flood management strategies. Unlike most of the costume dramas today, which are dressed like historical stories but with a core of loving stories, the Long River focuses on the flood in the Yellow River and values the tradition of historical dramas, telling the legendary story of…

Have you mesmerized by the makeup of "A Journey to Love"? The beauty level is comparable to the grand award of Huadian in ancient costume dramas. BAZAAR brings you a look at the use of the Huadian in recent Chinese TV dramas and its history. As the chosen one of ancient times, Liu Shi Shi made a graceful appearance with a transcendent snow dance, dressed in a flowing red gown, with a graceful figure. The red of the Huadian between her eyebrows and the white of the snow complemented each other, making her as beautiful as a painting. After entering the palace, she abandoned her fierce killer aura and her presence became gentle and hazy. Her usual elegant attire, paired with the Huadian, exuded a cool and charming aura. The costume and makeup of other characters are also praiseworthy. He Lan Dou, who plays Princess Yang Ying, went from being overlooked to becoming the empress, and the appearance of the Huadian perfectly corresponded to her growth trajectory. Chen Xiao Yun's Huadian makeup in the role of noble consort Chu emanated a pure and captivating charm, making her beauty irresistible. Chen Du Ling, who caused a stir with her appearance, portrayed…

The "Under the Microscope" series began airing on February 9, 2023, and stars Zhang Ruo Yun, Wang Yang, Qi Wei, and a host of veteran actors with excellent reputations, such as Wu Gang, Gao Ya Lin, and Hou Yan Song, in key roles in the series. This drama is adapted from Ma Boyong's work: Xian Wei Jing Xia De Da Ming (显微镜下的大明, Under the Microscope: Ming Dynasty)". In a series of rare folk archives of the Ming Dynasty, the author discovered six long-lost grassroots political events of the Ming Dynasty. Focusing on a particular province, county, or even village, these six events record the real political life of the lowest commoners in the Ming Dynasty. When encountering tax injustice, how the common people rose up to fight; when the rights and interests of the family were undermined, how the clan members initiated lawsuits; when political interests conflicted with commercial interests, how the people fought with the government; when the imperial court demanded the rectification of the household register, how they falsified it for profit. From countless real details, an extremely vivid picture of ancient political ecology is shown. The drama "Under the Microscope" has 14 episodes, focusing on the first…

With the rise of ancient Chinese costume "Hanfu culture" among young people, the China-chic has become an unstoppable trend. The September issue of Harper's BAZAAR e-magazine features a stylish restoration of hanfu, and a closer look at these "trendy elements" from a thousand years ago that are still stunning today.   HAN DYNASTY The restored hanfu shot by Harper's BAZAAR During the Han Dynasty, large-sleeved clothes were popular, called "Zhu Yu (诸于)". The characteristic of large-sleeved clothes is the use of the slanting cutting method, which makes the clothes look wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. This set of hanfu designs in "Harper's BAZAAR" uses this typical slanting cutting method, which makes the model look taller and slimmer, so it can be said to be a "slimming secret". During the Han Dynasty, common women wore Ru upper and Qun underneath, which shows that women in the Han Dynasty wore a skirt and a dress as their daily wear. Han Dynasty costumes in the drama The Han Dynasty was a feudal period with a strict hierarchy, which was also reflected in women's clothing, which could be basically divided into two different dress systems for nobles and commoners. Hairstyle…

Beizi is a kind of Hanfu, which began in Sui Dynasty and was popular in song and Ming Dynasties. Most of Beizi are straight collar, the sides are not sewn from the armpits. They are usually worn over other clothes. Although the Song Dynasty established a unified dynasty, it was different from the Tang Dynasty in terms of comprehensive national strength and military strength. In the face of the huge military pressure, the government of the Song Dynasty was unable to resist. Instead, they just gave in and gave up their territory in exchange for peace. At the same time, they took the feudal thought to control the people and imprison people’s thought. This historical background and social trend of thought directly affected people’s attitude towards life and aesthetic taste. The overall artistic style of Song Dynasty emphasized the restraint of individual personality and desire, with a strong color of abstinence. The fashion of paying attention to moral cultivation greatly affected the dress. Therefore, the dress of Song Dynasty returned to the traditional and simple style, revealing the beauty of modesty and elegance. Style In Song Dynasty, Beizi’s collars were divided into three types, namely, straight collar, oblique collar and…

The Han Chinese attire stands out as a vibrant mosaic of styles, contrasting with the more regimented Manchu dress code. Han Chinese Women of the Qing era embraced a rich variety in their daily clothing, crafting a panorama of styles that celebrated individuality and heritage despite their socio-political background. Everyday Han attire was an elegant blend of comfort and grace. This ensemble typically included a short jacket, skirt, and either a vest or cloak. The small coat featured a sizable right lapel, distinguishing it from the longer robes favored by the Manchu elite. Complementing this were sleeveless vests and long open-sleeved cloaks, encapsulating the everyday charm of Han Chinese femininity. Literary Echoes of Qing Dynasty Fashion The Qing Dynasty's literary works provide a vivid window into the world of Han Chinese fashion. Rich descriptions paint a picture of women adorned in ornate hairstyles and layered outfits of brilliant hues and luxurious fabrics. Gold accessories often featured prominently, highlighting the intricate detailing that defined Han women's daily fashion and underscoring attire's role in expressing identity and social status. Ceremonial Attire of the Qing Dynasty Ceremonial attire during the Qing Dynasty was a grand spectacle, marrying sophistication with tradition. This ensemble, replete with iconic…

Is there a limit to the imagination? For young Chinese style painting painters, the answer is no.   Wu Junda All the living things are in a commotion between the empty valley. The scene of the divine beast standing proudly between heaven and earth facing the tiny human brings a great impact of confrontation to the audience. Wu Junda (吴俊达) once participated in the Global Game Art Contest (GGAC) and took the Grand Prize in the global 2D art category. The award-winning work that Wu Junda made a name for himself was "Shan Hai You Ling (山海有灵, Mountains and Oceans with Great Spirit)". The four beasts suppressing the mountains and rivers with a stroke that is strong enough to dominate the world tear a crack of time in the intersection of reality and illusion. The details, moreover, are breathtaking. The four beasts with moving hair sweep the bewildered crowd with their fierce eyes which are gradually revealing. Lazy but very oppressive limbs are waving between heaven and earth. Not even a tiny detail should be ignored although the picture is dominated by the divine beasts. The tiny human and the huge divine beast are making a great visual impact. The complex…

The elegance of the Han and Jin dynasties, the grace of the Tang dynasty, the refinement of the Song dynasty, and the magnificence of the Ming and Qing dynasties – throughout China’s five thousand years of history, each era has its unique charm in beauty and fashion. This article will take you on a journey through various dynasties, allowing you to appreciate the distinctive allure of ancient Chinese women’s hairstyles. The Han Dynasty and Wei-Jin Period During the Han Dynasty, the elegant and dignified hair bun showcased the noble and graceful temperament of women. Hairstyles of this period emphasized smooth and harmonious lines, with meticulous attention to detail, presenting a refined and classical charm. In the Wei-Jin Period, women’s hairstyles embraced a sense of simplicity and freshness. The hair buns became more straightforward, emphasizing natural charm, often adorned with headbands or hairpins to highlight a playful and lovely aspect. During this time, hairstyles focused on comfort and naturalness, reflecting the openness and diversity of Wei-Jin culture. The Southern and Northern Dynasties and Sui Dynasty During the period of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, China experienced political divisions and turmoil, leading to the blending of diverse regional cultures, which also influenced…

Ancient China is called “Huaxia”, with “Hua” referring to the elegance of costume and “Xia” the greatness of etiquette. Following the development through the Zhou, Han, Tang and Song dynasties, the costume in the Ming dynasty had distinct Chinese cultural characteristics and was the epitome of Chinese apparel, which had a wide and profound impact on the costume and aesthetics of later dynasties and neighboring countries.  The Ming Dynasty had fully restored the costume tradition, which had been inherited for thousands of years. Being magnificent and elegant, the Ming costume is the epitome of Chinese costume culture. Ceremonial court dress was usually worn by civil and military officials at formal and grand occasions such as court meetings. It consisted of court hat, red silk robe, white silk gauze shirt, knee-covering，silk belt, leather belt, etc. Normal court dress, well-known to all, was a symbol of the Ming Dynasty costume, for example, the red silk gauze round-collar robe with subtle pattern and square patches embroidered with cloud and crane design, black silk gauze hat and so on. Festive dress was worn by officials on various festive occasions and in some ceremonial activities. The yellowish-brown linen pleated robe with Feiyu design, woman’s…

Chinese ancient clothing culture has a long history, which has left a precious heritage for the world. Han clothing was shaped in the Zhou Dynasty and inherited in the Qin Dynasty. Hanfu, with a long cultural history in China, is worthy of the quintessence of the country. Hanfu is not only a kind of life aesthetics but also the continuation of the lifestyle of countless Chinese people. Primitive Society Period The costumes of primitive society showed obvious cultural characteristics of worshipping heaven and earth and formed a more typical clothing style of cross collar, right lapel, lace-up, upper garment, and lower garment. Xia, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties The clothing of Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties has the distinct characteristics of the combination of practicality and aesthetics and also has distinct characteristics of hierarchy. It has made detailed provisions on the crown dress system of nobles and common people, and the rulers show their dignity by strict grade clothing. Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period During the spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States period, each state had its own affairs and different cultural customs, which led to different regional and national costumes with their own characteristics. Moreover,…

Flying fish suit is a kind of traditional costume of Han nationality, which was given by royal guards and eunuchs in Ming Dynasty. In the history of Ming Dynasty, flying fish clothing is a kind of grand dress second only to boa Pao. The difference between them and bullfighting costume is that although the patterns of the clothes are similar to those of the emperor, they are not included in the official clothing system, but they belong to the imperial officials, the royal guards and the Zaifu with special rewards. They are of very high grade. Flying fish clothing is generally made of Luo, yarn, cloud satin and other advanced materials. Most of them have bright red background color (there are purple, green, blue and other colors). It is made of complicated techniques such as makeup flower and gold weaving. In front of the chest are the dragon head and Dragon claw. The dragon body directly around the shoulder, and the dragon tail is behind. Click Here To See Details Flying fish clothing has four claw flying fish pattern, and the flying fish mentioned here is not the kind of marine fish we often see, but a fictional image similar…

More than 20 Chinese historical dramas are scheduled to air in 2022, covering mystery, romance and comedy genres, including the highly anticipated Luoyang, starring Huang Xuan and Wang Yi Bo; The Wind Blows From Longxi, starring Chen Kun and Bai Yu, and A Dream of Splendor, starring Crystal Liu and Chen Xiao. The following is a list of Chinese historical dramas highlights for 2022, as compiled by hanfuhouse .   Luoyang · 风起洛阳 (Aired) Aired: December 1, 2021 Also known as: Feng Qi Luo Yang Period Background: Tang Dynasty Wu Zhou Period Genres: Historical, Mystery Main Role: Huang Xuan as Gao Bing Zhu, Wang Yi Bo as Bai Li Hong Yi, Victoria Song as Wu Si Yue, Song Yi as Liu Ran The drama is adapted from Ma Bo Yong's novel "Luo Yang", which tells a series of stories about a group of people from different classes who are investigating an unsolved case in Luoyang during the Wu Zhou period. Gao Bing Zhu, a notorious deputy marshal at the bottom of society in Luoyang, is involved in the case by mistake and becomes a suspect. While trying to prove his innocence, he meets Bai Li Hong Yi, who is trying…

This year's Chinese National Costume Day(中国华服日) offline event was held in Nanjing on December 5th, which attracted many Hanfu enthusiasts and became a grand event to promote the excellent traditional Chinese culture. The main event of "Chinese National Costume Day", the Huafu (华服) Costume Show, was held on the evening of December 5th. Hundreds of young models were clothed in Chinese Huafu, highlighting the style of a Chinese ceremonial state. During the event, the China Huafu Development Forum was held. In addition, a Huafu Expo was held at the same time, which included a display of Chinese Huafu costumes and accessories, a cultural experience of ancient styles, traditional food photography, and other activities. Let's enjoy the live photos from the Huafu Costume Show! Part of the show video:

Wang Sibo (Roywang), the first person in Chinese light painting art and the first Chinese advisor of the World Light Painting Alliance, is adept at creating light paintings in a Chinese style. In 2018, he completed the painting "Dragon Dance in Beijing" in just 7 minutes, where a golden dragon illuminated Wangfujing Street, breaking the world record. He integrates traditional Chinese aesthetics into modern art, using light as ink and night as canvas, combining ancient cultural elements with contemporary art forms to create stunning works. He even brings mythical creatures from the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" to life on the streets, becoming well-known to the public. 01 Painting everything with light Light painting, in simple terms, is the process of capturing the movement of light sources in a dark environment through long exposure, resulting in various abstract images. For example, if one wants to paint a dragon, they can use a light source to "draw" the dragon in front of the camera, and the camera will record the trajectory of the light source, creating a photo that shows a shining dragon. For creators of light painting photography, it does not require highly advanced painting skills. With a basic foundation…

This article focuses on the changes in the popularity of traditional Chinese men's clothing from the Ming and Qing dynasties to the early Republic of China. The early Ming dynasty clothing continued the style of the Yuan dynasty, men's clothing in addition to Zhishen (直身), but also have Changshan (长衫) style. At this time the Daopao (道袍) has not yet formed, because the Changshan pleated structure on both sides, inferred that may be the Daopao predecessor. The prototype of the Yisan (曳撒) came from the Yuan Dynasty, and the sleeve shape and silhouette gradually changed in the Ming Dynasty, and developed an outer hem structure, which was one of the common styles of Bianfu (便服)/army clothing or Jifu (吉服) in the Ming Dynasty. The more significant change in the mid-Ming men's clothing is the gradual widening of the sleeve type, the structure of the outer hem is also different from the initial period. Late Ming dynasty men's clothing popular with the Daopao, the initial sleeve type for the bias to straight sleeves, with the structure of the Shoumei (收袂). At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the robe has developed into wide sleeves, and the structure of the inner and…

Tea set and tea-drinking are tightly connected. Many historical records and materials have proved that tea-drinking hasn’t appeared until the turn of Qin Dynasty and Han Dynasty. Chinese tea culture sprouted during the Wei and Jin Dynasties, during which the usages of tea existed in various ways, including food, medication, beverages, and so on. Among all, tea has been mostly taken as a kind of beverage. According to the "Guangling Xiaolao Zhuan", there has already elderly women who sold tea for a living on the markets in the Jin Dynasty. It was quite a competitive business with numerous pedlars as well as customers. From such phenomenon, it can be seen that drinking tea was highly prevalent at that time. At the time under the governance of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty, Wangbao has written "武阳买茶 (buy tea in Wuyang)" and "烹茶尽具 (cook tea and prepare clean tea sets)" in his book "Tong Yue (僮约)", this is the earliest record of tea drinking and buying in China. In modern times, a celadon urn, carved with the character of "Cha (茶, tea)", with a height of 33.5 centimeters was found in a tomb in Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, which was built in…