Jade

For thousands of years, the Chinese have used rings to symbolize essential events, births, deaths, weddings, anniversaries, etc. The rings are generally worn by the oldest person present and passed down through generations. While the modern ring represents romantic love and commitment, what are the symbolic meanings of the traditional rings in Chinese history? Let's go into the past life of the ring.   Ancient - The Ring of Bone More than 5,000 years ago, when humankind was still in its primitive society, the "ring" was already born. At that time, it did not have an exact name, but was just a ring-shaped object worn on people's fingers. Neolithic period - bone ring In 1959, archaeologists found twenty traditional rings in the burials of the Dawenkou Longshan culture in Tai'an, Shandong province. Several of them are still worn on the finger bones of the deceased. These rings were made from natural animal bones, tooth bones, jade, etc. Although the process was simple, they were well made, and the surface was polished smooth, and some were inlaid with turquoise. This is the earliest "ring" found in China. It appeared in people's daily lives before records about it in history books.  …

In the previous article, we mentioned that the Shenyi (深衣) was slightly similar in appearance to the Daofu, which was inherited from the previous dynasty. But in modern hanfu, Shenyi is often thought to refer to Zhiju Shenyi and Quju Shenyi. In fact, Shenyi is considered to be the Fa Fu (法服) of ancient sages and has been highly revered by Confucians. let's follow Hanfu Culture Society to learn more about Shenyi, one of the oldest forms of Chinese dress!   [Structure and History] Shenyi, Jiaoling Youren (交领右衽), wide sleeves. It is generally white or jade, with Zao (皁, zào, i.e., black) edge at the collar and sleeve edges of the lapel. White and black are the most original two colors, symbolizing the alternation of light and dark, Yin and Yang. The upper and lower parts of the garment are cut separately and connected at the waist, symbolizing the unity of heaven and earth. The lower garment is made of twelve pieces, six at the front and six at the back, symbolizing the twelve months, and the middle seam of the upper garment is connected to the middle seam of the lower garment. The difference between Shenyi and Shenyi system:…

As a niche costume, Hanfu not only carries the Han culture but also has an antique style and a different kind of classical beauty. When wearing Hanfu, of course, the accessories of Hanfu are indispensable. Hanfu accessories play an important role in the collocation of Hanfu, which can make the whole Hanfu more beautiful. This article will share with you the common accessories in Hanfu. 1.Hairpin(簪子) Hairpin is one of the most well-known Hanfu accessories, and also one of the most common Hanfu accessories. Hairpins come in various shapes and styles, with tassels, glaze, jade, and gold leaf. After inserting the hairpin on the original ordinary hair accessory, his temperament immediately improved by two grades. Hairpins are generally divided into two types, metal hairpins, and wooden hairpins. Generally speaking, the former is more fancy and complicated while the latter is simple. The choice of style can be matched according to the style of the Hanfu dress. But although the hairpin selection threshold is low, the use of the threshold is indeed relatively high. If you want to use the hairpin well and keep it in place, you need to be proficient in coiling skills. 2.Hairband(发带) In many Hanfu models will be…

There is such magic to Hanfu fans - when you buy a Chinese costume, you'll not only want to buy headwear but also want to buy a bunch of accessories to go with it and then go out and show off to other enthusiasts. Today, we're going to take a look at some of the accessories commonly used by girls who wear Chinese costumes. In ancient times, these hanfu accessories were worn according to the occasion, status, and so on, but in modern society that we are free to wear them without having to adhere to the old rules. Neckpiece of Chinese Costume Accessories Collars A ring made of gold, silver, copper, and other metal materials is the main body, which can be inlaid with jewelry and jade ornaments and can be a pendant with gold and stones, locks, and other ornaments. Nowadays, many people also call it "pearl necklace", but strictly speaking, there is a difference between the same two. Pearl Necklace Jeweled beads linked together in a mesh with pendants underneath, mostly jeweled jade, often carved with auspicious patterns. It is usually worn as a necklace, but can also be worn on the head. A pure Chinese costume…

At present, what kind of historical drama can still possess a unique charm for the audience? A jade pomegranate, an old street, the turbulent modern history intertwined with the fate of ordinary people's daily lives. The hit drama "The Gate of Xuan Wu" has provided its own answer. In early March, the historical drama "The Gate of Xuan Wu" premiered. The story begins with a jade pomegranate symbolizing the prosperity of the nation, spanning from 1898 to 1945, covering multiple historical events such as the Hundred Days' Reform, Siege of the International Legations, and the Second Sino-Japanese War. Unlike previous works of the same genre, "The Gate of Xuan Wu" cleverly integrates high ideals, multiple perspectives, and strong empathy, breaking away from the usual focus on the political intrigues in the court and the temple often seen in historical dramas. Instead, it turns the historical lens towards a jade carving family and a lively old street. For the audience, whether it is the initial concern over the fate of the national treasure jade pomegranate or the immersion into the lives of the people on the old street, the drama evokes a sense of empathy and captivation.   The historical ordinary…

Vocab “Step ban” or “walking ban” - Jin Bu (禁步, jìn bù) - an accessory often matches with hanfu. It is an accessory that is threaded together with jade stones and hung over a hanfu dress.  Jade pendant - Yu Pei (玉佩, yù pèi) - also an accessory made of silk threads, beads, and jade stone that hung at the waist. But yùpèi are much simpler than Jin Bu, oftentimes it is just a jade with one or two beads tied together with thread. Oftentimes there will be no silk or bead tassels at the bottom like Jin Bu.   Materials Jin Bu are usually made up of colored silk threads, jade beads, and jade pendants combined together. There may or not have tassels made up of silk thread at the end of the accessory. If not, the tassels may also be made up of threaded beads.  Jin Bu in the past were made up of precious stones, and since they are threaded, they will clash together when walking making jade clash. If this is heard now people might not think much about it, but the etiquette and customs were stricter in ancient times, especially on feminine etiquette and how…

The short drama "Escape from the British Museum" has become popular. This three-episode short video series, co-created by online media personalities Jianbing Guozai and Xiatian Meimei, is the most anticipated work in the film and television industry recently. It not only generated a lot of buzz on major online platforms but also received recognition and encouragement from numerous media outlets. Using personification as a narrative technique, it tells a sophisticated story: a delicate Chinese jade pot escapes from the British Museum and encounters a Chinese journalist named Zhang Yong'an, who is working overseas. They then embark on a journey back home together, fulfilling the task entrusted to her by the Chinese artifacts in the British Museum. With a total duration of less than 20 minutes, despite the insufficient maturity of its production elements such as scenes and props, the storytelling logic is complete, the emotions are abundant and solid, and the conveyed values are positioned at a very high level. It serves as a low-cost, high-level Chinese short drama model. After the release of the final episode, it directly sparked an explosive wave of praise. Many netizens were deeply moved by the scene where overseas cultural relics read letters to…

Recently, the female characters in the historical drama "The Double" have sparked much discussion with their pearl makeup. Not only do their hair accessories feature pearls, but their faces are adorned with numerous pearls, too, placed on their foreheads, cheeks, and corners of their mouths. Attentive viewers have counted up to 25 pearls on one face, with the least adorned having 8 pearls. This leads to the question: why do they put pearls on their faces? The Trend of Pearl Makeup The practice of applying pearls on the face dates back to the Song Dynasty and was quite popular at that time. Ancient women used rouge and other pigments to decorate their faces or created various patterns with materials like gold, jade, pearls, and colored paper, which they adhered to their cheeks. This practice was known as "Mian Ye (面靥)," with pearl makeup specifically called "Zhenzhu Mianye." Pearl makeup was actually a form of the ornate makeup from the Tang Dynasty, which became fashionable in the Song Dynasty. This trend persisted partly because the Song Dynasty carried on the traditions of the Tang and Five Dynasties periods, where facial decorations were highly regarded. Additionally, influenced by Zhu Xi's Neo-Confucianism, which…