Down Through the Ages

The Duanwu Festival (端午节, Dragon Boat Festival) has long been transformed into a concrete and profound contemporary cultural symbol in the annual ritualistic repetition of the action. As the fifth day of the fifth lunar month approaches, various flavors of Zongzi are marketed, many traditional villages begin preparing for dragon boat races, and Chinese office workers and students await the holiday with great anticipation. Are there any other traditional Duanwu customs that have continued from ancient times? And how did the ancient people prepare for the Duanwu Festival? Let's search the Duanwu Festival in the classic paintings that have been passed down through the ages.   Eat Zongzi Whenever the Duanwu is mentioned, Qu Yuan is the most familiar to people. In order to commemorate Qu Yuan, who committed himself to the Miluo River, on every fifth day of May, people throw Zongzi into the river; at the same time, they make dragon boats to expel the augur dragon so that Qu Yuan's flesh will not be robbed. This is also the most widespread source of Zongzi and dragon boat racing. As the most ritualistic necessity of the Duanwu Festival, eating Zongzi has long been a popular habit for all Chinese. Many…

Hanfu, as an essential part of Chinese traditional culture, has been continuously passed down through the ages. The Song and Ming Dynasties, two significant periods in Chinese civilization, successively created Song-style Hanfu and Ming-style Hanfu. From the perspective of a Hanfu enthusiast, this article will compare Song-style Hanfu and Ming-style Hanfu in terms of clothing design, fabric selection, and decorative techniques, exploring their respective strengths and weaknesses. I. Clothing Design 1. Song-style Hanfu Song-style Hanfu, as the name suggests, is designed based on the traditional Hanfu style of the Song Dynasty. Compared to previous generations of Hanfu, Song-style Hanfu has a more fitted cut, emphasizing a slim silhouette, reflecting the economic prosperity and cultural richness of the Song Dynasty. Its characteristics include: moderately tightened body fit, tending towards a slender appearance; collar and cuffs embellished with brocade, showcasing a rich variety of colors; delicate waistbands are designed to highlight the slender waistline of women. 2. Ming-style Hanfu The Ming Dynasty was a very important era in Chinese history, during which Ming-style Hanfu underwent further improvements and innovations. Ming-style Hanfu features: overall looser cutting, emphasizing comfort; wider waist design, in line with the fashion of the Ming Dynasty; large and full…