Zheng He wearing Hanfu.

Han Chinese clothing, or Hanfu (TC: 漢服; SC: 汉服; pinyin: hànfú;; literally "Clothing of the Han people") refers to the traditional clothing of the Han Chinese, the predominant ethnic group of China. Image File history File links Painting of Zheng He. ... Image File history File links Painting of Zheng He. ... Characters for Zheng He. ... Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: 简体字; Traditional Chinese: 簡體字; pinyin: jiÇŽntǐzì; also called 简化字/簡化字, jiÇŽnhuàzì) are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin (Chinese: 拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard... (See also List of types of clothing and Clothing terminology) Humans nearly universally wear articles of clothing (also known as dress, garments, or attire) on the body. ... Han Chinese (Simplified Chinese: 汉族; Traditional Chinese: 漢族; pinyin: ) is a term which refers to the majority ethnic group within China and the largest single human ethnic group in the world. ...

As its name suggests, Hanfu encompasses all types of traditional clothing worn by the Han Chinese ethnic group. As such, it has a history as long as the history of the Han Chinese people. Hanfu was eliminated by Manchu invaders by force in the 17th century, and is not widely regarded in China as a national costume (unlike Qipao) and public awareness survives to a limited extent through periodic dramas and films. The Manchu (Manchu: Manju; Simplified Chinese: 满族; Traditional Chinese: 滿族; pinyin: ) are an ethnic group who originated in the dong bei or North East region consisting of Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang provinces, collectively known in English as Manchuria. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Two women wear qipao in this 1930s Shanghai advertisement. ...

Qipao and Tangzhuang are popularly regarded as traditional Chinese clothing in popular media throughout the world. This is because these were influenced and introduced by the Manchus who ruled China during the Qing Dynasty, the last imperial dynasty in Chinese history. As a result, the Manchus introduced their culture and inevitably forcibly established their style of dress displacing the native Hanfu of previous generations. Two women wear qipao in this 1930s Shanghai advertisement. ... The Manchu (Manchu: Manju; Simplified Chinese: 满族; Traditional Chinese: 滿族; pinyin: ) are an ethnic group who originated in the dong bei or North East region consisting of Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang provinces, collectively known in English as Manchuria. ... Below is a table of the dynasties in Chinese history. ... China is the worlds oldest continuous major civilization, with written records dating back about 3,500 years and with 5,000 years being commonly used by Chinese as the age of their civilization. ...

Many traditional costumes of Asian countries, such as the kimono in Japan, along with the traditional dresses Korean Hanbok are heavily influenced by the Chinese Hanfu due to the extensive cultural exchanges between the neighbouring countries. In contrast to China, Traditional Japanese and Korean dress have not been affected by similar changes like in China and have been preserved over the centuries, and have retained many core elements of the original Hanfu. Kimono on a Japanese Postage Stamp Kimono (Japanese: 着物 literally something one wears) are the traditional garments of Japan. ... The traditional culture of Korea is shared by South Korea and North Korea, but there are regional differences. ...

History of Hanfu

According to Chinese tradition, Hanfu can be traced back to the Yellow Emperor, a great sage king of ancient China whom legend says ruled in the 27th century BC. Hanfu itself has a recorded history of more than 3000 years. It was worn by Han Chinese people from the semi-legendary Xia Dynasty (c. 21st century BC - 16th century BC) all the way to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The traditional dress of many Asian countries have been influenced by Hanfu, especially those of Japan and Korea. Yellow Emperor The Yellow Emperor or Huang Di (Chinese: 黃帝, Simplified Chinese: 黄帝, pīnyīn: huángdì) is a legendary Chinese sovereign and cultural hero who is said to be the ancestor of all Han Chinese. ... (28th century BC - 27th century BC - 26th century BC - other centuries) (4th millennium BC - 3rd millennium BC - 2nd millennium BC) Events 2900 - 2334 BC -- Mesopotamian wars of the Early Dynastic period 2775 - 2650 BC -- Second Dynasty wars in Egypt Germination of the Bristlecone pine tree Methuselah about 2700 BC, the... Han Chinese (Simplified Chinese: 汉族; Traditional Chinese: 漢族; pinyin: ) is a term which refers to the majority ethnic group within China and the largest single human ethnic group in the world. ... The Xia Dynasty (Chinese: 夏朝; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hsia-chao), ca. ... (22nd century BC - 21st century BC - 20th century BC - other centuries) (4th millennium BC - 3rd millennium BC - 2nd millennium BC) Events 2130 - 2080 BC -- Ninth Dynasty wars in Egypt. ... (17th century BC - 16th century BC - 15th century BC - other centuries) (1600s BC - 1590s BC - 1580s BC - 1570s BC - 1560s BC - 1550s BC - 1540s BC - 1530s BC - 1520s BC - 1510s BC - 1500s BC - other decades) (3rd millennium BC - 2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC) Events 1700 - 1500 BC -- Hurrian conquests... The Ming Dynasty was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644. ... Events Timur ascends throne of Samarkand. ... // Events February to August - Explorer Abel Tasmans second expedition for the Dutch East India Company maps the north coast of Australia. ... Korea refers to South Korea and North Korea together, which were a unified country until 1948. ...

Hanfu was regarded by Han Chinese as a very important part of their culture. The wearing of appropriate styles of Hanfu was an important part of courteous refined behaviour. Confucius considered Hanfu a very important part of Chinese ceremony and ritual and many of his quotations contain references to Hanfu. [edit] Confucius (traditionally September 28 551 BCE–479 BCE) was a famous thinker and social philosopher of China, whose teachings have deeply influenced East Asia for centuries. ...

The disappearance of Hanfu

Hanfu disappeared at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The Qing Dynasty was founded not by Han Chinese who form the overwhelming majority of the population of China proper, but by the Manchus, a semi-nomadic people which first rose to prominence in Manchuria. Taking advantage of the political instability and frequent popular rebellions convulsing China, the highly organized military forces of the Manchus swept into the Ming capital of Beijing in 1644 (which itself had earlier fallen to rebel forces under Li Zicheng), and formed the Qing Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty (Manchu: daicing gurun; Chinese: 清朝; pinyin: qÄ«ng cháo; Wade-Giles: ching chao), sometimes known as the Manchu Dynasty, was founded by the Manchu clan Aisin Gioro, in what is today northeast China expanded into China proper and the surrounding territories of Inner Asia, establishing... // Events February to August - Explorer Abel Tasmans second expedition for the Dutch East India Company maps the north coast of Australia. ... 1911 was a common year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... The term China proper is usually used to refer to the historical heartlands of China, and to make a contrast between these heartlands and frontier regions of Outer China (Inner Asia). ... The Manchu (Manchu: Manju; Simplified Chinese: 满族; Traditional Chinese: 滿族; pinyin: ) are an ethnic group who originated in the dong bei or North East region consisting of Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang provinces, collectively known in English as Manchuria. ... Extent of Manchuria according to Definition 1 (dark red), Definition 3 (dark red + medium red) and Definition 4 (dark red + medium red + light red) Manchuria (Manchu: Manju, Simplified Chinese: 满洲; Traditional Chinese: 滿洲; pinyin: ) is name given to a vast territorial region in northeast Asia. ... Beijing â–¶(?) (Chinese: 北京; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Pei-ching; Postal System Pinyin: Peking) is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... Lǐ Zìchéng (李自成) (September 22, 1606 - 1645), born Li Hóngjī (鴻基), was a rebel in late Ming China who proclaimed himself Chuǎng Wáng (闖王), or The Roaming King. Born in Mizhi District (米脂縣), Yanan Subprefecture (延安府), Shaanxi, Li grew up as a shepherd. ...

The Manchus foresaw that they would have great difficulty ruling the Han Chinese, who outnumbered them vastly and had a much more established culture. Soon after the takeover of China proper, the Manchus set in place a policy of subjagating the native Chinese populations to adopt Manchu culture to eliminate unrest at the clear invasion of a foreign ethnic group. The ruling Manchus forced the Han Chinese men to adopt Manchu hairstyle (the pigtail) and Manchu-style clothing. There was enormous resistance to these policies, especially against the pigtail, which required shaving the entire top front half of the head. (Chinese traditional dictated that removing hair was against filial piety because one received one's hair from one's parents.) Popular uprisings flared up immediately, but were put down brutally, especially in massacres occurring at Yangzhou and Jiading. Up to 30 to 50 million Han Chinese people may have perished in total as a result of the Manchu invasion and conquest. Enforcement of the policies was swift, brutal, and effective. Hanfu was replaced by Manchu-style clothing, and soon every Chinese male wore a pigtail. However Ming-era clothing was still permitted for women. As time past the differnces between the slender Manchurian Changpao and the wide-sleeve Ming style clothing narrowed. This resulted in the development of the Ao(襖) dress which featured Manchurian style loop-buttons and the loose clothing from Ming styles. Han Chinese (Simplified Chinese: 汉族; Traditional Chinese: 漢族; pinyin: ) is a term which refers to the majority ethnic group within China and the largest single human ethnic group in the world. ... The term China proper is usually used to refer to the historical heartlands of China, and to make a contrast between these heartlands and frontier regions of Outer China (Inner Asia). ... Street haircut in Harbin, China. ... The pigtail has its roots in the Manchu hairstyle during the Qing Dynasty. ... Filial piety is extended into the afterlife. ... Yangzhou (Simplified Chinese: 扬州; Traditional Chinese: 揚州; pinyin: ) is a city in Jiangsu province, China. ... Jiading is one of the 18 districts of Shanghai, Peoples Republic of China. ...

Today

After the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, Manchu dress and the pigtail prevailed but was eventually replaced with modern dress (western style clothing). Today most Han Chinese wear western-style clothing, and Han Chinese clothing is largely unknown. The Qing Dynasty (Manchu: daicing gurun; Chinese: 清朝; pinyin: qīng cháo; Wade-Giles: ching chao), sometimes known as the Manchu Dynasty, was founded by the Manchu clan Aisin Gioro, in what is today northeast China expanded into China proper and the surrounding territories of Inner Asia, establishing... 1911 was a common year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... The pigtail has its roots in the Manchu hairstyle during the Qing Dynasty. ...

As part of wider revivalist movement in tradtional Chinese culture, Hanfu is recieving attention from Hanfu advocates who are campaigning to have it accepted as national costume.

Description of Hanfu

[1] Shenyi (深衣) is a kind of full-length, one-piece robe which links the Yi and Chang together to wrap up the body. It is cut separately but sewn together. Shenyi was named because when it was worn "the body was deeply wrapped up".

Parts of Shenyi:

• Jin: the front of upper garment

• Jiaoling Youren: "Crossed collars, tying to the right." This is the standard collar style of hanfu. For both men and women, always overlap the right side of the hanfu with the left side. The opposite right-over-left style is for other nations or used to dress a corpse for burial.

• Qu: sleeve cuffs

• Mei: sleeves

• Chang: skirt

• Quju: skirt with curved hem formed by circling the fabric around the body

Headwear

Guan Mian

Jing Zhi

幞头与帽

胄与盔

Hairstyle

Men's

Women's

Decoration

Yi(衣) Shang(裳)

In ancient China, Hanfu was also called Yi(衣) Shang(裳). Translated literally, Yi(衣) is the upper dress, and Shang(裳) is the skirt. Accordingly, as one of its main characteristics, Hanfu is composed of two parts.

Yi(衣) Style:

Shang(裳) Style:

Variations of Hanfu in different occasions

Ordinary Life

Ceremony

Variations of Hanfu in different dynasties

Men's Hanfu

Pre-Qin Hanfu (27th century BC - 221 BC)

Legend

According to legend, the first ruler of the Chinese nation and the ancestor of the Chinese people is an immemorial sage king called the Yellow Emperor. According to traditional reckoning, he unified the North China Plain in 2697 BC. Legends say that under his rule, China was a prosperous and powerful nation with stable politics and advanced culture. Many cultural and technological inventions are attributed to his reign, such as the Chinese written language, methods of agriculture, music, the Chinese calendar and so on. The Yellow Emperor's imperial consort, Leozu [Su], was said to be the first person to know how to raise silkworms and make silk from the silkworm cocoon, from which Hanfu was woven. Thus the Chinese Hanfu was invented. Because Leizu had provided China with beautiful silk and Hanfu, she is often revered as the female ancestor of the Chinese people, and respectfully addressed with the title of Xianchan since the Western Zhou Dynasty. Yellow Emperor The Yellow Emperor or Huang Di (Chinese: 黃帝, Simplified Chinese: 黄帝, pÄ«nyÄ«n: huángdì) is a legendary Chinese sovereign and cultural hero who is said to be the ancestor of all Han Chinese. ... The North China Plain (Chinese: 华北平原; Pinyin: ) also called the Middle Plain (Chinese: 中原; Pinyin: ), is made of the deposits of the Huang He (Yellow River) and is the largest alluvial plain of eastern Asia. ... Various styles of Chinese calligraphy. ... Wikibooks Wikiversity has more about this subject: School of Music Look up Music on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Wikisource, as part of the 1911 Encyclopedia Wikiproject, has original text related to this article: Music MusicNovatory: the science of music encyclopedia The Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Distionary, with definitions, pronunciations, examples... The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar formed by combining a purely lunar calendar with a solar calendar. ... Binomial name Bombyx mori Linnaeus, 1758 The silkworm (Bombyx mori, Latin: silkworm of the mulberry tree) is the larva of a moth that is very important economically as the producer of silk. ... Silk weaver Silk is a natural protein fiber that can be woven into textiles. ... Alternative meaning: Zhou Dynasty (690 CE - 705 CE) The Zhou Dynasty (周朝; Wade-Giles: Chou Dynasty) (late 10th century BC to late 9th century BC - 256 BC) followed the Shang (Yin) Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty in China. ...

Pre-literate era

During ancient times, human beings wore clothing for practical purposes. During the Stone Age, they learned how to make and use increasingly complex tools. They invented the bone awl and the bone needle and created primitive clothing with the aid of these tools. Stone Age fishing hook. ...

Approximately 5000 years ago, China was in the Neolithic Period. People's lives were becoming more stable, allowing the development of primitive agriculture and the textiles industry. At first people wore clothes of woven linen. Later they discovered how to raise the silkworm and spin silk, and as a result their clothing became increasingly elaborate. The Neolithic, (Greek neos=new, lithos=stone, or New Stone Age) was a period in the development of human technology that is traditionally the last part of the Stone Age. ... This article is about the type of fabric. ... Torn linen cloth, recovered from the Dead Sea Linen is a material made from the fibers of the flax plant. ...

Shang Dynasty

According to archaeological discoveries, the basic shape and style of Hanfu were already and almost completely developed during the Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century BC - 11th century BC), the first attested dynasty of China. Clothing from this period was mainly composed of two parts, the Yi (coat) on the top and the Shang (skirt) underneath. The sleeve cuff was narrow. The Yi did not have any buttons and was fixed with a broad sash tied around the waist. A Bixi hung from the waist sash was used to shade the knees. Shang Dynasty (Chinese: 商朝) or Yin Dynasty (殷代) (1600 BC - 1046 BC) is the first historic Chinese dynasty and ruled in the northeastern region of China proper. ... (17th century BC - 16th century BC - 15th century BC - other centuries) (1600s BC - 1590s BC - 1580s BC - 1570s BC - 1560s BC - 1550s BC - 1540s BC - 1530s BC - 1520s BC - 1510s BC - 1500s BC - other decades) (3rd millennium BC - 2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC) Events 1700 - 1500 BC -- Hurrian conquests... (12th century BC - 11th century BC - 10th century BC - other centuries) (1100s BC - 1090s BC - 1080s BC - 1070s BC - 1060s BC - 1050s BC - 1040s BC - 1030s BC - 1020s BC - 1010s BC - 1000s BC - other decades) (3rd millennium BC - 2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC) Events Zhou Dynasty (1122 BC - 256...

Archeological finds show that fabrics in this period were mainly in warm colors, especially yellow and red, along with brown. There were also cooler colors like blue, green etc. Because the red and yellow dyes were made from mercury sulfide and orpiment, they were brighter than the other colors and were of stronger penetrability; hence they were more able to last unchanged until today. Modern scientific analysis has shown that dyeing and weaving methods were often used at the same time during Shang and Zhou periods. Orthochromatic colors such as red and yellow were often used to draw on the fabrics after they were woven. Yarn drying after being dyed in the early American tradition, at Conner Prairie living history museum. ... Mercury Sulfide is a chemical compound composed of the elements Mercury and Sulfur. ... Orpiment Orpiment prepared as a paint pigment Orpiment is a common monoclinic crystalline mineral Chemical Composition: As2S3, arsenic trisulfide Molecular Weight: 246. ...

Western Zhou Dynasty

The Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC - 711 BC), established under a feudal system, consolidated the empire by a strict social class system and formulated a set of extremely exhaustive and thorough etiquette to standardize society and stabilize the country. The different styles of Hanfu worn symbolized each person's social class. As Hanfu was one of the cornerstones of the political foundation, stipulations were very strict. Alternative meaning: Zhou Dynasty (690 CE - 705 CE) The Zhou Dynasty (周朝; Wade-Giles: Chou Dynasty) (late 10th century BC to late 9th century BC - 256 BC) followed the Shang (Yin) Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty in China. ... (12th century BC - 11th century BC - 10th century BC - other centuries) (1100s BC - 1090s BC - 1080s BC - 1070s BC - 1060s BC - 1050s BC - 1040s BC - 1030s BC - 1020s BC - 1010s BC - 1000s BC - other decades) (3rd millennium BC - 2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC) Events Zhou Dynasty (1122 BC - 256... Centuries: 9th century BC - 8th century BC - 7th century BC Decades: 760s BC 750s BC 740s BC 730s BC 720s BC - 710s BC - 700s BC 690s BC 680s BC 670s BC 660s BC Events and trends Judah, Tyre and Sidon revolt against Assyria 719 BC - Zhou Huan Wang of the...

Zhou Dynasty Hanfu followed the form and style of the Shang Dynasty, with a few changes. The style was slightly looser compared with the Shang Dynasty. There were two kinds of sleeve styles: broad and narrow. The collar were crossed and tied to the right, known as "Jiaoling Youren". The Yi had no buttons but instead had a sash tied around the waist for closure. Sometimes people also hung ornamental decorations made of jade on the waist sash as well. The length of skirts and trousers varied from reaching the knees to reaching the ground.

Eastern Zhou Dynasty

Shenyi (deep robe), an important kind of Hanfu, was introduced during Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period. Shenyi is a kind of full-length, one-piece robe which links the Yi and Shang together to wrap up the body. It is cut separately but sewn together. Shenyi was named because when it was worn "the body was deeply wrapped up". Shenyi continued the Hanfu's characteristic of Jiaoling Youren and made a big impact on society. Everybody could wear it regardless of gender, profession or social class. During this time the weaving and dyeing techniques were already very advanced, as many complicated and magnificent patterns already appeared on Hanfu. The Spring and Autumn Period (Chinese: 春秋時代; pinyin: ) represented an era in Chinese history between 722 BC and 481 BC. The period takes its name from the Spring and Autumn Annals, a chronicle of the period whose authorship was traditionally attributed to Confucius. ... Alternative meaning: Warring States Period (Japan) The Warring States Period (traditional Chinese: 戰國時代, simplified Chinese: 战国时代 pinyin Zhànguó Shídài) takes place from sometime in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by Qin in 221 BC. It is nominally considered to be the second part of the...

During Qin and Han Dynasty

Women's Hanfu

During and before Zhou dynasty

During Qin and Han Dynasty

Hanfu and Chinese culture

Hanfu and I Ching

According to the I Ching, an ancient work on divination, the Yellow Emperor made Hanfu in analogy to I Ching's two trigrams, the Force (☰ 乾 qián) and the Field (☷ 坤 kūn), which refer to Heaven (天) and Earth (地) respectively. The upper part of Hanfu, Yi, represents Heaven, while the lower part Shang is a representation of Earth. In view of this, one of the philosophical meanings of Hanfu is that the human being (the microcosm) is a representation of the Universe at large (the macrocosm). Alternative meaning: I Ching (monk) The I Ching (Traditional Chinese: 易經, pinyin y jīng; Cantonese IPA: jɪk6gɪŋ1; Cantonese Jyutping: jik6ging1; alternative romanizations include I Jing, Yi Ching, Yi King) is the oldest of the Chinese classic texts. ... This man in Rhumsiki, Cameroon, tells the future by interpreting the changes in position of various objects as caused by a fresh-water crab through nggàm[1]. Divination is the practice of ascertaining information from supernatural sources. ... The bagua (Chinese: 八卦; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: pa kua; literally eight trigrams) is a fundamental philosophical concept in ancient China. ...

Hanfu and Lyrics

Hanfu and Dance

Hanfu and Poetry

The Influences Of Hanfu

Due to the length of its history and China's overwhelming cultural influence on the region, Hanfu has significantly shaped the styles of traditional costumes of many other Asian countries. Some countries such as Vietnam, which was frequently either a vassal state or under the direct control of China before 1884 (when the French invaded Vietnam), have traditional dresses that are exactly the same as Hanfu. Other Asian countries' traditional costumes, such as Japanese Kimono, do have some differences from Hanfu. Of all the traditional costumes of Asian countries influenced by the Hanfu, the Japanese Kimono differs the most from the original. However, all the traditional dresses mentioned above inherited the unique Hanfu Style: Youren and wide sleeve. Some people in China today also mistake Hanfu for Japanese Kimono. Kimono on a Japanese Postage Stamp Kimono (Japanese: 着物 literally something one wears) are the traditional garments of Japan. ...

Korean Hanbok (the Korean traditional dress)

Kimono (the Japanese traditional dress)

Photos of Japanese Kimono

[2]

Hanfu And Arts

Hanfu and the modern media

Hanfu accessories and related garments

Guan(Hat)

Shiwu (decoration)

See also

• Ming official headwear

The headwear of a Han Chinese official during Ming Dynasty China consisted of a black hat with two wing-like flaps (small thin oval boards) on each side. ...

External links

• HanFu - Han Chinese Clothing
• HanFu Forum - Revive HanFu
• Buy Your Own HanFu

Illustrations

General:

• [3]
• [4]
• [5]
• [6]
• [7]
• [8]
• [9]
• [10]

Chronological series:

• Western Zhou Dynasty
• Eastern Zhou Dynasty (Men's)
• Qin Dynasty (Women's)
• Han Dynasty (Women's)
• Tang Dynasty (Men's)
• Tang Dynasty (Women's)
• Ming Dynasty (Men's)