Hanfu Accessories

Hanfu, as one of the representatives of traditional Chinese clothing, has become a popular fashion element among young people today with its magnificent and exquisite styles and unique design aesthetics. The sleeves of Hanfu, in particular, are one of the most distinctive parts of Hanfu, showcasing the essence of its beauty. They carry the emotions accumulated over time and the treasures of Chinese culture, captivating all who experience them. The history of Hanfu sleeves is long-standing. As early as the Western Han Dynasty more than two thousand years ago, the cuffs of Hanfu began to gradually widen. By the Eastern Han Dynasty, the sleeves of Hanfu had reached their peak. The width of the cuffs could be several feet or more, giving an ethereal and free-flowing impression, making one feel almost as if they were about to ascend to heaven. The "Persuasive Ritual" during the reign of Emperor Xuan of Han records: "The sleeves of men's garments reach from the chest down to the feet, while those of women's garments reach to the ground." This shows that the sleeves of Hanfu were once a symbol of ultimate luxury, embodying the splendor and elegance of ancient Chinese civilization. The variety of…...

In recent years, the popularity of historical dramas such as "Dream of Splendor," "Starlight and Glittering Stars," "Chang'an in Ten Hours," and "The Story of Food" has not only promoted traditional Chinese culture but also brought the traditional Hanfu, once known as "the attire of the Huaxia civilization," back into public view. The appearance of Hanfu from different dynasties, including Ming Dynasty Hanfu, Tang Dynasty Hanfu, Song Dynasty Hanfu, and Ming Dynasty Hanfu, in these dramas has not only provided audiences with a feast for the eyes but also educated many who were previously unaware that ancient China had more than just "queue costumes." The resurgence of Hanfu due to these historical dramas has also revitalized the Hanfu industry, with many young people buying Hanfu online and participating in Hanfu-related cosplay events. The Hanfu, which disappeared during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, has returned to the public eye, allowing the Han people to rediscover their cultural heritage! To truly survive, it must integrate into modern society. Some might say this is too difficult, wouldn't it be better to categorize using existing historical costume classifications, such as Tang Dynasty Hanfu, Song Dynasty Hanfu, Ming Dynasty Hanfu, or Tang-style Hanfu,…...

Hanfu also has ceremonial and everyday wear; there's a distinction between modernized and restored versions. For daily commuting, it's more appropriate to wear everyday or modernized versions, while ceremonial or restored Hanfu is suitable for celebrations and rituals. As a casual mix-and-match enthusiast, I usually opt for modernized and everyday versions. Wearing large sleeves, floor-length skirts, elaborate headpieces, and sword-shaped hair accessories might appear somewhat excessive in my opinion. Among these, the long skirt is not an absolute necessity, but the large sleeves are. Hanfu needs to evolve with the times and integrate into modern life, as daily activities often involve school or work. Hanfu enthusiasts may have other events or gatherings, and most will choose whether or not to wear Hanfu based on the occasion and nature of the event. From ancient costume dramas, we can see that people wearing Hanfu often carry sachets or jade pendants, which can be considered the most distinctive feature of Hanfu. The popular Hanfu lady in the video carries a fan and wears an ancient veil over her face, adding a sense of mystery. When putting together a complete Hanfu outfit, one can choose corresponding Hanfu accessories to play around with their Hanfu…...

The Ming Dynasty, a luminous chapter in Chinese history, shines brightly not only for its political and economic milestones but also for its captivating fashion legacy. This era's sartorial splendor can be credited to the visionary Ming Taizu, Zhu Yuanzhang. He masterfully melded Zhou and Han dynasty traditions with the artistic flair of the Tang and Song dynasties, laying the groundwork for a unique Ming Dynasty hanfu. Timeless Innovations in Men's Hanfu In the Ming Dynasty, government officials’ attire was a visual testament to the era's strict social hierarchy. They donned black gauze hats and round-collared robes, which were color-coded and embellished with patches indicating their rank. These robes were complemented by belts of varying quality, symbolizing their societal status. Scholars, or “shusheng,” favored straight-cut or flowing robes paired with distinctive headpieces. Conversely, commoners opted for shorter garments, paired with small hats or netted scarves. Beauty of Ming Women’s Apparel Noblewomen of the Ming Dynasty were often draped in voluminous robes with striking red sleeves, while common women gravitated towards lighter hues like peach, purple, and green. Their everyday wear comprised short jackets, wide skirts adorned with silk sashes, and intricate gold and jade pendants. Accessories like cloud-shaped shoulder coverings…...

Moe (抹额), a kind of Chinese traditional clothing accessories, was popular in the Ming Dynasty. Moe tied on the forehead, usually decorated with embroidery or pearl jade. The application of Moe in the ancient army In the Tang Dynasty, Moe often appeared on the warrior's forehead. On the murals of the tomb of Prince Zhang Huai in the Tang Dynasty, there are warriors wearing red Moe. In the written records at that time, the word "Moe" appeared. Li He, a poet in the Tang Dynasty, once wrote a poem describing the drill of the water army: "water splashes on the Moe, flags, and drums will greet the tide at night." In the Five Dynasties, there was a "military Moe" clause. At that time, different colors were used as marks in the military to distinguish different armies. Moe - the mystery of women's beauty In the Song Dynasty, it was more used by women who loved beauty. Women's Moe in Song Dynasty became more exquisite in production. Historical materials also recorded that "ordinary families can't decorate jewelry, clothes, earrings, Moe and so on with pearls". Although women of ordinary status are not allowed to decorate Moe with pearls, their Moe styles…...

During the Tang Dynasty, which was the pinnacle of feudal society in China, many aspects reached unprecedented heights. Well-known achievements such as poetry, calligraphy, painting, and dance were accompanied by a vibrant clothing culture that became one of the most dazzling chapters in Chinese fashion history. Consequently, hairstyles also exhibited an unimaginable array of colors and postures.   High Bun The term "high bun" may refer to a specific type of bun hairstyle, but it is more likely a general term for tall buns. High buns were frequently seen during the Tang Dynasty and underwent continuous innovation in style. Many poets mentioned them in their works. The popularity of these high buns spanned the entire three hundred years of the Tang Dynasty.   Lofty Bun Lofty Bun (峨髻, e ji) implies grandeur and magnificence. It is widely believed that the hairstyle depicted in Zhou Fang's painting "Court Ladies Adorning Their Hair with Flowers" represents lofty bun due to its towering mountain-like appearance. However, some people associate it with flower-decorated bun because women in the painting wear golden and silver floral accessories.   Side Bun This type of bun existed as early as the Sui Dynasty. It involved creating a tall…...

All the girls know that "the bag can cure all diseases", there is nothing that can't be solved by buying a bag. So, as a Hanfu girl, and what bags can be used to match the different styles of traditional Chinese clothing? Today we will give you a few recommendations of the more common can be paired with the Hanfu bag, and from their price, capacity, practicality, apply to the occasion to introduce each, if you are interested, just read on. Traditional Chinese Clothing Accessories: Chinese Purses Price: traditional purse (100 RMB+), improved purse (20-50 RMB) Practicality: ☆ Traditional purses are not suitable for holding things and are more decorative. The improved purses can hold some small things and can be used as coin purses, but the capacity is still small and can't fit large mobile phones, so the practicality is not high. Traditional Chinese Clothing Accessories: Handbags Price: Varies Practicality: ☆☆ Materials vary and techniques vary. There are leather and cloth styles as well as embroidered and hand-painted types, and the prices also vary. It's mainly used to hold change and cards, and you can't do without such one bag with important documents in your daily life, which is…...

The recently released new Chinese drama "Song of Youth" attracted a lot of people's attention. The drama tells the story of Lin Shaochun, the daughter of an official family, who maintains the relationship between her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law within the Sun family and solves various crises outside to finally achieve a happy and successful life. Many viewers are attracted by the exquisite costume modeling in the drama, praising its detailed and elegant beauty. Then let's take a look at the beauty of Ming Dynasty costumes by referring to the costumes in Song of Youth.   I. Ming Style Hanfu The dress and skirt attire of women in the Ming Dynasty was similar to that of the Song and Yuan Dynasties, mainly the upper Shan (衫, shirt) and lower Qun (裙, skirt), but with more attention to details. Its main features are the use of buttons as decoration in the front lapel, small round collars in the inner wear, the standing collars at the neck, and the use of Yunjian (云肩, cloud shoulders), Bijia (比甲) and Xiapei (霞帔), etc. The Ming Dynasty had strict hierarchical requirements for all classes of dress, and although the dress of the commoner women and the…...

Vocabulary Ji, 笄 (jī) - the most simplistic hair accessories to secure updos used by ancient Chinese.  Zan, 簪 (zān) - a more complex version of Ji. What hanfu hairpins are now called. On one end are accessories, and the other is a pin that is inserted into a hair bun. Chai, 钗 (chāi) - also a hairpin quite similar to Zan. Chāi have two split pins on one end. The two pins will get pushed into the hair bun and stay much more securely than one pin in Zan and Ji. Guan, 冠 (guān) - literal translation is "crown". The crown in ancient China looked more like a net hat that encompassed hair buns within. Based on the crown, any sort of hairpin can be used to further secure the hat to the head.   Materials and Purpose Ji are considered the earliest and plainest hair accessories. It takes on the shape of a stick with or without a simple carved out design on one end and a single stick on the other. It is often carved out of a single piece of material or cut out separately then assembled at the end. This accessory is said to exist even…...

The recent hot TV series "Held in the Lonely Castle (清平乐, Qingping Yue)", which depicts the time of Renzong in the Song Dynasty, was a time of many talents. The concentrated portrayal of the many literati in the play is a rare phenomenon in dramas, and the Hanfu costume props in the play are exquisite. Today, take a brief look at how the Song Dynasty scribes at the forefront of fashion by pairing their Hanfu item together! 1. Jin (巾, scarf & hat) Since the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Jin was an important garment for men, mostly used by scholars and commoners. The Song and Ming dynasties were the periods when the development of Chinese hats and scarves flourished, and there were many different styles. Take the literati attire shown in Held in the Lonely Castle as an example, most of them wore a scarf with reference to a kind of popular towel and hat in the Song Dynasty, commonly found in various figures in the Song Dynasty paintings. It can be tied on the front or backside, its name has yet to be proved, according to its shape is likely to have a great origin with the Ming…...

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,…...

We have previously introduced the costumes of the Song Dynasty, but today we will introduce the emperor's clothing of the Song Dynasty using the TV series Qing Ping Yue (清平乐, Serenade of Peaceful Joy) as a backdrop. Qing Ping Yue is a complex and realistic restoration of the Song Renzong (宋仁宗) set in the Northern Song Dynasty. In this drama, Wang Kai (王凯), who plays the role of Song Renzong, basically restores from the appearance of the original costumes in the Taipei National Palace Museum collection of Song Renzong Seated Axis, the costumes, makeup, and props in the drama are very exquisite, and will bring you a brief analysis of the costumes on Song Renzong.   Futou The story of the Futou(幞头) begins in the Tang Dynasty. The popular men's headwear of the Tang Dynasty was not a complete hat, but consisted of a square piece of fabric called "Futou" and a cane wood or wire mesh cover called "Jinzi". The Jinzi was used to cover the topknot of the hair, then the Futou was covered, the two corners were folded up and knotted, and the other two corners were knotted at the back of the head and made to…...