Hanfu Family: Don’t Forget the Other Members!

Hanfu Insights

After chatting with lots of fellow Hanfu lovers, I’ve noticed something: everyone’s cool with calling it Hanfu nowadays, but when it comes to naming each part, not many can nail it!

Legend has it that after Emperor Huang unified the tribes along the Yellow River, he set a rule: clothing should follow an upper-coat, lower-skirt system. The top, called “Yi,” was always black, symbolizing the sky, while the bottom, called “Chang,” was yellow, representing the earth. That’s where the saying “clothing as Yi Chang” comes from today.

Even now, when we hype up Hanfu, we mostly just know it as Hanfu, highlighting the upper-coat and lower-skirt vibe—pretty much what folks wear today. But ancient Chinese clothing wasn’t limited to just those two!

As the economy and society grew, new styles like Qiu, Pao, Xi, Gun, Ru, skirt, Kun, Ku, hats, and more popped up. These were all clever inventions by ancient working folks. Let’s dive into the names and vibes of these Hanfu pieces!

Pao (Long Loose Winter Jacket)

“Cui as silk, Yun as Pao.” — Li Ji • Yu Zao

Pao is a long, loose winter jacket, padded with fluffy cotton, worn over regular clothes and tied with a belt at the waist.

As a classic Han clothing piece, it splits into dragon robes, official robes, and everyday robes.

Qiu (Fur Coat)

“Qiu, fur clothing.” — Shuo Wen

Qiu is a fancy fur coat for staying warm, like the Qiu Mian worn by ancient emperors during sky-worshipping rituals.

Xi (Sleeveless Cover)

“Xi of Qiu, showing beauty.” — Li Ji • Yu Zao

Xi [xi] is a sleeveless cover worn over Qiu, used during ceremonies or guest visits to hide the fuzzy fur as a sign of respect. Its color usually matches the Qiu, keeping it in sync with the fur tone.

Gun (Ritual Robe)

“The king’s lucky attire, Gun Mian for honoring ancestors.” — Zhou Li • Si Fu.

Gun [gun] is the ritual robe for emperors and top officials, embroidered with curly dragons. Later, it became exclusive to emperors, earning the nickname “dragon robe” among folks.

Ru Skirt (Short Top and Skirt)

“Ru, short jacket.” — Shuo Wen

“Xiang Qi for the lower skirt, purple Qi for the upper Ru.” — Le Fu Shi Ji • Mo Shang Sang

Ru is a short top—think cross-collared or double-breasted styles. The skirt, or lower Chang, is a women’s staple.

Early on, clothing wasn’t strictly gendered, and men wore Ru skirts too. Post-Tang, it became a women’s go-to.

Ku (Leg Wrap)

“Ku, leg clothing.” — Shuo Wen Jie Zi (later written as “Ku”).

“Ku, straddling, each leg separate.” — Shi Ming • Shi Yi Fu

Ku [ku] is a leg wrap without a crotch, worn over pants with a crotch in winter to block wind and keep warm. Seen before Han, it’s a classic Hanfu piece.

Bi Kun (Split Shorts)

“Pants without Ku are Bi.” — Yangzi • Fang Yan

“Duo Bi, made from three feet of cloth, cow-nose shaped, worn by Xiang Ru.” — Yu Pian

Bi Kun [bi kun], like modern shorts with a split, was worn by laborers, also called Duo Bi Kun [du bi kun].

Wrap-Up

Other common styles, well-known among Hanfu fans, won’t be listed here. The ones above are inventions by ancient workers, designed with practicality, beauty, and convenience in mind—true Hanfu classics!