Original title: Understanding the cultural aesthetics behind Xi’an’s “Hanfu craze”
Today, young people wearing Hanfu can be seen in many cities. But if you ask where the most people wear Hanfu, it’s probably Xi’an. In Xi'an, whether in shopping malls, scenic spots, on the road, or in the subway, "little brothers" and "little sisters" wearing Hanfu can be seen everywhere. "Wearing Hanfu to visit Xi'an" has become a fashion among young people. In places such as the Evernight City of the Tang Dynasty, Shaanxi History Museum, and Huaqing Pool Scenic Area, the majority of people wear Hanfu, while those who do not wear Hanfu are in the minority.
The data is more convincing. As of October 2023, there are 5,391 domestic Hanfu-related companies, including 1,263 Hanfu-related companies in Xi'an, accounting for 23.43%, ranking first in the country. Xi'an can be described as "the first city of Hanfu".
In the past two years, with the spread of short videos, Xi'an has also become an "Internet celebrity city" in people's eyes because of the frequent "out of the circle" Hanfu. Each "Hanfu short video" seems to make people travel through time and space, arousing everyone's endless reverie about the culture of the Han and Tang Dynasties. For Xi'an, the Hanfu craze has brought more popularity, become a new engine for local cultural tourism, and is also nurturing new cultural tourism formats.
A piece of Hanfu connects tradition and modernity, past and future. It not only carries rich history and culture, but also demonstrates the cultural aesthetics and cultural confidence of the younger generation.
1. Get closer to history and traditional culture through Hanfu
Xi'an is the ancient capital of thirteen dynasties. Its long history and rich culture together constitute it Unique charm. It is particularly worth mentioning that the two dynasties of Han and Tang Dynasties, which had their capitals here, were two very popular dynasties in Chinese history, creating the "grandeur of the Han Dynasty" and "the atmosphere of the prosperous Tang Dynasty" that we are still proud of today. .
Nowadays, cultural relics, cultural sites and various historical and cultural themed scenic spots scattered in every corner of Xi'an provide tourists with a window to "dialogue" with history. A large number of tourists come from far away, hoping to appreciate the charm of the ancient capital, listen to the echoes of history, and feel the warmth of culture. Some tourists even hope to "dream back to the Han and Tang Dynasties" and experience the "glorious era" in history.
It is naturally impossible to truly travel back in time, but it is possible to create an immersive atmosphere to make tourists feel as if they are in a real historical scene, satisfying their desire to return to the "historical scene". Therefore, we saw the staff of many scenic spots in Xi'an wearing Hanfu, saw the "Ms. Roly-poly" wearing costumes of the Tang Dynasty and holding a fan, and saw "Li Bai" in ancient costume inviting tourists to read poems... This scene of love seems both real and illusory. When tourists put on Hanfu and participate, they will have the feeling of being immersed in another world of time and space, and can better experience the ancient historical and cultural atmosphere. Of course, you can visit Xi'an without wearing Hanfu, but wearing Hanfu can give you a more realistic immersive experience, just like actors wearing costumes can create an atmosphere closer to the plot.
Different from traveling to some places, it is just for sightseeing.Water, tourists travel to Xi'an more to feel history and experience culture. As a kind of clothing that has been passed down from ancient times to the present, Hanfu connects history with one end and the present with the other. When tourists put on Hanfu, they seem to have established a connection with history - at least it will have such psychological implications for tourists. Therefore, Hanfu is not only a piece of clothing used to enhance the atmosphere, but also a symbol of history and culture. Tourists enthusiastically put on Hanfu, reflecting their enthusiasm for history and culture.
The charm of Hanfu is not only that it looks "beautiful" at first glance, but also that it contains the excellent traditional Chinese culture and traditional Chinese etiquette. For example, the wide cuffs in Hanfu symbolize the harmony of heaven; the deep clothes in Hanfu combine the upper and lower garments into one, but separate the upper and lower garments at the waist, demonstrating an orderly harmony in the unity of opposites; the upper garment in Hanfu Patterns such as cloud patterns, dragon patterns, and phoenix patterns are all symbols of auspiciousness in traditional Chinese culture, implying good luck and peace in the world. In 2023, a media survey showed that 73.49% of the respondents valued the Chinese history and culture carried by Hanfu and hoped to understand traditional culture through Hanfu. In Xi'an, many young people wearing Hanfu and wandering around Xi'an's major scenic spots have learned traditional Chinese etiquette such as the Tian Yi Li, the Shi Yi Li, the Xia Yi Li, and the Wanfu Li during their interactions with others. Some young people said that when wearing Hanfu, they would consciously pay attention to the way they stand, walk and speak to make themselves more dignified. They always feel that "that way they are worthy of the clothes they are wearing." This shows that the etiquette norms behind Hanfu are very important to them. People who wear Hanfu have a subtle influence.
2. "Wearing Hanfu" has become a new choice to establish a sense of life ritual and shape your personality
If Hanfu only appears in tourist attractions, it can only Counted as a cultural tourism product. However, Hanfu has spread from Xi'an tourist attractions to the daily lives of citizens, and has gradually become a part of many people's daily attire. Nowadays, walking in the streets and alleys of Xi'an, young men and women wearing Hanfu can be seen everywhere.
Life requires a sense of ritual. The sense of ritual is a ray of light in life, the chocolate besides daily necessities. The sense of ritual can arouse our inner self-respect and allow us to live every day of our lives more seriously. Hanfu is our traditional clothing, which connects a whole set of things such as makeup and etiquette. Wearing Hanfu adds a sense of ritual to many people's lives, adding more fun and memorable moments to their lives in the future. For example, Xi'an often holds collective coming-of-age ceremonies or weddings in Han and Tang styles. Hanfu is used to help people mark important moments in their lives, making their coming-of-age ceremonies or weddings more distinctive.
The difference in appearance between people, apart from skin color and appearance, is the clothing on the body. "Dressing" is people's self-expression in daily life. It is "an activity in which people change or modify their appearance through clothing to achieve the desired social effect." Hanfu consumers are mainly young people such as college students who are keen on expressing themselves and pursuing individuality. In their eyes, clothing carriesPersonality externalization function. They hope to wear clothes that not only follow the trend, but also express their individuality. The growth of teenagers born in the 2000s is accompanied by the rise of national style and trend. Hanfu is a representative of national style and trendy culture, and it is "very different" from the clothes people usually wear. Teenagers born in the 2000s feel that Hanfu meets their dressing needs, so they like Hanfu very much. This can explain why the "Hanfu Experience Center" and "Photography Travel Shop" scattered throughout the streets and alleys of Xi'an are so popular. Those "Hanfu Experience Centers" and "Photo Travel Photography Shops" not only provide guests with Hanfu, but also have makeup artists who specialize in dressing up guests' hair. This service, which seemed unlikely to be in demand in the past, is now very popular among teenagers. They hope to show off their unique beauty with the help of Hanfu and Hanfu-related makeup.
Hanfu also contains the cultural expression of young people. Tie up your hair in a traditional bun, put on retro makeup, and wear beautiful Hanfu, and the feeling spread in poetry and ancient paintings will come. That feeling is nothing but the charm of traditional culture. Wearing Hanfu is not only a fashionable way of dressing, but also represents an attitude towards traditional culture. More and more young people like to wear Hanfu, which shows that they have a stronger and stronger sense of identification with the excellent traditional Chinese culture.
In short, from niche to popular, Hanfu is no longer just a souvenir and memory for the older generation, but has become a new way for young people to establish a sense of life ritual, shape their own personality and express their cultural identity. Choose and form diverse expressions that span the Internet and reality, culture and tourism.
3. Cultural confidence provides the ground for highlighting the beauty of Hanfu.
For a long time in the past, Hanfu was considered "ancient Chinese clothing" and even "Costumes for costume dramas", if someone wears Hanfu in daily life, there is a high probability that they will be classified as an "alternative group of people". Today, the "Hanfu craze" has not only changed people's stereotypes of Hanfu, but also found a "place" for traditional clothing to be used in modern society, providing an opportunity for China's excellent traditional culture to be integrated into modern clothing design, cultural tourism and people's lives. Entrance.
Without a high degree of cultural self-confidence, there will be no prosperous culture. Hanfu is not only a kind of clothing, but also a carrier of China’s excellent traditional culture. "Hanfu craze" is a manifestation of the vitality of China's excellent traditional culture, and is also a concrete manifestation of the continuous improvement and enhancement of cultural confidence of contemporary Chinese people, especially young people. In the eyes of young people, "ancient clothes and modern clothes keep pace with the times." Wearing Hanfu on the body means wearing "cultural confidence" on the body.
The solid roots and rich accumulation of Chinese culture nourish the new creations and new developments of the Chinese nation under new historical conditions, laying the deepest historical foundation for our cultural confidence. As an ancient capital, Xi'an has a long history and profound cultural heritage, which provides people there with a strong foundation for cultural confidence. In this sense, it is not the "Hanfu craze" that makes Xi'an an "Internet celebrity city", but Xi'an's cultural accumulation and long history, which has contributed to the local renewal of Hanfu and the "Hanfu city".The development of the "clothing +" industry has provided the soil.
In any case, more and more Hanfu appear in the streets and alleys and integrate into people's lives, which objectively deepens people's understanding of the aesthetics of traditional Chinese clothing. , which has enhanced the appeal of China’s excellent traditional culture.
Nowadays, more Hanfu with new elements and new designs are appearing frequently on international T-stage shows, which means that Hanfu is going abroad and China. Excellent traditional culture is going global. By understanding the aesthetic value and cultural significance behind the "Hanfu craze" and continuing the Chinese cultural heritage while inheriting and innovating, we will surely make the beauty of Hanfu shine with new brilliance.
( Author: Yang Na, editor-in-chief of China Central Radio and Television and part-time researcher at the Sociological Theory and Method Research Center of Renmin University of China)
Source: Guangming Daily
