Hanfu

"Han fu" redirects here. For other uses, see Han Fu (disambiguation).

"Hanzhuang" redirects here. For the township, see Hanzhuang Township, Baoding.

Hanfu
The mianfu of Emperor Wu of Jin Dynasty, 7th-century painting by court artist Yan Liben
Traditional Chinese	漢服
Simplified Chinese	汉服
Hanyu Pinyin	hànfú
Literal meaning	Han clothing
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin hànfú Yue: Cantonese Jyutping hon3 fuk6 Southern Min Hokkien POJ hànho̍k

Hanfu (simplified Chinese: 汉服; traditional Chinese: 漢服; literally: "Han clothing"), also known as Hanzhuang (漢裝). According to Baidu Baike, Hanfu is the "traditional dress of the Han Chinese people".

The term Hanfu was originally recorded by the Book of Han, which refers to Han dynasty's traditional dresses: "then many came to the Court to pay homage and were delighted at the clothing style of [the] Han [dynasty]."

History

A Tang Dynasty portrait of Confucius showing the Hanfu of the Spring and Autumn Period

"Hanfu" has a recorded history of more than 3000 years, and is said to have been worn by the legendary Yellow Emperor. From the beginning of its history, Hanfu (especially in elite circles) was inseparable from silk, supposedly discovered by the Yellow Emperor’s consort, Leizu. The Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BC - 1000 BC), developed the rudiments of Hanfu; it consisted of a yi, a narrow-cuffed, knee-length tunic tied with a sash, and a narrow, ankle-length skirt, called chang, worn with a bixi, a length of fabric that reached the knees. Vivid primary colors and green were used, due to the degree of technology at the time.

12th-century Chinese painting of The Night Revels of Han Xizai (韓熙載夜宴圖) showing musicians dressed in Hanfu

The dynasty to follow the Shang, the Western Zhou Dynasty, established a strict hierarchical society that used clothing as a status meridian, and inevitably, the height of one’s rank influenced the ornateness of a costume. Such markers included the length of a skirt, the wideness of a sleeve and the degree of ornamentation. In addition to these class-oriented developments, the Hanfu became looser, with the introduction of wide sleeves and jade decorations hung from the sash which served to keep the yi closed. The yi was essentially wrapped over, in a style known as jiaoling youren, or wrapping the right side over before the left, because of the initially greater challenge to the right-handed wearer (people of Zhongyuan discouraged left-handedness like many other historical cultures, considering it unnatural, barbarian, uncivilized and unfortunate).

In the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, the "deep robe" (shenyi) appeared a combination of tunic and skirt. The upper and lower halves were cut separately but sewn as a single unit. An additional change was the shaping of the left side of the costume into a corner, fastened on the chest. Perhaps because of Confucian influence, disapproving of a hierarchical society in favour of social mobility based on personal merit, the shenyi was swiftly adopted. There still existed an elite however, and they monopolised the more ornate fabrics and grandiose details.

Several Styles

Garments

The style of Han Chinese clothing can be summarized as containing garment elements that are arranged in distinctive and sometimes specific ways. This may be different from the traditional garment of other ethnic groups in China, most notably the Manchu-influenced Chinese clothes, the qipao, which is popularly assumed to be the solely recognizable style of "traditional" Chinese garb. A comparison of the two styles can be seen as the following provides:

Component	Han	Manchu
Upper Garment	Consist of "yi" (衣), which have loose lapels and are open	Consist of "pao" (袍), which have secured lapels around the neck and no front openings
Lower Garment	Consist of skirts called "chang" (裳)	Consist of pants or trousers called "ku" (褲)
Collars	Generally, diagonally crossing each other, with the left crossing over the right	Parallel vertical collars with parallel diagonal lapels, which overlap
Sleeves	Long and loose	Narrow and tight
Buttons	Sparingly used and concealed inside the garment	Numerous and prominently displayed
Fittings	Belts and sashes are used to close, secure, and fit the garments around the waist	Flat ornate buttoning systems are typically used to secure the collar and fit the garment around the neck and upper torso

Shenyi (深衣) a type of Han Chinese clothing commonly worn from the pre-Shang periods to the Han Dynasty. This form is known as the quju (曲裾) and worn primarily by women.

A complete Hanfu garment is assembled from several pieces of clothing into an attire:

• Yi (衣): Any open cross-collar garment, and worn by both sexes
• Pao (袍): Any closed full-body garment, worn only by men in Hanfu
• Ru (襦): Open cross-collar shirt
• Shan (衫): Open cross-collar shirt or jacket that is worn over the yi
• Qun (裙) or chang (裳): Skirt for women and men
• Ku (褲): Trousers or pants

People are also able to accessorize with tassels and jade pendants or various ornaments hung from the belt or sash, known as pei (珮).

Hats, headwear and hairstyles

On top of the garments, hats (for men) or hairpieces (for women) may be worn. One can often tell the profession or social rank of someone by what they wear on their heads. The typical types of male headwear are called jin (巾) for soft caps, mao (帽) for stiff hats and guan (冠) for formal headdress. Officials and academics have a separate set of hats, typically the putou (幞頭), the wushamao (烏紗帽), the si-fang pingding jin (四方平定巾; or simply, fangjin: 方巾) and the Zhuangzi jin (莊子巾). A typical hairpiece for women is the ji (笄) but there are more elaborate hairpieces.

In addition, managing hair was also a crucial part of ancient Han people's daily life. Commonly, males and females would stop cutting their hair once they reached adulthood. This was marked by the Chinese coming of age ceremony Guan Li, usually performed between ages 15 to 20. They allowed their hair to grow long naturally until death, including facial hair. This was due to Confucius' teaching "身體髮膚，受諸父母，不敢毀傷，孝之始也" - which can be roughly translated as 'My body, hair and skin are given by my father and mother, I dare not damage any of them, as this is the least I can do to honor my parents'. In fact, cutting one's hair off in ancient China was considered a legal punishment called '髡', designed to humiliate criminals, as well as tattooing '黥', since regular people wouldn't have tattoos on their skin due to the same teaching.

Children playing on a winter day, Song Dynasty, by court painter Su, Hanchen (蘇漢臣). National Palace Museum in Taiwan.

Children were exempt from the above commandment, they could cut their hair short, make different kinds of knots or braids, or simply just let them hang without any care. However, once they entered adulthood, every male was obliged to tie his long hair into a bun called '髻' either on or behind his head and always cover the bun up with different kinds of headdresses (except Buddhist monks, who would always keep their heads completely shaved to show that they're "cut off from the earthly bonds of the mortal world"; and Taoist monks, who would usually just use hair sticks called '簪' to hold the buns in place without concealing them). Thus the 'disheveled hair', a common but erring depiction of ancient Chinese male figures seen in most modern Chinese period dramas or movies with hair (excluding facial hair) hanging down from both sides and/or in the back are historically inaccurate. Females on the other hand, enjoyed more freedom in terms of decorating their hair as adults. They could still arrange their hair into various kinds of hairstyles as they pleased. There were different fashions for women in various dynastic periods, whereas in more than 2,000 years of Chinese history males had only one choice: the bun.

Such strict 'no-cutting' hair tradition was implemented all throughout Chinese history since Confucius' time up until the end of Ming Dynasty (1644 CE), when the Qing Prince Dorgon forced the male Han people to adopted the Manchu hairstyle, which was shave their foreheads bald and gather the rest of the hair into ponytails in the back (See Queue) in order to show that they submitted to Qing authority, the so-called "剃髮易服" (hair shaving and costume changing) policy, yet Han children and females were spared from this policy. Taoist monks were allowed to keep their topknots and not wear queues, and Buddhist monks were allowed to keep all their hair shaven.

A Taoist Soothsayer advising a woman, note that his hair is tightened into a bun on his head, a surviving example of the ancient male hairstyle of Han people. Photo taken in 2008 outside the Changchun Temple (長春觀) in Wuhan, China.

Man's Headwear	view	Woman's Headwear	view
Mianguan		Phoenix crown
Tongtianguan		Huasheng
Pibian		Bian
Jinxianguan
Longguan
Putou (襆頭), lit. 'Head Cover' or 'Head Wrap'. An early form of informal headwear dates back as early as Jin Dynasty that later developed into several variations for wear in different occasions.
Zhangokfutou (展角幞頭), lit. 'Spread-Horn Head Cover', designed by the founder of Song Dynasty, with elongated horns on both sides in order to keep the distance between his officials so they couldn't whisper to each other during court assemblies. It was also later adapted by the Ming Dynasty, authorized for court wear.
Zhan Chi Fu Tou (展翅幞頭), lit. 'Spread-Wing Head Cover', more commonly known by its nickname Wu Sha Mao (烏紗帽), lit. 'Black-Cloth Hat', was the standard headwear of officials during the Ming Dynasty. The term 'Wu Sha Mao' is still frequently used in modern Chinese slang when referring to a government position.
Yishanguan (翼善冠), lit. 'Winged Crown of Philanthropy', worn by emperors and princes of the Ming Dynasty, as well as kings of many of its tributaries such as Korea and Ryukyu. The version worn by emperors was elaborately decorated with jewels and dragons; while the others looked basically like Wu Sha Mao only with wings folded upwards.
Pashou
Patou
Zhuzi jin
Zhouzi jin
Zhuangzi jin
Fujin
Li
Zi

Style

Another type of Han Chinese Shenyi (深衣) commonly worn from the pre-Shang periods to the Ming Dynasty. This form is known as the zhiju (直裾) and worn primarily by men

Han-Chinese clothing had changed and evolved with the fashion of the days since its commonly assumed beginnings in the Shang dynasty. Many of the earlier designs are more gender-neutral and simple in cuttings. Later garments incorporate multiple pieces with men commonly wearing pants and women commonly wearing skirts. Clothing for women usually accentuates the body's natural curves through wrapping of upper garment lapels or binding with sashes at the waist.

Each dynasty has their own styles of Hanfu as they evolved and only few styles are 'fossilized'.

Informal wear

Types include tops (yi) and bottoms (divided further into pants and skirts for both genders, with terminologies chang or qun), and one-piece robes that wrap around the body once or several times (shenyi).

• Zhongyi (中衣) or zhongdan (中單): inner garments, mostly white cotton or silk
• Shanqun (衫裙): a short coat with a long skirt
• Ruqun (襦裙): a top garment with a separate lower garment or skirt
• Kuzhe (褲褶): a short coat with trousers
• Zhiduo/zhishen (直裰/直身): a Ming Dynasty style robe, similar to a zhiju shenyi but with vents at the side and 'stitched sleeves' (i.e. the sleeve cuff is closed save a small opening for the hand to go through)
• Daopao/Fusha (道袍/彿裟): Taoist/Buddhist priests' full dress ceremonial robes. Note: Daopao doesn't necessarily means Taoist's robe, it actually is a style of robe for scholars. And the Taoist version of Daopao is called De Luo (得罗), and Buddhist version is called Hai Qing (海青).

Two traditional forms of ruqun (襦裙), a type of Han Chinese clothing worn primarily by women. Cuffs and sleeves on the upper garment may be tighter or looser depending on style. A short skirt or weighted braid (with weight provided by a jade or gold pendant) is sometimes worn to improve aesthetics or comfort of the basic ruqun.

A typical set of Hanfu can consist of two or three layers. The first layer of clothing is mostly the zhongyi (中衣) which is typically the inner garment much like a Western T-shirt and pants. The next layer is the main layer of clothing which is mostly closed at the front. There can be an optional third layer which is often an overcoat called a zhaoshan which is open at the front. More complicated sets of Hanfu can have many more layers.

For footwear, white socks and black cloth shoes (with white soles) are the norm, but in the past, shoes may have a front face panel attached to the tip of the shoes. Daoists, Buddhists and Confucians may have white stripe chevrons.

Semi-formal wear

A piece of Hanfu can be "made semi-formal" by the addition of the following appropriate items:

• Chang (裳): a pleated skirt
• Bixi (蔽膝): long front cloth panel attached from the waist belt
• Zhaoshan (罩衫): long open fronted coat
• Guan (冠) or any formal hats

Generally, this form of wear is suitable for meeting guests or going to meetings and other special cultural days. This form of dress is often worn by the nobility or the upper-class as they are often expensive pieces of clothing, usually made of silks and damasks. The coat sleeves are often deeper than the shenyi to create a more voluminous appearance.

Formal wear

Yuanlingshan

In addition to informal and semi-formal wear, there is a form of dress that is worn only at confucian rituals (like important sacrifices or religious activities) or by special people who are entitled to wear them (such as officials and emperors). Formal wear are usually long wear with long sleeves except Xuanduan.

Formal garments may include:

• Xuanduan (玄端): a very formal dark robe; equivalent to the Western white tie
• Shenyi (深衣): a long full body garment

• Quju (曲裾): diagonal body wrapping
• Zhiju (直裾): straight lapels

• Yuanlingshan (圓領衫), lanshan (襴衫) or panlingpao (盤領袍): closed, round-collared robe; mostly used for official or academical dress

Style	Views
Xuanduan
Shenyi
Yuanlingishan

The most formal Hanfu that a civilian can wear is the xuanduan (sometimes called yuanduan 元端), which consists of a black or dark blue top garment that runs to the knees with long sleeve (often with white piping), a bottom red chang, a red bixi (which can have a motif and/or be edged in black), an optional white belt with two white streamers hanging from the side or slightly to the front called peishou (佩綬), and a long black guan. Additionally, wearers may carry a long jade gui (圭) or wooden hu (笏) tablet (used when greeting royalty). This form of dress is mostly used in sacrificial ceremonies such as Ji Tian (祭天) and Ji Zu (祭祖), etc., but is also appropriate for state occasions. The xuanduan is basically a simplified version of full court dress of the officials and the nobility.

Men and women in xuanduan formal wear at a Confucian ceremony in China

Those in the religious orders wear a plain middle layer garment followed by a highly decorated cloak or coat. Taoists have a 'scarlet gown' (絳袍) which is made of a large cloak sewn at the hem to create very long deep sleeves used in very formal rituals. They are often scarlet or crimson in color with wide edging and embroidered with intricate symbols and motifs such as the eight trigrams and the yin and yang Taiji symbol. Buddhist have a cloak with gold lines on a scarlet background creating a brickwork pattern which is wrapped around over the left shoulder and secured at the right side of the body with cords. There may be further decorations, especially for high priests.

Those in academia or officialdom have distinctive gowns (known as changfu 常服 in court dress terms). This varies over the ages but they are typically round collared gowns closed at the front. The most distinct feature is the headwear which has 'wings' attached. Only those who passed the civil examinations are entitled to wear them, but a variation of it can be worn by ordinary scholars and laymen and even for a groom at a wedding (but with no hat).

Court dress

The Emperor's Mianfu (Emperor Da of Wu, Three Kingdoms period)  The Emperor in his court (Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou )  The Empress's Diyi (Empress Li Fengniang, Song Dynasty)  Diyi (Empress Wu, Song Dynasty)  Emperor's Yellow Pao (Yongle Emperor, Ming Dynasty)  Gongfu (Emperor Zhenzong, Song Dynasty)  Highest rank official's Gongfu (Ming Dynasty)  Official's Changfu (Ming Dynasty)  Lower rank official's Changfu (Ming Dynasty)  Official dressed with different colored Changfu. (Ming Dynasty)  Court dress (Ming Dynasty)

Court dress is the dress worn at very formal occasions and ceremonies that are in the presence of a monarch (such as an enthronement ceremony). The entire ensemble of clothing can consist of many complex layers and look very elaborate. Court dress is similar to the xuanduan in components but have additional adornments and elaborate headwear. They are often brightly colored with vermillion and blue. There are various versions of court dress that are worn for certain occasions.

Court dress refers to:

official dress

Romanization	Hanzi	Definition
Mianfu	冕服	religious court dress of emperor, officials or nobility
Bianfu	弁服	ceremonial military dress of emperor, officials or nobility
Chaofu	朝服	a red ceremonial court dress of emperor, officials or nobility
Gongfu	公服	formal court dress according to ranks
Changfu	常服	everyday court dress

The practical use of court dress is now obsolete in the modern age since there is no reigning monarch in China anymore.

Specific styles

Historically, Hanfu has influenced many of its neighbouring cultural costumes, such as Japanese kimono, yukata, Korean hanbok and the Vietnamese Áo giao lĩnh. Elements of Hanfu have also been influenced by neighbouring cultural costumes, especially by the nomadic peoples to the north, and Central Asian cultures to the west by way of the Silk Road.

Tang dynasty

The Tang dynasty represents a golden age in China's history, where the arts, sciences and economy were thriving. Female dress and personal adornments in particular reflected the new visions of this era, which saw unprecedented trade and interaction with cultures and philosophies alien to Chinese borders. Although it still continues the clothing of its predecessors such as Han and Sui dynasties, fashion during the Tang was also influenced by its cosmopolitan culture and arts. Where previously Chinese women had been restricted by the old Confucian code to closely wrapped, concealing outfits, female dress in the Tang Dynasty gradually became more relaxed, less constricting and even more revealing. The Tang Dynasty also saw the ready acceptance and syncretisation with Chinese practice, of elements of foreign culture by the Han Chinese. The foreign influences prevalent during Tang China included cultures from Gandhara, Turkistan, Persia and Greece. The stylistic influences of these cultures were fused into Tang-style clothing without any one particular culture having especial prominence.

Song and Yuan dynasty

Han Clothing in Yuan dynasty

Some features of Tang Clothing carried into the Song Dynasty Such as court customs. Song court customs often use red color for their garments with black leather shoe and hats. Collar edges and sleeve edges of all clothes that have been excavated were decorated with laces or embroidered patterns. Such clothes were decorated with patterns of peony, camellia, plum blossom, and lily, etc. Song Empress often had three to five distinctive jewelry-like marks on their face (two side of the cheek, other two next to the eyebrows and one on the forehead). Although some of Song clothing have similarities with previous dynasties, some unique characteristics separate it from the rest. Many of Song Clothing goes into Yuan and Ming.

Ming dynasty

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  Commoner's clothing

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  Nicolas Trigault, a Flemish Jesuit in Ming style Confucian-scholar costume (Rufu 儒服).
  Drawing by Peter Paul Rubens, 1617.

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  A portrait painting of Nicolas Trigault believed to be wearing the same costume as shown in the drawing. By Rubens' workshop.

According to the Veritable Records of Hongwu Emperor (太祖實錄, a detailed official account written by court historians recording the daily activities of Hongwu Emperor during his reign.), shortly after the founding of Ming dynasty, "on the Renzi day in the second month of the first year of Hongwu era (Feb 29th, 1368 CE), Hongwu emperor decreed that all fashions of clothing and headwear shall be restored to the standard of Tang, all citizens shall gather their hairs on top of their heads, and officials shall wear the Wu Sha Mao (Black-cloth Hats), round-collar robes, belts, and black boots." ("洪武元年二月壬子...至是，悉命復衣冠如唐制，士民皆束髮於頂，官則烏紗帽，圓領袍，束帶，黑靴。") This attempt to restore the entire clothing system back to the way it was during Tang Dynasty was a gesture from the founding emperor that signified the restoration of Han tradition and cultural identity after defeating the Yuan dynasty.

The Ming dynasty also brought many changes to its clothing, as many dynasties do. They implemented metal buttons and the collar changed from the symmetrical type of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) to the main circular type. Compared with the costume of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the proportion of the upper outer garment to lower skirt in the Ming Dynasty was significantly inverted. Since the upper outer garment was shorter and the lower garment was longer, the jacket gradually became longer to shorten the length of the exposed skirt. Young ladies in the mid Ming Dynasty usually preferred to dress in these waistcoats. The waistcoats in the Qing Dynasty were transformed from those of the Yuan Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, Confucian codes and ideals were popularized and it had a significant effect on clothing.

Ten Officials Who Passed The Imperial Exam In The Same Year of 1464 (甲申十同年圖), painted in 1503 during one of their reunions. The presence of yapai (牙牌, lit. 'Tusk Card' or 'Ivory Plaque') -- the rectangular device hanging from each official's left waist, made from ivory, engraved with the wearer's department, position, rank and instructions, worn by officials who were granted passage into the Forbidden City to have an audience with the emperor, similar to a visitor's badge -- implies that this scene was painted shortly after such a meeting had taken place.

In Ming Dynasty, both Civil and Military officials were divided into nine Ranks (品), each Rank was further subdivided into Primary (正) and Secondary (從) so there were technically eighteen Ranks, with First Rank Primary (正一品) being the highest and the Ninth Rank Secondary (從九品) the lowest. Officials of the upper four Ranks (from First Rank Primary to Fourth Rank Secondary) were entitled to wear the red robes; mid-Ranks (Fifth Rank Primary to Seventh Rank Secondary) to wear blue robes and the lower Ranks (Eighth Rank Primary to Ninth Rank Secondary) to wear green robes. In addition, each exact Rank was indicated by a picture of unique animal (either real or legendary) sewn on a square-shaped patch in both front and back of the robe, so fellow officials could identify someone's Rank from afar. (Use the chart below for comprehensible facts, for more information see Mandarin square)

A yapai(牙牌) from Ming Dynasty as mentioned in the painting above, this is the side engraved with instructions: the smaller text on the right reads "Officials who come to pay tribute [to the emperor] shall wear this card, those found without one will be punished by law. Those who borrow or lend this card will be punished equally." the larger text on the left reads "Not required [to be checked] when outside the capital [Beijing]."

Official Dress Codes of the Ming Dynasty
Precedence	Rank	Robe Color	Animal on Patch (Civil)	Animal on Patch (Military)	Exemplified Positions (Not All-Inclusive)
1st(Highest)	First Rank Primary 正一品		Crane	Lion	Emperor's Chief Advisor 太師 Regional Commander 都督
2nd	First Rank Secondary 從一品		Ditto	Ditto	Emperor's Assistant 少傅 Regional Executive Officer 都督同知
3rd	Second Rank Primary 正二品		Golden pheasant	Lion	Crown Prince's Teaching Assistant太子少師 Secretary of Defense 兵部尚書
4th	Second Rank Secondary 從二品		Ditto	Ditto	Governor 布政使 Provincial Deputy Commander 都指揮同知
5th	Third Rank Primary 正三品		Peacock	Tiger	Mayor of Beijing 順天府尹 Deputy Secretary of Labor 工部侍郎
6th	Third Rank Secondary 從三品		Ditto	Ditto	Minister of the Imperial Stud 太僕寺卿 Minister of Salt Supply 都轉鹽運使
7th	Fourth Rank Primary 正四品		Wild goose	Leopard	(Eunuch Position) Handler of the Imperial Seal 掌印太監 Minister of Foreign Affairs 鴻臚寺卿
8th	Fourth Rank Secondary 從四品		Ditto	Ditto	Principal of the Imperial Academy 國子監祭酒 Governor's Junior Assistant 參議
9th	Fifth Rank Primary 正五品		Silver pheasant	Bear	Principal of the Imperial Medical Academy 太醫院使 Grand Secretary of the Cabinet 内閣大學士
10th	Fifth Rank Secondary 從五品		Ditto	Ditto	Junior Scholar at the Imperial Library 翰林院侍讀學士 Deputy Manager of the Department of Justice 刑部員外郎
11th	Sixth Rank Primary 正六品		Egret	Panther	(Female Position) Manager of Royal House Records 司記 Minister of Buddhist Affairs 僧錄司善世
12th	Sixth Rank Secondary 從六品		Ditto	Ditto	Deputy Mayor 同知 Deputy Manager of Minority Affairs 安撫司副使
13th	Seventh Rank Primary 正七品		Mandarin duck	Panther	Auditor of the Supreme Court 大理寺評事 Investigating Censor 監察御史
14th	Seventh Rank Secondary 從七品		Ditto	Ditto	Monitor of the Six Ministries給事中 Deputy Ambassador 行人司左司副
15th	Eighth Rank Primary 正八品		Oriole	Rhinoceros	Accountant at the Department of Finance 戶部照磨 Deputy County Administrator 縣丞
16th	Eighth Rank Secondary 從八品		Ditto	Ditto	Assistant Priest at the Ministry of Imperial Sacrifices 太常寺祀丞 Supervisor at the Ministry of Royal Food Service 光祿寺監事
17th	Ninth Rank Primary 正九品		Quail	A horse in the sea (not seahorse)	Chief Servant at the Ministry of Royal Theatres 教坊司奉鑾 Chief Officer at the Headquarter of Official Travels 會同館大使
18th(Lowest)	Ninth Rank Secondary 從九品		Ditto	Ditto	Warden 司獄 Marshal 巡檢

Qing dynasty

Han and Manchurian clothing in Qing dunasty

During the Qing dynasty, Manchu clothing was only required for Han who served as officials in the government and was not forced on the rest of the Han population, but many Han civilian men adopted Manchu clothing on their own free will. Han women continued to wear Han clothing.

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  Han female custom in Qing dynasty (1)

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  Han female custom in Qing dynasty (2)

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  Children in Qing dynasty

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  Taoist Clothing in Qing dynasty

Identity

According to Tang Dynasty scholar Kong Yingda's official commentary to Zuo Zhuan and Shang Shu, Han clothing plays an important role in the Han identity. It says, "In China, there is the grandeur of rites and social conduct; that is why it is called Xia (夏). There is the beauty of dress and decoration; this is called Hua (華)." The words Hua and Xia combine to form the word Huaxia (華夏), which is a name that is often used to represent the Chinese civilization nowadays.

Gallery

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  A female servant and male advisor in Chinese silk robes, ceramic figurines from the Western Han Period (202 BCE – 9 CE)

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  A Han Dynasty (202 BCE – 220 CE) pottery statuette of a female dancer

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  Yuanlingshan robes of a Tang emperor

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  Court ladies of the Tang from Li Xianhui's tomb, Qianling Mausoleum, dated 706.

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  A painting of Tang Dynasty women playing with a dog, by artist Zhou Fang, 8th century.

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  Tang Dynasty Styled Hanfu

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  A Song Dynasty empress, wife of Emperor Zhenzong of Song

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  Imperial Portrait of the empress and wife to Emperor Qinzong of (1100–1161) of the Song Dynasty in China.

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  A Ming Dynasty portrait of an Empress

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  A Ming Dynasty portrait of a noblewoman wearing yuanlingshan, xiapei and phoenix crown

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  Matteo Ricci and Xu Guangqi dressed in Ming Dynasty Hanfu.

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  Taoist priest in red colored gown

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  A 1940s embroidered Han infant hat (繡帽; xiùmào) with double tigers, in the collection of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.

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  Formal attire for the Emperor and Empress of the Ming Dynasty. Note that the golden-colored YiShanGuan (翼善冠, lit. 'Winged Crown of Philanthropy') the male model wears is historically incorrect: according to archaeological findings at the Tomb of Wanli Emperor (明定陵, MingDingLing, lit. 'The Mausoleum of Tranquility of Ming') - the golden version of YiShanGuan was only worn by deceased emperors as part of the burial ritual; a living emperor on the other hand, always wore the YiShanGuan made of black silk with decorative jewels and dragons, therefore a 'black' version of it instead of gold. A historical fact not widely known in modern day China, thus the misrepresentation of the Ming Royal Attire in the photo above.

Gallery of Modern Hanfu

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  Modern Hanfu for female (left) and male (right)

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  Aoqun (袄裙)

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  Aoqun

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  Aoqun

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  Banbi (半臂)

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  Zhiju (直裾)

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  Bijia (比甲)

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  Modern Hanfu

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  Modern Hanfu

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  Modern Hanfu

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  Jess Sum at 2005 Hong Kong Flower Show

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  Coming of age ritual for a Chinese girl (笄礼)

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  Two girls in Hanfu (Aoqun)

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  Daopao (道袍)

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  Panling Lanshan (盘领襕衫)

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  Shenyi (深衣)

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  Zhiduo (直裰)

See also

• Hanfu movement
• List of Han Chinese clothing
• Culture of China
• Chinese academic dress
• Guan Li
• Mandarin square

Bibliography

• Zhou Xibao (1984), 【中國古代服飾史】 Zhongguo Gudai Fushi Shi (History of Ancient Chinese Costume), Beijing: Zhongguo Xiju.
• Zhou, Xun; Gao, Chunming; The Chinese Costumes Research Group (1984), 5000 Years of Chinese Costume, Hong Kong: The Commercial Press. ISBN 962-07-5021-7
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