Is Hanfu Too Hot for Summer? Yes, But Not How You Think!

Under the blazing summer sun, it feels like you might just get roasted alive… Girls hit the streets in tank tops, shorts, and mini skirts, while guys rock sleeveless tees, shorts, and baggy pants—every cool outfit in the book!

Then, picture someone strolling by in flowing Hanfu with long sleeves and skirts—yep, those curious stares are coming! “Aren’t they dying of heat in all that?” many wonder. Plus, some who don’t get it dismiss Hanfu as impractical for daily wear. Our Hanfu-loving pals probably feel the urge to argue back, “It’s not what you think!”—but without solid points, they might just mumble excuses or hold in some frustration

How It Feels

So, is Hanfu really that hot?

It boils down to your body type, weather, and fabric. I’ve tried a Beizi set outside, and yeah, it was “a bit warm”—but not much different from my usual outfits.

Verdict: Fashion varies so much within itself, comparing Hanfu to modern clothes is pointless. They’re both just clothes—no need to overanalyze. Today, I’ll share some handy tips to help you rock Hanfu the right way.

Hanfu’s been around for over a millennium, worn daily by China’s hardworking folks. If it didn’t make sense, why would ancients design it to suffer through all seasons? Sure, no greenhouse effect back then, but no fans or AC either—summers were brutal. So, what did they wear?

About the Fabrics

As spring turns to summer, the weather gets nice, and people switched to light single layers like silk, satin, or brocade—smooth, sturdy, not too breezy or stuffy, perfect for the season. Around Grain in Ear, as temps rise, they’d opt for perforated silk Rou or gauze—stable yet breathable. “Light gauze, thin as air”—gauze, the sparsest silk, was a summer must-have.

The Ma Wang Dui unearthed Zen Yi, thin as a cicada’s wing and light as mist at just 49 grams, proves China mastered such fabrics early on.

By the sixth lunar month, peak heat hit, and it was “Ge Sha” time, or the “Ge Yi” phase. Ge, from a perennial herb, weaves into the coolest, most see-through yarn. Since pre-Qin, it was a summer staple—“Ge” became summer wear’s nickname, keeping folks comfy for centuries.

Proof in poetry:

“Ge stretches wide, spread in the valley, leaves lush and thick. Cut and boiled, woven fine or coarse, worn without tiring.”
—Shi Jing • Ge Tan

“Ge robe sparse and light, gauze hat wide and airy. One robe, one hat, beats the heat. Comfort’s all that matters, no need for silk or brocade.”
—Bai Juyi’s Summer Day

Another summer fave is Zhu, a hemp variant from the nettle family, unlike coarse hemp. Its long, tough, glossy, elastic fibers outshine hemp cloth. Undyed Zhu shines white, thin and soft, with better breathability, sweat-wicking, and quick-drying than cotton—lighter too, ideal for summer fabric.

Finely woven Zhu rivals silk’s sheen; in Han, it made wide-sleeve deep robes for lords as home wear, likely for its lightweight coolness. Dyed Zhu, or Zhu Si, was a Ming official go-to.

Don’t assume long sleeves and pants mean heat—“rich in silk, poor in hemp”—these fabrics might beat today’s cotton or synthetics for coolness!

Summer Styles

Tang women had it made style-wise—known for openness, they rocked “Ban Bi” and “Tan Ling” (modern terms, maybe).

In Zan Hua Shi Nu Tu, ladies in sheer gauze reveal jade-like arms—cool and trendy!

Song era brought “Beizi + Mo Xiong”—no explanation needed. Thin Rou or gauze Beizi let shoulders and arms peek through sheer layers.

West Shu’s Hua Rui Fu Ren in Gong Ci sings of palace ladies cooling off: “Thin Rou shirts show skin.” Song poet Li Qingzhao in Dian Jiang Chun writes, “Light sweat seeps through thin clothes”—proof of its breezy vibe.

Another hit? “Kai Dang Ku” (split pants)—not standalone, worn under deep robes or Wei Chang. A breeze through the legs? Pure bliss! (Song pant fans get it—modern versions are tweaked.)

Ming’s Si Ji Shi Nu Tu Xia shows a lady in a stand-collar gauze top with a red chest wrap—courtyard-only style (home sweet home)!

In private rooms? Even less fuss—bare chests went unnoticed, see Song’s Huai Yin Xiao Xia Tu!

Or Bei Qi Jiao Shu Tu’s scholar in transparent gauze.

Common folks, always outdoors working, kept it simple in heat—ditching robes for short sleeves or light undershirts, pairing with single pants. Workers tied tops around waists, skipping boots for hemp shoes or sandals. Qing Ming Shang He Tu shows vest-only peasants—pretty much like today. Tang Yan Liben’s Suo Jian Tu features a round-neck Ban Bi guy.