Traditional chinese clothing embroidery
However, the Chinese Hanfu was not only isolated to the Chinese. It is not exactly clear how this Hanfu trend gathered momentum, but according to reports appearing on the Internet, a young man in the northern Chinese city of Zhengzhou, in Henan Province, started it all off. In reports that were made public on the market in China, generation Z is among the top consumer category. With the current market expected to grow as much as it will in the next few years, there’s plenty of potential to create a great business and market to an eager group of customers! Much like people have been flocking to shows like Bridgerton, there are equivalents for the Chinese people. People believe that fashion trends and brands like Nike might be cool, but the artisanship that it takes to produce a Chinese Hanfu shows its importance, its significance, and the chance people have to have something unique and Chinese like this dress. Another significant reason that people are turning to the Chinese Hanfu now is because of the way that it captures Chinese history.
From my understanding, the word 汉服 hanfu in the meaning we know it as today was first used in the 1990s, when some nationalist historical costume enthusiasts decided to start a movement to revive “traditional Chinese clothing” (in quotation marks because the definition is kind of vague), qipao vintage giving birth to the Hanfu Movement. Yet, when people look around cities today and at special events, there are many models and younger individuals wearing this unique style of dress. It can be argued that the modern revival of these styles for the purpose of television has also allowed people to become interested in revisiting their heritage and wearing them on their own! I’ll paraphrase this quote about Gothic Revival architecture I read which also fits the Hanfu Movement quite nicely: “it went in search of origins but came back with originality”. Throughout the Qing and 20th century, people did have an idea of how Han clothing was a unique system different to Manchu or Western dress, but they just went with the flow and let Han clothing do whatever was considered fashionable.
“Han” is the majority ethnicity in China, and “fu” just means “clothing”, “garb” or “costume”, therefore “hanfu” linguistically refers to clothing worn by Han Chinese people. No matter what has happened throughout their history-even during the warring periods-this dress has continued to prevail and been one of the consistent styles that people always return to. On a side note, hanfu doesn’t appear to be a common word used in academia, where scholars usually just say “historical Chinese clothing”, or refer to specific garment styles by name, further adding to the confusion. If you asked a Chinese person from, say, the 1580s to describe their fashion, they would probably go into detail about whatever garment or style was trendy at the moment and not respond with a simple “I wear hanfu”. Both of them are important, as they showcase some of the traditional dresses that people are choosing to wear now.
Some people consider tv and film costumes which aren’t exactly historically accurate hanfu as well. A bright huipil is well known worldwide for its beautiful patterns, unique details, and vibrant colors. The Chinese Hanfu is no longer just a simple dress today, but it can be made more modern, more traditional, with unique patterns, and also in solid colors. The women were always covered up and as time passed on, they would begin to show more vibrant colors as a sign of their wealth or their status in society. There are numerous ways to diversify the Hanfu, and people are continually finding more ways to show their talents and their unique sense of style. For many young fashionistas, it is a way to connect to history and show off their unique taste. Discover the rich history and significance of Hanfu during a one-hour guided tour in an ancient academy. We will delve into the significance and craftsmanship behind each item, giving you a deeper understanding of their cultural significance. If you want to have authentic Chinese craftsmanship for your Hanfu, be sure to shop within the Chinese markets! Through Hanfu, you can forge a tangible connection to China’s past. We hope you learned a lot about Chinese Hanfu, and recognize the power of how this market is truly growing and developing, even hundreds of years on.
