Ritual

The history of the Shangsi Festival dates back to ancient times, and in the ancient China, Shangsi had already become a large-scale folk festival. With the arrival of spring and clear, bright scenery, people would step out of their homes, gather by the water, and participate in rituals to purify and dispel inauspicious energies. According to historical records, the Shangsi Festival was already popular during the Spring and Autumn Period. The term "Shangsi" first appeared in Han Dynasty literature. This festival had a unique custom before the Han Dynasty, serving as a carnival organized by the government for young men and women. The "Zhou Li • Di Guan • Mei Shi" recorded, "In the middle of the spring month, men and women were ordered to gather. At that time, those who ran away were not restrained." The term "ran away" refers to young men and women meeting outdoors, and besides bathing by the riverside, romantic affairs during these gatherings were not considered a violation of customary norms. The Shangsi Festival is also associated with witchcraft activities aimed at warding off evil spirits using orchid-infused water. Orchids were considered spiritual entities with a fragrant aroma. Before conducting significant rituals, ancient people observed…

2020 is a challenging year, but that can't stop us from working hard to achieve our goals and aspirations. The VCTK e.V. is continuing efforts in promoting Hanfu culture with the latest video for 2020. The latest promotion video is called "Unterwegs (洫上有途)", which is inspired by the Zhou Ritual. The widespread of Hanfu culture is just like the small canals in the fields, which are constantly opening up and converging, from small streams to surging rivers. The video was shot in many cities in Germany, including Berlin, Potsdam, Cologne, Essen, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg, where many Hanfu enthusiasts gathered to show the beauty of Chinese culture.  

2021 The 3rd China Yuntai Mountain Hanfu Flower Festival will be opened on March 6th. Duration: March 6 - April 5Activities: Arrow drill, Hanfu model show, Chinese style bazaar, Hanfu experience, etc. During the event period, every Saturday, Sunday, and the Qingming holiday, there will be a variety of Hanfu experience activities. Come and feel the ritual of traditional Chinese culture. From March 6 to April 5, let's meet at the Hanfu Festival in Yuntai Mountain.

As a traditional mythological story, the plot of "Investiture of the Gods" is already well-known to us. However, "Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms" still prepared many surprises for the audience. For example, we can see the presence of many Chinese national treasure-level cultural relics in the props.   01 Horses In the Creation of the Gods, Yin Shou led his military to return triumphantly from Jizhou. The Shang King and Crown Prince Yin Qi sat on a chariot driven by six white horses to welcome them. It is well known that in ancient times, the number of horses and specifications of vehicles were important symbols of identity and status. There were strict ritual regulations regarding this throughout various dynasties. “天子驾六马，诸侯驾四、大夫三、士二、庶人一。” -《逸礼·王度记》"The emperors rides with six horses; feudal lords ride with four; high-ranking officials three; scholars two; commoners one." - Yi Li · Wang Du Ji In addition to consulting ancient books, the film also referenced unearthed cultural relics - such as the discovery of a horse-drawn carriage pit called "Six Imperial Horses" at Luoyang He Luo Cultural Square in 2002. There are 26 buried carriages in total divided into two rows, with their heads facing south and…

As a traditional mythological story, the plot of "Investiture of the Gods" is already well-known to us. However, "Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms" still prepared many surprises for the audience. For example, we can see the presence of many Chinese national treasure-level cultural relics in the props.   01 Horses In the Creation of the Gods, Yin Shou led his military to return triumphantly from Jizhou. The Shang King and Crown Prince Yin Qi sat on a chariot driven by six white horses to welcome them. It is well known that in ancient times, the number of horses and specifications of vehicles were important symbols of identity and status. There were strict ritual regulations regarding this throughout various dynasties. “天子驾六马，诸侯驾四、大夫三、士二、庶人一。” -《逸礼·王度记》"The emperors rides with six horses; feudal lords ride with four; high-ranking officials three; scholars two; commoners one." - Yi Li · Wang Du Ji In addition to consulting ancient books, the film also referenced unearthed cultural relics - such as the discovery of a horse-drawn carriage pit called "Six Imperial Horses" at Luoyang He Luo Cultural Square in 2002. There are 26 buried carriages in total divided into two rows, with their heads facing south and…

In the New Year when everything is reviving. There is nothing better than a wedding banquet to bring people joy. It is undoubtedly the dream of many Hanfu lovers to hold a Hanfu wedding. In a traditional Hanfu wedding, the vintage costumes and rituals, the dreamlike wedding scenes, the unchanging love, and vows, are revisited again and again in the traditional ceremony, becoming more profound and ritualistic. The blogger "Jingzhishisui (静知时岁)" spent two years preparing a Ming-style wedding for herself, from etiquette, clothing, to the process, are very attentive, rich in detail and full of ritual are breathtaking, let's take a look. 01 Costumes for Chinese Hanfu Wedding Thousands of years ago, the old ancestors gave us the main color of the Chinese wedding scene - red. In order to better prepare for this Chinese Hanfu wedding, the first thing that "Jingzhishisui" did was to choose and match the wedding costumes, the main wedding costume was a Mangpao (蟒袍) and a Dashan Xiapei (大衫霞帔) , while the groom's main wedding costume was a Douniu round neck robe (斗牛圆领袍). The headdress is also very elaborate, the bride's headdress is "Sanlongliangfengguan (three dragons and two phoenix crown)", using traditional techniques, the style…

In the New Year when everything is reviving. There is nothing better than a wedding banquet to bring people joy. It is undoubtedly the dream of many Hanfu lovers to hold a Hanfu wedding. In a traditional Hanfu wedding, the vintage costumes and rituals, the dreamlike wedding scenes, the unchanging love, and vows, are revisited again and again in the traditional ceremony, becoming more profound and ritualistic. The blogger "Jingzhishisui (静知时岁)" spent two years preparing a Ming-style wedding for herself, from etiquette, clothing, to the process, are very attentive, rich in detail and full of ritual are breathtaking, let's take a look. 01 Costumes for Chinese Hanfu Wedding Thousands of years ago, the old ancestors gave us the main color of the Chinese wedding scene - red. In order to better prepare for this Chinese Hanfu wedding, the first thing that "Jingzhishisui" did was to choose and match the wedding costumes, the main wedding costume was a Mangpao (蟒袍) and a Dashan Xiapei (大衫霞帔) , while the groom's main wedding costume was a Douniu round neck robe (斗牛圆领袍). The headdress is also very elaborate, the bride's headdress is "Sanlongliangfengguan (three dragons and two phoenix crown)", using traditional techniques, the style…

We often see in Chinese TV dramas or movies scenes of the emperor and his ministers discussing political affairs together (called Shangchao, 上朝), with the ministers standing or kneeling opposite the emperor in order of rank, dressed in tidy clothes (Chaofu). So, what is so special about the ministers' clothing? And are the different eras of Chaofu the same? What is the Chaofu? Name: Chaofu (朝服, cháo fú) Alias: Jufu (具服) Function: used at major ceremonies Succession and change: from Zhou to Ming dynasties Before the Zhou Dynasty, Chinese clothing was mainly made in one form, the upper Yi (衣) and the lower Chang (裳) system. The Book of Rites - Yuzao (礼记·玉藻, a chapter describing the ritual) recorded that "Chao Xuanduan (玄端), Xi Shenyi (深衣)", meaning that ministers were required to wear Xuanduan in the morning to attend the Shangchao, while worn Shenyi at home in the evening. The style and development of Chaofu in different dynasties The earliest Chaofu - Pibian Fu Judging from the literature, there were Chaofu as early as in the Zhou Dynasty. The first Chaofu was the Pibian Fu (皮弁服, pí biàn fú), which was made of fine white cloth, and the Yi and…

From the Spring and Autumn period to the prosperous Tang Dynasty, from idealism to realism, the first two seasons of the epic documentary "China" made a strong entry into the realm of high-scoring documentaries, receiving unanimous acclaim. Unexpectedly, the "China Season 3" took a different approach, starting from mythology and embarking on a reverse journey through time: from early myths to ancient history, from primitive society to agrarian civilization, the establishment of the state, and the development of rites, allowing us to glimpse the civilization codes shimmering in the galaxy of history. What is even more noteworthy, the "China Season 3" incorporated a large number of the latest archaeological discoveries and invited 183 outstanding young artists to create 443 Chinese paintings. Through special effects, the paintings came to life, combining storytelling and aesthetics to provide us with an artistic feast.   Unique realm of romantic imagination Every civilization has its own creator god. Just like a prelude to life, in Chinese mythology, Pangu is the god who broke the chaos, bringing light to the world, creating the first mountain and the first river. Nuwa, with a human head and a snake body, represents the gods of eternal life and reproduction,…

In the beginning, it was just a leaf, encountered by humans as a remedy for detoxification. Little did they know, millennia ago, this leaf would transform into a beloved beverage through the hands of the Chinese. Tea Rituals Enter the poetic realm of Tang Dynasty poets, where tea transcended its medicinal roots to become the elixir of life for nomadic tribes and a muse for scholars. Poems like Su Dongpo's famous verse "A playful poem, don't laugh, fine teas are as beautiful as fair ladies" elevated tea to a realm beyond mere refreshment. Su Dongpo, a polymath known for his mastery of the arts, immersed himself deeply in the art of tea. Beyond his renowned verses on food and wine, Dongpo's affinity for tea was a lesser-discussed facet of his life. For him, tea was not just a drink but a ritual—a blend of leaf, water, and vessel, each meticulously chosen. His poems reflect this intimacy with tea: "Snowy foam and milky swirls in the noon teacup, fragrant herbs steeped in spring dishes. The best of life's flavors are pure joy." His appreciation for freshly brewed tea after a satisfying nap showcases his nuanced approach to life's pleasures, where tea…

In the Book of Songs, it is said, "The peach blossoms are in full bloom, their colors are bright and vivid like fire. This girl is getting married and will make her husband's family happy and harmonious. (桃之夭夭，灼灼其华。之子于归，宜其室家。)" With a few words, it outlines a prosperous scene of joyfulness and marriage of men and women. Chinese marriage rituals were formed during the Xia and Shang dynasties, and because the ancient ritual of marrying a wife was often held at dusk, it was known as the "Hun Li (昏礼)". Since ancient times, people have attached great importance to weddings, and on this day people dress up to celebrate this important event in their lives and gather many good wishes on their wedding clothes. In recent years, more and more people are choosing traditional Chinese wedding dresses for their weddings, and the beauty of the Feng Guan (凤冠, phoenix crown) and Xia Pei (霞帔) has stunned countless people. Chinese traditional wedding dresses are not only beautiful, but also have the weight and uniqueness of the ancient oriental culture, let's follow ArtMoment to explore the romance that has lasted for thousands of years and belongs to the Chinese people.   Tang Dynasty: warmth…