As we all know, although Hanfu is a traditional Chinese dress with a long history, as for now, most people only superficially acknowledge and appreciate it. I originally wanted to create my videos to educate, as I felt the fastest way to learn something well is to make content to teach others, but it dawned on me that I was also having a positive impact on how Chinese women saw themselves”. She feels lucky that many have helped her on the way and she sourced a few of her hanfu for her shop from recommendations from followers. Yet, ChuYan had been able to gain financial independence, securing her own home with her husband and their “cat child” Mochi, and with a shop newly opened, she managed to get her parents’ approval. Yet, because of women such as ChuYan taking things into their own hands, the same may not be said for the next generation. Over time, the commoner Han men adopted the changshan while Han women continued to the wear the hanfu predominantly in the style of aoqun. In this period, the qun worn by the Han Chinese were often mamianqun which featured pleats and embroideries at the panels and decorative borders.
By setting up her shop, ChuYan is able to bring hanfu to Chinese women in America. For example, the full-length robes would cover most from the collarbone to the feet, the sleeves were to be long enough to hide their fingertips, and women carried fans to protect them from speculative looks. In the early Tang dynasty, the shape of the banbi worn in this period appears to have been mainly influenced by those worn in Qiuci, for example, the shape of the U-shaped banbi in Qiuci shared similarities with those worn in the early Tang dynasty. Each period also has its own hairstyle and make-up look. So, before choosing your hanfu, let’s have a look at some of the colors available. These accessories add intricate details and complete the overall look. Belts were used as accessories for various civil and military officials, and they were used to distinguish their social ranks. During the Han Dynasty, Hanfu reached a pinnacle of popularity and sophistication. From the China’s costume history, especially during the Qin, Han Dynasty, black was still a revered color because people felt that it represented dignity. In the Zhou dynasty, clothes became a symbol of power and wealth.
She transforms into princesses, goddesses and ethereal spirits, enticing the viewer with her narrative power and fascinating facts. In the halls of fiction and drama, hanfu has clothed not just the characters but also the very essence of narrative. They are inspired by historical dramas, novels, games, and comics that feature hanfu as a part of their stories and characters. The Qing official headwear typically forms of part of the qizhuang system as opposed to the hanfu system and were completely different from the types of guanmao used in the previous dynasties. Learn about the history and features of Hanfu, the Chinese traditional national costume, from the Qin and Han Dynasties to the Qing Dynasty. It has represented an important aspect of Han culture and it remains a fundamental keystone to understanding China’s traditional aesthetics. As she continued pushing through content, she realised this would be her path moving forwards: sharing the beauty of her culture and the associated traditional wear. These pearl-like beads were associated with the wish-fulfilling Cintāmaṇi (Ruyi baozhu, 如意寶組) jewel in East Asia (Strong, 2004, qipao wedding dress p. At only 22 years old, US-based ChuYan’s TikTok videos have drawn in millions of viewers under the handle @mochihanfu, inspiring so many Chinese diaspora (and others!) with her spellbinding showcases of hanfu, history and mythology.
Like many Chinese women growing up in the West, it was hard for me to feel “seen” with the lack of representation on television screens and blockbuster films. Zhu Xi also created some rules for dressing, which included the wearing of beizi by unmarried women and concubines. When asked about her view on non-Chinese wearing hanfu, ChuYan took a moment to reflect on her views. If you’re looking to track back the earliest, most traditional, original black hanfu, then shenyi hanfu is the answer to your prayers. In many fields, red and black are a classic pairing, and we can see lots of red and black items in our daily lives. However, after I started to see how hanfu was being sexualised and gentrified, even culturally appropriated, and I thought, wait a second… It’s now common to see Hanfu-wearing enthusiasts at cultural events, college campuses, and even in urban settings. Of course, in modern times, there aren’t many restrictions on wearing black hanbok; you can even wear black every day. Guests may wear black & red hanfu at some events like weddings.
Leave a Reply