China is a land of breathtaking natural landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and vibrant artistic traditions. Among the many facets of Chinese art and culture, the use of color stands out as a particularly distinctive and enduring feature. From the bold reds and golds of imperial palaces to the serene blues and greens of ancient landscapes, traditional Chinese colors evoke a sense of harmony, balance, and aesthetic refinement that has captivated people for centuries. We will explore the history, symbolism, and beauty of the most iconic colors together with the authors of books on traditional Chinese colors, Guo Hao. Whether you are an art lover, a history buff, or simply someone who appreciates beauty, the world of traditional Chinese colors is sure to enchant and inspire you. Guo Hao   Reclaiming Traditional Chinese Colors Guo Hao, a researcher of Chinese traditional colors, has spent five years scavenging for remnants of traditional colors from tens of thousands of ancient books and cultural relics. Due to cultural discontinuity, traditional Chinese colors are scattered in a large number of ancient books, and the whole process of recovery is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Guo Hao went through nearly 400 kinds of canonical…

The ancients were fond of adding floral decoration to the edges and seams of Chinese tunic, making the seemingly plain Beizi, with its lace inlay and surround become rich in variety.Modern techniques such as printing, embroidery, beading and beadwork on the edges of the garment made the Beizi a little more beautiful than in the old days.Let's pick out some beautiful and cost-effective full edge Beizi today! Pomegranate Fruit with All-edge Song-style Beizi The pomegranate is a symbol of good fortune. A pomegranate red dress with pomegranate patterned edges is like a pomegranate with the skin cut open to reveal the berries, which brings out the watery and translucent skin. All-edge Embroidered Floral Beizi in Song-style The silky fabric and light color scheme are perfect for summer. The sky blue papers are decorated with lotus flowers, as if the beautiful scenery of summer is embedded in the details of the Chinese outer jacket. Printed Restoration of the Floral Bunny in Beizi The high definition digital printed bodice on the Chinese tunic will not fade easily and is easy to clean. Restore the flower god rabbit in the coat pattern and choose a matcha green Beizi base for a little freshness…

The summer has just passed, and the top video platforms in China are preparing for a new round of drama preheating. Youku, iQiyi, and Tencent Video, as the main broadcasting platforms for Chinese dramas at the current stage, have announced more than 200 upcoming dramas in their 2023-2024 lineup, which can be said to have gathered the important forces of Chinese dramas, and also serve as a window to glimpse the industry's development and market prospects. Guardians of the Dafeng Whether it is the adjustment layout of the conventional track or the forward-looking exploration of the innovative field, every move of the top platforms has attracted great attention. The content matrix formed by this not only reflects the platform's capture and contemplation of the changes in public aesthetic taste as project managers, but also influences the future trend of the industry.   What genres of drama dominate? In terms of genre, the three major platforms, still regard costume dramas and urban dramas as their main focus. After all, these two types of dramas have always been incubators for blockbusters and star-making tools, which can bring considerable revenue to the platforms in terms of membership services, artist management, and peripheral derivatives,…

For some Chinese costume female fans, they want to wear Chinese costumes out and about even in the heat of summer. Today, we will talk to you about what are suitable fabrics, shapes, and some summertime artifacts for wearing Hanfu in the summer.  Choose Comfortable & Cold Fabrics  Available fabrics: cotton, silk, tencel, ramie. Natural fabrics are more suitable for summer wear, these types of fabrics are more breathable, very absorbent, not easily bored in the summer. Silk and cotton are very skin-friendly and suitable for close to the body, and it is also true that these types of fabrics are slightly more expensive than other fabrics. In addition, wearing cool material doesn't mean you won't get hot, the breathable fabrics are just more absorbent and will make your skin feel better.  Chinese Costume Female Shapes for Summer  Many people say that the summer is not suitable for wearing Ming-style Hanfu, but it's not, as long as the material of the clothes is frivolous, you can still wear it in the summer, though Whether it's hot or not has little to do with the shape, some shapes really make it cooler to wear. Shape: Round Collar Shirts, Fitted Shirt As…

What kind of shoes did ancient Chinese people wear? I think the first thing you think of is straw sandals, embroidered shoes or clogs. What else do you know about the shoes of the ancients? Ancient times: eating its flesh and using its skin In the Paleolithic age, primitive people tied animal skins to their feet with thin strips of leather. These are the most primitive shoes. The earliest shoes in China are sheepskin boots unearthed in Loulan, Xinjiang. These shoes were worn on the feet of a woman who was about 18 years old. They are more than 4000 years old. They are also the earliest unearthed shoes in the world. Shang and Zhou Dynasties: progress of textile industry In the Shang Dynasty, there were strict rules for the color, material and pattern of shoes according to the clothing. Silk weaving technology is skilled, and silk and textile fabrics have become popular. After the Warring States period, the word “Gu” was gradually replaced by “Lu”. During the Warring States period, there was a man from the state of Zheng who went to the market to buy shoes. He measured his foot’s size at home in advance. When he got…

As an integrated cultural system, Hanfu can contain totally different expressions at the same time. The ancient traditional Hanfu is a way of expression, and the daily Hanfu with modern style is also a way of expression. We should treat the traditional and modern Hanfu with an inclusive attitude. Now let’s take a look at the differences between traditional and modern Hanfu? The traditional dress of Han Dynasty is elegant, like a cloud of immortals. Modern Hanfu pays more attention to the beauty in details. After all, the pursuit of “beauty” may be one of the reasons why young people like Hanfu. Therefore, the current Hanfu is not limited to restoration, but focuses more on the beauty and convenience. Traditional Hanfu Modern Hanfu Neckline: Traditional Hanfu: in the Ming Dynasty, because of the cold weather at that time, the cross collar design of the jacket was very high, almost covering the whole neck. Modern Hanfu: but the jacket and collar of the current Hanfu are very shallow, more beautiful, and more modern. Modern Hanfu Color: Traditional Hanfu: due to the limited colors in ancient Han Dynasty, the most common colors in ancient Hanfu are cinnabar, indigo, azure and other common…

The lapel, as an essential component of the cheongsam dress, serves as a critical dividing line in the layout of its style, possessing both functional and ornamental purposes. It complements the collar, buttons, or overlapping pieces in a harmonious manner, thus showcasing the overall beauty of the Qipao. The lapel (Jin, 襟), also known as the opening of the garment, is the unfastening of the Qipao's garment. Changes in the lapel are one of the primary way in which the Qipao's style evolves. Today, let us appreciate the modern styles of Qipao's lapels and savor the charm of Eastern women.   Without Lapel One of the most concise ways of opening a cheongsam is the "Without lapel, 无襟, Wu Jin" style. This kind of lapel style is directly derived from traditional Chinese clothing, appearing dignified and traditional.   Pleated & Without Lapel "Pleated without lapel, 褶皱无襟, Zhezhou & Wu Jin" style adds decorative pleats to the front chest, simple yet sophisticated, enhancing the sense of fashion.   Round Lapel "Round lapel, 圆襟, Yuan Jin" is the most common style of modern cheongsam lapel, with smooth lines from the neckline to the armpits. Depending on the size of the arc, it can…

So the Mamianqun, or 馬面裙, or horse-faced skirt, has been blowing up lately especially because of the Dior controversy—here's an in-depth dive into the history, construction, and features of the famous horse-face skirt.   A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MAMIANQUN The mamianqun or horse-faced skirt is a skirt that first originated somewhere close to the Song dynasty worn by high-class courtesans (who were like celebrities and fashion icons tbh) in the form of colorful pleated silk. It’s named this way because of its resemblance to the mamian fortress, which has stairs on either side (like the pleats) and a door in the front and back (like the skirt doors). The ‘doors’ sides of the fortress were known as the *horse faces* or mamian/ because these were the faces of the fortress where the horses would pass through. It became extremely popular in the following Ming dynasty and stayed popular through the Qing dynasty through Manchurian rule—it’s been around for a long, long time! Mamianqun are more convenient for movement and offer a regal, classy aesthetic as well as a very recognizable and unique silhouette. Even Princess Diana wore one once! BASIC CONSTRUCTION OF A MAMIANQUN The Skirt Doors From the…

With the revival of traditional culture, traditional Chinese outfits, Hanfu, is also more and more popular. However, there are still many readers who have some confusion about the structure of Hanfu. This article will introduce you to a complete set of structural details of Hanfu. "Hanfu", in general, refers to the traditional costumes of the Han nationality. It does not just refer to the clothing of the Han Dynasty. The traditional costume of the Han nationality can be traced back to the Zhou Dynasty. After the development of the Qin Dynasty, it gradually reached maturity in the Han Dynasty. Hanfu contains a complete set of clothing systems, including headwear, clothes, shoes, accessories, etc. 1. Hanfu Headwear (Shoufu, 首服) Shoufu is the headwear, which is an important part of traditional Chinese outfits. We know that the traditional Han people, both men, and women, should have their hair tied. When men and women grow up, they will wind their hair into a bun and put it on their head, and fix it with a hairpin. The main headdress is Mao (hat, 帽), Jin (scarf, 巾), etc. The headwear of adult men is often Guan (crown, 冠) Bian (弁), Futou (幞头), etc. Of…

Chinese skirts have a long history in China. As we all know, in ancient times, ancestors joined together with leaves or hides to keep out the cold, and became the rudiments of skirts. Chinese Skirts in Pre Qin Period It is said that more than four thousand years ago, the Yellow Emperor established the system of "Shangyi Xiachang (上衣下裳, upper garment, and lower skirt)", stipulating that people of different status wear different colors of clothes. The "Chang" at that time were skirts. Shenyi The statues unearthed in Anyang, Henan Province, are wearing flat hats, collars, skirts, belts, and pointed shoes. It generally reflects the situation of clothing in the Shang Dynasty. In the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, people generally wore Shenyi, and the upper top was connected with the lower skirt. Shenyi is similar to a dress, but it's slightly different. Han Dynasty In the Han Dynasty, skirts spread, with short tops and long skirts. The clothes of the existing terracotta figures of the Han Dynasty and those of Kabuki have such a clear reflection. At that time, the skirts all had folds, which were called "pleated skirts". According to the literature, Zhao Feiyan, the…

Tang Dynasty clothing mainly refers to the Tang Dynasty Hanfu clothes. Tang Dynasty is a period of great prosperity of China's feudal society. Both people's thoughts and material production have reached the ancient historical peak. Since the Tang Dynasty, a large number of flower patterns have been widely used in craft decoration. Its composition is lively and free, dense and symmetrical, plump, and mellow. Especially after the combination of wavy continuous patterns and floral plants, it was the popular pattern in that period. Tang Dynasty beauty pictures The style of the Tang Dynasty clothing has taken real flowers, grass, fish, and insects for sketching, instead of the previous creative idea of the "Mandate of Heaven." Still, the traditional mythical animals, like dragon and phoenix pattern, has not been excluded. At this time, the design of costume patterns tends to express the free, open mind and casual artistic style. The Feature of Tang Dynasty Clothing In the Tang Dynasty, foreign trade was developed, and the country was peaceful for a long time. Especially when the Tang Dynasty became the center of economic and cultural exchanges among Asian nations, it was the most glorious page in the history of Asian history. This…

In terms of the cultural and economic development of Chinese feudal society, the Tang Dynasty was undoubtedly an apogee in the development of human civilization. The Tang government not only opened its country to the outside world, allowing foreigners to enter for business or study, but even allowed them to participate in the selection examinations for government officials. It was tolerant, and often appreciative of religions, art and culture of the outside world. Chang'an, the Tang capital, became the center of exchanges between different cultures. It deserves special mention that women of the Tang dynasty did not have to obey traditional dress codes, but were allowed to wear clothing that exposed their arms and chest, or dress with exotic elements. They could also wear riding clothes if they wanted to and enjoyed the freedom to choose their marriage and to divorce. The abundance of materials and a relatively relaxed social environment gave the Tang dynasty an unprecedented opportunity to develop culture, reaching new heights in such fields as poetry, painting, music and dance. Based on the development of the textile industry in the Sui Dynasty, and progress achieved in reeling and dyeing, the variety, quality and quantity of textile materials…

The Tang dynasty makeup style can almost be said to be the most versatile in the entire ancient history of China, because both in terms of national power and politics, the Tang dynasty almost reached the pinnacle of history, and because of this prosperity, the makeup of the women's makeup in the people's peace of environment constantly changing refinement. With the transformation of the early Tang Dynasty, the flourishing Tang Dynasty, and the middle and late Tang Dynasty, the makeup was also making different changes, and for this reason, some special makeups were created, as we can see from the many ancient wall paintings and drawings.   Early Tang Dynasty makeup style: the beauty of simplicity In the early Tang Dynasty, influenced by the short-lived Sui Dynasty (581-617), the royal family did not pursue luxury and advocated simplicity. Therefore, the overall makeup of the women's more subtle and graceful, to lightly coated with lead white makeup and lightly coated with rouge red makeup mainly.  | White Makeup | Since ancient times, people have advocated the beauty of white, so women have the custom of powder, only to the Tang Dynasty, women's powder and style more diverse and prevalent. During the…

The documentary genre in China, particularly in the realm of traditional culture, continues to produce outstanding works. Today, I would like to introduce a documentary film about porcelain titled "I Am Your Porcelain (我是你的瓷儿, Wo Shi Ni De Ci Er)". It is well known that in English, the term "china" refers to both "porcelain" and "China", highlighting China as the true homeland of porcelain. Centuries before Europe mastered the technique of porcelain production, China was already creating exquisitely crafted porcelain. Chinese porcelain was once a high-end luxury item exported overseas. The documentary "I Am Your Porcelain" not only fills in our knowledge gap about porcelain but also elevates our aesthetic appreciation, allowing modern individuals to experience traditional aesthetics and craftsmanship through the magnificent Chinese porcelain. "I Am Your Porcelain" features narrator Yu Entai, unfolding a thousand-year-old porcelain scroll. Unlike traditional documentaries that tend to be serious and dull, this film adopts a humorous and witty overall style. In Beijing dialect, "Ci Er" means "good friend, buddy", likening porcelain to an friend we interact with daily, a material object embodying Chinese traditional aesthetics and craftsmanship. Seemingly ordinary yet deeply mysterious, emerging from clay and fire yet as lustrous as jade, it…

Each dynasty has a different style of makeup, such as the Tang Dynasty's rich and colorful, and the Song Dynasty's clear and elegant. What kind of make-up should I wear when photographing the ancient Chinese dress? General photo-photography, without being very strict, can be very beautiful according to their own conditions hobbies, modern aesthetics, and its combination. Keys to Ancient Chinese Dress Makeup  The eyebrows of classical Chinese beauty are thin and curved. There are some ancient Chinese dress and styling out that require more powerful eyebrows can also be drawn with a slight upward adjustment at the end or a more straight, sharp eyebrow. The eyebrows should be overly natural from light to dark to the end of the eyebrow. For those who have rough and messy eyebrows, use an eyebrow scraper to trim the shape of your eyebrows beforehand, and then use an eyebrow pencil to fine-tune the shape of your eyebrows with a natural curve. Not all girls are suitable for pink peach makeup, and some girls with single eyelids or a lot of fat on their eyelids are not suitable for a large area of pink eyeshadow on their eyelids. Try hitting the pink on the…