Han Chinese clothing

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Example of a person wearing a multi-layered hanfu. Courtesy of photobucket.

Han Chinese clothing or Hanfu (traditional Chinese: 漢服; simplified Chinese: 汉服; Hanyu Pinyin: hànfú; Wade-Giles: han4fu2), also known as Hanzhuang (漢裝) or Huafu (華服) (the layperson almost always use the term guzhuang (古裝) which means "ancient clothing") refers to the historical clothing of the Han Chinese people, that are commonly worn before conquest by the Manchus and the establishment of the Qing Dynasty in 1644. The term Hanfu derives from the Book of Han, which says, "then many came to the Court to pay homage and were delighted at the clothing style of the Han [Chinese]." ^[1]

Han Chinese clothing is presently worn only as a part of historical reenactment, hobby, coming of age/rite of passage ceremonies, ceremonial clothing worn by religious priests, or cultural exercise and can be frequently seen on Chinese television series, films and other forms of media entertainment. However, there is currently a movement in China and overseas Chinese communities to revive Han Chinese clothing in everyday life and incorporate in Chinese festivals or celebration.

Some costumes commonly thought of as typically Chinese, such as the qipao, are the result of influence by brutal laws (Queue Order) imposed by Manchurian rulers of the Qing Dynasty, and are regarded by advocates as not being "traditionally" Chinese. Technically, the Qing dynasty and afterwards would be considered modern China, so the qipao would be modern clothing and not traditional. Today, most Han Chinese wear western-style clothing in everyday life.

Many East Asian and Southeast Asian national costumes, like the Japanese kimono, the Korean hanbok and the Vietnamese áo tứ thân, all show influences from Hanfu, as historically these countries were part of the Sinosphere.

[edit] History

An early portrait of Confucius showing him in Hanfu of the Spring and Autumn Period of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty

Hanfu has a history of more than three millennia, 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, Leozu. The first solidly historical dynasty known of in China, 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 shang, worn with a bixi, a length of fabric that reached the knees. Vivid primary colours and green were used, due to the degree of technology at the time.

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 (the Chinese discouraged left-handedness like many other historical cultures, considering it unnatural 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.

[edit] Garments

The style of Han Chinese clothing can be summarized as containing garment elements that are arranged in distinctive and sometime specific ways. This maybe different from the traditional garment of other ethnic groups in China, most notably the Manchurian influenced Chinese clothes, the qipao, which is popularily considered to be the sole style of tradition Chinese garb. A comparison of the two styles can be seen as follows:

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 shang (裳): Skirt for women and men, respectively
• 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).

[edit] Hats and headwear

On top of the garments, hats (for men) or hairpieces (for women) maybe worn. One can often tell the profession or social rank of someone by what they wear on their heads. The typical male hat or cap is called a jin (巾) for commoners and guan (冠) for the privileged. Officials and academics have a separate set of hats for them, typically the putou (幞頭), the wushamao (烏紗帽) and the si-fang pingding jin (四方平定巾; or simply, fangjin: 方巾). A typical hairpiece for women is a ji (笄) but there are more elaborate hairpieces.

[edit] Style

Another type of Han Chinese Shenyi (深衣) commonly worn from the pre-Shang periods to the Han 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.

[edit] Informal wear

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

• Shenyi (深衣): a long full body garment

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

• Zhongyi (中衣) or zhongdan (中單): inner garments
• 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

Two traditional forms of ruqun (襦裙), a type of Han Chinese clothing worn by women. Cuffs and sleeves on the upper garment may be tighter or looser depending on style. A short skirt or a 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 typical the inner garment much like the Western sense of a 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.

[edit] Semi-formal wear

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

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

Generally, this form of wear is suitable for meeting guests or going to meetings and other special cultural days.

[edit] Formal wear

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

In addition to informal and semi-formal wear, there is a form of dress that is worn only at certain special occasions (like important sacrifices or religious activities) or by special people who are entitled to wear them (such as officials and emperors).

Formal garments may include:

• Xuanduan (玄端): a very formal dark robe; equivalent to the Western black tie or white tie
• Daopao/Fusha (道袍/彿裟): Taoist/Buddhist priests' full dress ceremonial robes
• Yuanlingshan (圓領衫), lanshan (襴衫) or panlingpao (盤領袍): closed, round collared robe; mostly used for official or academical dress
• Mianfu (冕服): official dress for emperors

The most formal Hanfu that one can wear is the xuanduan (sometimes called yuanduan 元端 ^[2]), which consists of a black 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) (like adding a white bow tie on a Western dinner suit to convert it to a full evening suit), and a long black guan. Additionally, wearers may carry a jade gui (圭) or a long wooden 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.

[edit] Ethnic identity

According to Tang Dynasty scholar Kong Yingda's official commentary to Zuo Zhuan and Shang Shu, Chinese clothing plays an important role in the Chinese ethnic 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) ^[3]." 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 civilisation. ^{[4] [5]}

[edit] Gallery

The mianfu of Emperor Wu of Jìn	Tang Xuanzong and his audience in Chinese official/academical dress	Court ladies of the Tang dynasty in their long flowing gowns	A painting of Tang Dynasty women playing with a dog, by artist Zhou Fang, 8th century.
An illustration of Bai Juyi in robes that are standard for literati gentlemen	A modern sketch of Li Tong in literati Hanfu of the Three Kingdoms Period	A modern sketch of female Hanfu	Some Hanfu is still worn in modern practice, such as the ceremonial gowns of Daoist priests
The emperor Tang Gaozu in his yuanlingshan and putou hat.

[edit] See also

• Hanfu movement
• Culture of China
• Chinese academic dress
• Qipao
• Kimono
• National costume
• Guan Li
• Ming official headwear
• Mandarin square
• Hanbok
• Queue Order

[edit] Notes

1. ^ 《漢書》云：『後數來朝賀，樂漢衣服制度。』
2. ^ Xu, Zhongguo Gudai Lisu Cidian, p. 7.
3. ^ 孔穎達 《春秋左傳正義‧定公‧卷五十六‧傳十年》注疏云：『中國有禮儀之大，故稱夏；有服章之美，謂之華。』
4. ^ 孔穎達 《尚書正義》注疏云：『冕服華章曰華，大國曰夏。華夏，謂中國也。』
5. ^ 《唐律名例疏義釋義》有言：『中華者，中國也，親被正教，自屬中國，衣冠威儀，習俗孝悌，居身禮義，故謂之中華。』

[edit] References

• 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 9620750217
• 許嘉璐 Xu Jialu (1991), 【中國古代禮俗辭典】 Zhongguo Gudai Lisu Cidian (Dictionary of Rituals and Customs of Ancient China).
• 沈從文 Shen Congwen (1999, 2006), 【中國古代服飾研究】 Zhongguo Gudai Fushi Yanjiu (Researches on Ancient Chinese Costumes), Shanghai: Shanghai Century Publishing Group. ISBN 7-80678-329-6
• 黃能馥, 陳娟娟 Huang Nengfu and Chen Juanjuan (1999), 【中華歷代服飾藝術】 Zhonghua Lidai Fushi Yishu (The Art of Chinese Clothing Through the Ages), Beijing.
• 華梅 Hua, Mei (2004), 【古代服飾】 Gudai Fushi (Ancient Costume), Beijing: Wenmu Chubanshe. ISBN 7-5010-1472-8

[edit] External links

• History of Hanfu (Chinese)
• CCTV-10 [探索‧发现(穿在身上的历史)]: History of Chinese Clothing. part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6. (Chinese)
• Additional info
• Large Gallery of Hanfu
• Samples of Han Fu (Traditional Chinese Clothing)
• The distinction between Hanfu and Japanese kimono (Chinese)
• Toronto Association for the Revival of Hanfu (Chinese)
• Phoenix TV: Submission for a Proposal on Hanfu dress for the 2008 Chinese Olympics to the China Olympics Committee (Chinese)
• [開講天下] Television debate on whether the Western suit, Tangzhuang or Hanfu is to be appropriate for the Chinese Olympics. part 1, part 2, part 3 (Chinese)