"The sleeves of Yueluo shirt welcome the spring breeze, and the belt of the jade-carved unicorn is red." The high crown and ring, the complimentary clothes and the wide belt, and the fluttering sleeves of Hanfu carry the thousands of years of Chinese civilization and are the status symbols of the descendants of the Yan and Huang Dynasties. From the time when the Yellow Emperor hung down his clothes and ruled the world in ancient times, until the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty when he shaved his hair and changed clothes, Hanfu has always been the main attire of people.
In recent years, a wave of "Hanfu revival" has swept across the land of China, and young girls wearing colorful clothes can often be seen in the streets and alleys. So, is it really necessary to revive Hanfu, which has been absent from the history of Chinese people’s clothing changes for more than four hundred years? Is wearing Hanfu on the streets a reflection of cultural connotation? Why is Hanfu so beautiful but not popular in China?
"Because of the great etiquette, it is called Xia; because of the beauty of the state-owned service, it is called Hua." Since ancient times, China has been known as a country of etiquette, and "service" has played a big role in it. In recent years, with the return to originality of aesthetic consciousness and the trendy personality of contemporary young people, "Hanfu craze" has begun to rise in various places, and the world has been able to re-examine this unique traditional costume.
In the long history of the Chinese nation, Hanfu plays a very important role. During the Qin Dynasty, the system of Hanfu was already very complete. The "cars on the same track and books on the same text" unified the clothes and clothing. The style was simple and solemn, reflecting the fine character of the people of the Qin Dynasty who advocated frugality.
The clothing of the Early Han Dynasty followed many of the Qin Dynasty's systems, most of which were high hats, belts around the waist, and long robes with wide sleeves. By the late Western Han Dynasty, the deep clothing system was more fashionable among the people, and the styles and cuts of the clothes had unique styles. During the prosperous Tang Dynasty, China reached the peak of feudal society. At this time, Hanfu was exquisite and embroidered, unrestrained and magnificent. It was characterized by crossed collars, right lapels and laces, demonstrating the bold and unrestrained style of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
The clothing of the Song Dynasty revealed a handsome and elegant style, with clean dyeing and gentle water, which complemented the national style of emphasizing literature. The Hanfu made in the Ming Dynasty is luxurious, stable and self-sufficient, with elegant and complex patterns, carrying the dignified style of the Ming Dynasty.
No matter which dynasty the wheel of history travels to, the development and changes of Hanfu have never stopped. It was not until the Ming and Qing Dynasties that foreign tribes invaded, and the rulers ordered "to shave their hair and change their clothes." Since then, Hanfu has gradually withdrawn from the stage of history, which is really a pity.
"Wear the clothes of our Han family and revitalize our country of etiquette." The revival of Hanfu will help the Chinese nation regain its unique cultural symbols. If Hanfu is not popular, why do we call ourselves Huaxia? Today, nearly four hundred years after bidding farewell to Hanfu, its vitality is still strong. The Hanfu revival movement that has emerged today not only conveys the contemporary young people's love for traditional culture, but is also of great benefit to the cultural rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The Hanfu revival movement started in 2002. At that time, a post titled "The Lost Civilization-Han National Costumes" was posted on a forum. This article has clear logic and brilliant writing, which aroused heated discussion among people. In this way, a folk cultural renaissance movement of Hanfu, starting from Hanfu, started like a spark that started a prairie fire.
In the early winter of 2003, an ordinary worker appeared on the streets of Zhengzhou wearing a homemade Hanfu, attracting everyone's attention. This electricity worker named Wang Tianle became the first publicly reported enthusiast to wear Hanfu on the streets, and received widespread attention from domestic and overseas media.
In the context of globalization, the world has begun to realize that using Hanfu to highlight the uniqueness of Chinese cultureCharm can be an important means to enhance the soft power of our culture.
In 2006, at the "Hundred Homes of Scholars" at Renmin University of China, a dozen students dressed in Hanfu, elegant, dignified and high-spirited, held the first shooting ceremony in mainland China in more than 300 years. "Shooting" is one of the six arts in ancient China, and shooting ceremony is also one of the important forms of Chinese etiquette culture. The influence of Hanfu has further expanded and attracted much attention from the world.
In 2012, Jiangsu Normal University ingeniously adopted the Han Dynasty etiquette form to hold a graduation ceremony for graduate students. The leading students attending the meeting were all dressed in Hanfu and were elegant in conferring degrees. The music played at the ceremony was also an improved version after verifying historical data. These activities have made Hanfu culture widely spread, and it has a place in the fields of culture and fashion.
From 2017 to now, the total scale of the global Hanfu industry is approximately 1.1 billion yuan, and the total consumer population exceeds 2 million. In bustling cities or quiet small towns, people wearing Hanfu can be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys. Wearing Hanfu to participate in celebrations such as coming-of-age and graduation ceremonies has become increasingly normal. Hanfu is gradually transforming from a niche culture and entering the public eye, becoming a new trend in culture.
The development of the "Hanfu Revival" movement to this day has enlightenment and reference significance for the world. As a style of clothing, Hanfu canIt gives us a deeper knowledge and understanding of traditional culture, broadens the scope of knowledge of traditional clothing, and gives the world another elegant and beautiful choice in addition to the upright Tang suit and graceful cheongsam.
The current social environment is gradually becoming more tolerant of Hanfu, but the so-called "Hanfu circle" has also caused a lot of controversy. This is also the reason why Hanfu is so beautiful but not popular in China.
First, because some Hanfu people insist on reproducing the shape of the clothes. They regard themselves as defenders of traditional culture and look down on other clothing with Han elements. Their high self-esteem and judgment of other clothing has aroused the resentment of many "outsiders".
Secondly, some Hanfu enthusiasts who claim to be "orthodox" use the "Hanfu Revival" movement as an excuse to pretend that everyone in the world is drunk and I am alone.
The Chinese national culture has a long history and is profound. It cannot be understood by reading a few poems and books and wearing a few sets of Hanfu. The dynasties of the past that were full of vigor and iron horses have gone away in the dust, but the influence they left on future generations will last as long as the bright moon. As a witness to history, Hanfu is worthy of promotion and inheritance by people today. Every Hanfu enthusiast should be respected by the world.
Between heaven and earth, like a white horse passing through the gap, it passed by quickly. Today, thousands of years later, Hanfu has once again emerged from the ashes of history and has a different kind of brilliance in today's era. The revival of Hanfu, in its essence, should be a cultural renaissance.
It is not only an ascendant trend, but also the inheritance of cultural heritage and a long echo that spans thousands of years of history. Reviving traditional culture and its core spirit, promoting national culture, and increasing cultural confidence should be the essence of the Hanfu movement.
