Hanfu Encyclopedia
Hanfu, the traditional attire of the Han Chinese, also known as "Yiguan," "Yishang," or "Hanzhuang," embodies the essence of China as a "country of rites and etiquette" and "a land of splendid culture." It carries the remarkable craftsmanship and aesthetics of Chinese dyeing, weaving, and embroidery, inheriting over 30 items of intangible cultural heritage and protected Chinese arts and crafts. Hanfu "began with the Yellow Emperor and reached its peak with Yao and Shun," originating from the coronation attire of the Yellow Emperor. Later, during the Zhou Dynasty and the reign of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty, it underwent modifications and became standardized, eventually establishing a complete system. Subsequently, each successive dynasty in the Huaxia region followed the Zhou and Han traditions in inheriting Han attire as a national matter, leading to the inclusion of a section on chariots and attire in the Twenty-Four Histories. "The Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun wore garments to govern the world, enhancing their authority derived from the heavens," indicating that the form of the upper garment and lower attire was determined by divine will and thus held sacred. Similar to the term "Hanren" (Han people), the meaning of the character "Han" in…...
Qixiong ruqun
Horse-face skirt
The full name of Hanfu is "traditional clothing of the Han ethnic group". The attire is also referred to as "upper garment and lower garment", which is the most basic and ancient style of Hanfu. This is also why ancient Chinese referred to clothing as "attire". In reality, the so-called attire is separated into two parts: the upper garment is used for cooling, while the lower garment is used for modesty. In ancient times, a simple attire carried profound Chinese culture and Confucian ritual traditions. The primary traditional culture embodied in ancient Chinese Hanfu attire is the concept of harmony between heaven and humanity.
The concept of "harmony between heaven and humanity" is a philosophical idea in China, expounded upon by various schools such as Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. "Heaven" refers to the sky, the celestial order, and the natural way, as described in Daoism and Taoist teachings. "Harmony between heaven and humanity" mainly refers to the unity between humans and the Dao, reaching the state where "Heaven and Earth and I are of the same root; all things and I are one entity", as well as the correspondence between heaven and humanity.
Humans are an integral part of nature. Therefore, Zhuangzi said, "There is the human, who is also the sky; there is the sky, who is also the sky," indicating the inherent unity between heaven and humanity. However, due to the establishment of various regulations, moral standards, and societal norms, humans have lost their original natural essence and become out of sync with nature. The purpose of human cultivation is to "eliminate the sage and abandon wisdom," breaking down these barriers imposed on humans and freeing human nature, returning to nature, and achieving a spiritual realm of "all things and I are one."
In Hanfu culture, there is a profound concept of harmony between heaven and humanity. Ancient Chinese people have always pursued beauty and harmony, which is reflected in clothing. As the oldest and most fundamental style of Hanfu, the design of the upper garment and lower garment cannot be reversed. It symbolizes the orderliness of Chinese culture and also represents the principles of heaven and earth in Chinese culture. It is not just a garment of ancient Chinese people but also a symbol and carrier of culture. Hence, the proverb "upper garment and lower garment, must not be reversed" is coined.
Ancient Chinese believed everything in nature evolved from five basic elements: water, fire, wood, metal, and earth. Each element corresponds to a specific color. These colors symbolize the characteristics or associations of the respective element. The division of traditional Chinese Hanfu into these five colors is evident. These colors correspond to the theory of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements. Yin and Yang complement each other, with black symbolizing water, red symbolizing fire, green symbolizing wood, white symbolizing metal, and yellow corresponding to earth. Each color represents its own meaning.
Green represents the wood of the east, red represents the fire of the south, white represents the metal of the west, black represents the water of the north, and yellow represents all the land. In addition, there are corresponding intermediate colors: "yellow-red," "blue-red," "red-white," "blue-yellow," and "blue-white." After the period of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, subsequent styles of Hanfu added many more colors, but each time they corresponded to the Yin-Yang and Five Elements between heaven and earth, such as "vermilion," "purple," "crimson," "green," and "blue." Hanfu embodies a strong concept of harmony between humans and the universe.
1: Clothing Separation (Top and Bottom Separation)
The top and bottom separation involves cutting the upper garment and lower garment separately. The upper body wears the upper garment while the lower body wears a skirt. The top and bottom separation is the oldest form in the Hanfu system. With a history of four thousand years for Hanfu, the top and bottom separation has a similarly long history.
2: Seamless Garment (Top and Bottom Sewn Together)
The seamless garment originated in the Zhou Dynasty, which was divided into the Western Zhou and Eastern Zhou periods. The Eastern Zhou period, also known as the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, witnessed profound social changes, and the seamless garment emerged within this historical context.
The seamless garment involves cutting the upper garment and lower garment separately and then sewing them together at the waist, forming a unified whole. Both men and women can wear the seamless garment, suitable for both ceremonial occasions and daily wear. It became widespread and lasted for over three thousand years, from the pre-Qin period to the end of the Ming Dynasty.
3: Unified Garment (Single Piece Garment)
This involves cutting both the upper and lower garments from a single piece of cloth without any seams in the middle, creating a natural unity. It is distinct from both the top and bottom separation and the seamless garment. This form originated in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, which was innovative for its time as traditional Hanfu had always been divided into separate upper and lower parts. There are many variations of the unified garment, such as round-collar shirts, straight-cut robes, straight gowns, and long robes. Its most popular periods were the Song and Ming Dynasties, favored by both nobles for everyday wear and literati as leisure attire.
4: Ruqun (Evolution of Top and Bottom Separation)
"Ru" refers to a short upper garment. Ruqun does not refer to a specific type of skirt but rather a combination of a short upper garment and a lower skirt, representing a set of attire. Essentially, Ruqun follows the top and bottom separation system. After the ancient top and bottom separation evolved into Ruqun during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, it specifically referred to women's attire during the Han Dynasty: a short upper garment paired with a long skirt, tied at the waist with a cord, with the upper garment worn inside and the skirt outside. Over various dynasties, different styles of Ruqun emerged, including high-waisted Ruqun, half-sleeve Ruqun, double-breasted Ruqun, and chest-level Ruqun. These styles had fewer ceremonial restrictions and were generally worn as everyday attire, hence their widespread popularity.
We are not a well-known big brand, nor do we have any particularly great background stories. In the early days, "hanfugirl" was born out of the passion for the integration of Hanfu and the natural world by a few young people.
We love the concept of Hanfu because we deeply believe that all things in the world are closely related to nature. We believe that Hanfu is not just a piece of clothing, but also an attitude towards life and a cultural expression. It conveys the idea of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, integrating tradition with modernity, and nature with humanity. Each piece of Hanfu pays tribute to nature, showcasing our pursuit of and respect for natural beauty.
Through our products, we hope to enable more people to understand and love the culture behind Hanfu. Our Hanfu is not just a combination of fabric and thread; it is also a carrier of culture and emotion. It embodies reverence and respect for nature while also reflecting modern people's pursuit of and understanding of beauty.
We hope that when you put on our Hanfu, you will feel a sense of peace and harmony, hear the whispers of the wind, see the flow of water, smell the fragrance of flowers, and feel the warmth of the earth. We want to transport you back to the embrace of nature, where you can feel the reciprocal relationship between heaven and earth.
Therefore, dear friends, regardless of where you come from or your cultural background, whether you purchase our Hanfu or not, we invite you to join us in telling a small story about nature, beauty, and Hanfu.