Friday, February 17, 2017

Hanfu: The Traditional Chinese Dress

The Japanese have their kimono and the Koreans, the hanbok and the Malays have their baju kurung and baju Melayu.

But did you know that it was the hanfu 汉服 - the Chinese traditional dress - that inspired both the kimono and the hanbok and not the other way round?

And that what is often perceived nowadays as the Chinese traditional dress - the qipao - is really Manchurian in origin?

When the minority Manchus came to power (1644-1911), they banned the hanfu. Hanfu was the traditional dress of the majority Hans until it was outlawed during the Qing Dynasty.

Qipao is flattering if you have what it takes to wear it and it really is a beautiful attire no doubt.

But though the hanfu may be cumbersome for the modern age, it is far more graceful and a thing to behold! and as far as I am concerned, the traditional Chinese dress better reflects the spirit and essence of the Chinese people.

If you have watched Chinese period dramas, you would have noticed the hanfu and how elegant and graceful the characters look in it.

I do hope that hanfu makes a comeback and be worn on special occasions, at least, to help keep the hanfu and tradition alive.

If the Japanese and the Koreans can feel proud of their traditional couture, there is no reason why the Chinese cannot feel the same for the hanfu for which both the kimono and the hanbok owe their origin and much to.

Is it heartening to note that more and more Chinese people, especially the young, are trying to revive  the popularity of their traditional dress.





If the beautiful hanfu is lost to posterity, it would be such a tragedy since the traditional Chinese dress has several thousand years of history.

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