Ancient Style Hanfu

Chinese Hanfu has a long history and has gone through several dynasties over thousands of years of development, during which time it has evolved and many representative Hanfu styles have emerged, learn more about them together through the exquisite illustrations from Jin Li Qing Nian.   Pre Qin Period China, one of the oldest civilizations in the world, has created a gorgeous dress culture as early as the Neolithic period. During the Spring, Autumn, and Warring States Periods, Chinese traditional clothing entered a stage of evolution Li (礼, ritual) was the rule, costume consciousness and the same structure as heaven and earth contain a profound Chinese philosophy. The complete He Dang Ku (合裆裤) already existed in the Western Zhou period. At this time, the main styles of clothing were the Mian Fu Zhi (冕服制) with the upper and lower garments, the one-piece Shen Yi Zhi (深衣制), and the Bian Fu Zhi (弁服制). The aristocratic ladies would also cut the back of their long dresses short, to reveal a floor-length skirt, creates a graceful and slender look. San Huang Zhu Yu Pei (三璜组玉佩)Jade pendant group, also known as a iscellaneous jade pendant, that is a combination of multiple different types of…...

Among the numerous garments of Hanfu, the most popular one is probably the Mamian skirt. As a clothing item full of ethnic style, the skirt is characterized by vibrant colors and unique patterns. Wearing it seems like traveling through time and experiencing the charm of traditional culture. In fact, the Mamian skirt is not a completely new design, its history can be traced back to a hundred years ago. Also known as Mamian pleated skirt, it was one of the main skirt styles for ancient Chinese women. It consists of four skirt doors, both front and back, overlapping in pairs. The outer skirt door is adorned with decorations, while the inner skirt door has fewer or no decorations. The Ma Mian Qun is pleated on the side, and the skirt waist is often made of white fabric, symbolizing a lifelong union. It is fastened with a rope or button. The design of the Mamian skirt highlights symmetry and streamlined shapes, emphasizing the curves of women and creating an elegant and dignified image for the wearer. The charm of the Mamian skirt has actually transcended national borders. At the banquet where Princess Diana was announced as the future royal bride in…...

"Gender Swap" is not an uncommon theme in film and drama works, especially in recent years where almost every year sees at least one such work being released. Due to the different ways men and women think, the natural gender mismatch after their souls swap bodies adds a certain degree of drama and often leads to many hilarious gags, making it a popular genre that continues to attract audiences. Among the current wave of "Gender Swap" dramas in the domestic film and television market, this setting often performs well, thus becoming a favorite story content of creators in recent years. However, when a theme falls into the red ocean, it will inevitably fall into the trap of homogenization, making creativity the primary productive force. The costume fantasy romance drama "The Trust (恩爱两不疑)" is directed by He Zhenhua, starring Song Yanfei, Zhang Haowei, Ma Li, Cao Junxiang and others. The drama tells the story of the city lord (played by Zhang Haowei) and his wife (played by Song Yanfei) who accidentally swap bodies. In the process of playing each other's roles, the two reconciled from mutual distrust and suspicion to true love and support for each other. "The Trust" is light-hearted,…...

Time passes, in the millennium of Chinese history, each dynasty has evolved a unique style of women's makeup. As the saying goes, light makeup is always appropriate, nowadays we, and then see these exquisite ancient Chinese makeup style, will also be very amazed. The simple elegance of the Han dynasty, the ebullience of the Six dynasties period, gorgeous opulence of the Tang dynasty, each dynasty has its own representative style and unique aesthetic, today for you to take stock of the beauty of the ancient Chinese makeup style of each dynasty.   Han Dynasty Han Dynasty women advocated "white powder and black Dai (黛, Greenish-black pigment used to paint eyebrows.)", but due to the constraints, they often used natural "cosmetics" to decorate their faces, such as finely ground rice grains to put on the face, this foundation is more healthy, but the effect of whitening is not obvious; many women even chose lead powder to put on the face, this mineral powder is toxic, but it has a strong whitening effect. With a white face, the next most important thing is to draw eyebrows. The common tool used by the ancients to draw eyebrows was "Dai", which was need dissolved…...

Aoqun(袄裙), most commonly wore during the Ming Dynasty. Let’s take a look at the individual pieces and how to wear them.   The History of Aoqun The word Aoqun translates into a lined top and skirt, it is one of the earliest and most basic forms of Hanfu. This style was developed as early as The Warring States period (475 BC) as seen on these clay figurines, and it evolved throughout the dynasties. By the mid to late Ming Dynasty, it had become the most commonly-seen design for fall-winter clothing among wealthy families and the royal court. There are also many historical relics available for us to study.   Wear the Skirt of Aoqun Aoqun is outerwear, so people usually wear inner garments made of cotton or linen material underneath. During the Ming Dynasty, women usually wear Mamian skirts or pleated skirts, this one is a one-piece half-pleated skirt with the pleats only on top, and embroideries on the bottom, as well as on the belts. There are usually two types of one-piece skirts, one style you insert the belt through a hole in the middle, the other style uses an extra set of ties. This skirt doesn’t have either…...

This summer, the entertainment charts of short videos and social media platforms have been occupied by various drama series in a myriad of ways. Audiences find themselves shedding tears for the tumultuous journey of Xiaoyao (played by Yang Zi) in "Lost You Forever," while anxiously following the poisonous schemes of Li Xiangyi (played by Cheng Yi) in "Mysterious Lotus Casebook." And the excitement surrounding the grand wedding in "Destined" for the beloved couple Gu Jiu Si and Liu Yu Ru. This year, a total of 125 Chinese dramas were released during the summer, an increase of 28 compared to the previous year, with a cumulative total of over 77.2 billion valid views. Even many mid-sized productions managed to dominate the summer season solely based on their word-of-mouth reputation. "Fake It Till You Make It" focuses on urban career, while "An Ancient Love Song" takes on the theme of reverse time travel. Various genres and storylines have witnessed changes and breakthroughs in creative direction. However, amidst the bustling data and clamor of feedback, many people are still immersed in the shock of "The Knockout" surpassing 10 billion views in the first half of the year, unable to extricate themselves. What is…...

On March 19, the first episode of a new series of "Chinese Solar Terms" created by Henan Radio and Television, "The Adventures in Spring Equinox," was broadcast. Through a short story in a light-hearted and pleasant style, the program talked about the symbolic meaning and characteristics of the "Chun Fen (春分, spring equinox)." In 2021, Henan TV's "Chinese Festivals" series became popular with several traditional dance programs and was praised by netizens for its "Aesthetic Ceiling." The new series of "Chinese Solar Terms" has abandoned the form of songs and dances and expressed the connotation and symbolic meaning of solar terms with drama stories close to the life of the times. The spring equinox has an essential significance in astronomy. The day and night are 12 hours long, which the ancients consider as a day of balance between yin and yang. From the spring equinox, China will gradually enter into the sunny spring, and there are customs such as flying kites, eating spring cuisine, and standing eggs. With this in mind, the creators of the program chose this day to launch the first issue of the "Chinese Solar Terms" series. General director Chen Lei revealed: "Compared to traditional festivals, the solar…...

When you first watch the Xuanhuan drama "Love You Seven Times", the first thing that catches the eye is a dazzling mythical world, followed by a sudden shift to a jungle survival tale, and then swiftly transitioning into a childhood sweetheart love story. In just the first three episodes, the story smoothly switches between three perspectives, which is truly refreshing. According to the overall setting, there are also five distinct small worlds waiting to be deciphered in future episodes. "Love You Seven Times" constructs a fascinating and imaginative new worldview - the Colorful Cloud Myth Paradise. Building upon this foundation, it introduces an innovative concept of an infinite flow while maintaining an intense pure love configuration and skillfully laying out seven captivating romantic subplots. Based on the aired episodes, both the production quality and storytelling deserve recognition. The ability to turn wild fantasies into reality and cleverly convey positive views on love through its plot is enough proof of curiosity, imagination, and drive behind its creators.   Infinite flow romantic subplots "Love You Seven Times" is adapted from Jiu Lu Fei Xiang's original novel "Yi Shi Chong Dong, Qi Shi Bu Xiang." It tells the story of Xiangyun (played by…...

Henan TV's "Tang Palace Night Banquet" takes us back to the Tang Dynasty, a dance that makes us marvel at the"Chinese culture is profound" and makes more people start to focus on traditional culture. Today we introduce a new theatre production. It is a Chinese dance drama "Zhi Ci Qing Lǜ (只此青绿, The Painting Journey—The Legend of A Panorama of Mountains and Rivers)", which is based on the logic of the creation of "A Panorama of Mountains and Rivers (千里江山图)", the only work of the Chinese painter Wang Ximeng (王希孟) from the Northern Song Dynasty. It is a joint production by The Palace Museum, China Oriental Performing Arts Group, and People's Daily Online! After its premiere at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, it immediately received an exposure of 247 million and was well received by the audience! The whole drama is about the upcoming exhibition of A Panorama of Mountains and Rivers, a researcher (in the drama is known as the Zhan Juan Ren 展卷人) from The Palace Museum, after studying "A Panorama of Mountains and Rivers", entered the inner world of the painter Ximeng through time travel, and the interplay of time and space allowed…...

"Classic Chinese Calisthenics" is a set of movements that combines fitness, entertainment and health care functions, which meets the current needs of the public for health and wellness and has the potential to be popularized by all. Some time ago, CGTN released Classic Chinese Calisthenics, which successfully set off a wave of Chinese-style radio gymnastics craze. More than that, the release of the traditional culture experience program Classic Chinese Sports has brought more people's attention to traditional Chinese sports. By exploring modern expressions of traditional sports such as Cuju (蹴鞠), archery, swing, Jiazhou (甲胄, armor), and Kongzhu (Diabolo, 空竹), "Classic Chinese Sports" allows viewers to immerse themselves in the charm of traditional sports. Such a cultural atmosphere echoes the arrival of the Tokyo Olympics, with certain social communication significance and international exchange value.   Traditional culture innovation in integration Taking the traditional culture from the Zhou Li (周礼) to the present as a reference, "Classic Chinese Calisthenics" encompasses Ya Yue dance style, Han-Tang style, Dunhuang style, opera style, Wing Chun style, Changquan style, Tai Chi style, and other moves, reflecting the tolerance and diversity of traditional culture between rigidity and flexibility. Specifically, "Classic Chinese Calisthenics" breaks away from a single…...

What is it like to be a hanfu designer? Let's take a look at Hanfu Shi Dai (汉服世代) interviews with four hanfu designers.   Kong Xin Yan (空心砚) Hello, I'm Kong Xin Yan and I've been in touch with hanfu for more than 10 years! Over the years I have been concerned about the demand for modern hanfu and saw the potential market demand for non-antique hanfu, but there are many inconveniences in wearing traditional hanfu directly, which triggered my design inspiration and also formed my own design feature - "Shi Zhuang Han Cai (时装汉裁, tailoring fashion in Han style)". Traditional hanfu leaps directly from ancient times into modern times, missing the process of cultural renewal, and many styles are based on the ancient social background. If we want to further develop hanfu, we have to think about these questions: How should traditional hanfu serve the current fast-paced society and what functions should it achieve in an era when there are noblemen like emperors, generals and princesses? "Shi Zhuang Han Cai" is my answer to these questions after thinking and practicing. In fact, my family has been reluctant to wear hanfu for more than ten years, but they are happy…...

Have you've ever wondered what an ancient Chinese scholarly person's costume looked like? In this issue, let's follow Hanfu Culture Society and take a look at one of the Chinese traditional costumes, Lanshan (襕衫, lán shān), a Hanfu costume made especially for scholars. [Structure and History] In the history of ancient Chinese traditional costume, there is a kind of long garment that is cut in one piece at the top and bottom (Tongcai, 通裁) and has a Hanglan (横襕, a seam at the Lanshan's knee) at the hem, which is called "Lanshan". Lanshan is based on the ancient Shenyi Zhi (深衣制), with the Shenyi waistline moved down to the hem, and Henglan added near the knee. The system of the upper Yi and lower Chang was followed in ancient times, and the ritual system was made to symbolize the ancient people's respect for the world and the construction of order. Lanshan began to appear in the Northern dynasty and developed and became more standardized in the Tang dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, it absorbed the northern dynasty costume system and changed the collar shape from cross collar to round collar and the sleeve style from big sleeves to narrow sleeves.…...