14 Facts About Hanfu: Unveiling Traditional Chinese Fashion in 2025

About Hanfu, the traditional clothing of China, is a testament to the nation’s rich cultural heritage. From the simplicity of the Qin Dynasty to the splendor of the Tang and the dignity of the Ming, Hanfu embodies centuries of history in its intricate patterns and flowing silhouettes. Known as the attire of the “Country of Clothing and Caps,” Hanfu has swept through modern fashion, captivating travelers and enthusiasts alike. This blog explores 14 essential facts about Hanfu, delving into its history, styles, and enduring significance in 2025. Whether you’re a Hanfu enthusiast or a curious newcomer, these insights will deepen your appreciation for traditional Chinese fashion.

1. About Hanfu: A Cultural Symbol Beyond Beauty

Hanfu is far more than stunning attire; it reflects social hierarchies, rituals, and historical aesthetics. Evolving over thousands of years, Hanfu showcases the textile techniques, cultural customs, and aesthetic consciousness of each era. From ceremonial robes to everyday wear, it serves as a profound emblem of traditional Chinese fashion. For a deeper understanding of its cultural roots, explore the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s China exhibitions.

2. An Inclusive Clothing System

While often associated with the Han ethnic group, Hanfu represents the traditional clothing of the broader Chinese nation. Through dynastic changes, it absorbed foreign influences, undergoing multiple Hu-Han integrations to form diverse styles. This inclusivity makes Hanfu a dynamic clothing system, encompassing both traditional designs and modern Hanfu outfits inspired by historical aesthetics.

3. A Millennium-Spanning Legacy

Hanfu’s origins are traced to the Yin-Shang period, with artifacts showing early clothing styles. By the Zhou Dynasty, Hanfu developed into a standardized system, categorized into sacrificial, court, official, daily, and banquet clothing. These corresponded to rituals like auspicious, mourning, military, guest, and celebratory rites. Colors aligned with the Five Elements and seasons, creating a unique cultural phenomenon that remains influential in modern Hanfu outfits.

4. Wide Robes and Broad Belts

Hanfu’s signature aesthetic—wide robes and broad belts—defines its three primary systems:

• Yichang System: The earliest style, with separate upper (yi) and lower (shang) garments, often used for formal ceremonies.
• Shenyi System: A connected upper and lower garment, symbolizing balance and harmony, with round sleeves and square collars.
• Pao System: Featuring round collars and narrow sleeves, this robe style became prominent from the Sui to Qing Dynasties, with colors indicating rank.

This flowing silhouette evokes a celestial elegance, a hallmark of traditional Chinese fashion.

5. Diverse Derivative Styles

Beyond the core systems, Hanfu includes derivative styles like the Tang Dynasty’s half-sleeves, the Song Dynasty’s beizi (long outer coat), the Ming Dynasty’s bijia (sleeveless vest), and the Qing Dynasty’s kanjian (short jacket). These versatile garments add richness to Hanfu styles, inspiring modern adaptations.

Shenyi system（深衣制）

Shenyi connects the upper and lower garments, meaning the upper yi and lower shang are sewn together at the waist, appearing deep and profound when covering the body, hence called Shenyi.
The Book of Rites says: “In ancient times, Shenyi had a system to correspond with compass, square, plumb line, scale, and balance.”
This refers to “round sleeves symbolizing the compass, square collar symbolizing uprightness, the back seam from top to heel symbolizing the straight path,” and so on, very particular.

Have you noticed that Chinese tradition favors “wide robes and broad belts,” wearing wide clothing and tying wide belts?
It is very flowing, quite like the feeling of a “celestial fairy” fallen to earth.

In Dream of the Red Chamber, there is a passage depicting the beauty of Lin Daiyu wearing a kanjian:
“But see Daiyu wearing a moon-white embroidered small fur coat, plus a silver rat kanjian; on her head, a casual cloud bun, pinned with a red gold flat hairpin, no other flowers; at her waist, a Yangfei-colored embroidered cotton skirt. Truly like: a jade tree standing in the wind, a fragrant lotus blooming with dew.”

6. How to Wear Hanfu

The basic components of traditional Hanfu are: a crown (or cap) on the head, inner clothing (underwear, middle clothing) and shirts (jackets, robes) on the upper body, skirts and pants (leg clothing) on the lower body, shoes (boots, slippers) on the feet, a belt tied at the waist, with jade pendants hanging from the belt.
The order of wearing: inner clothing (middle clothing), upper clothing, skirt (pants), belt, outer clothing (robe, shirt), shoes (boots), cap (crown).

7. Han Dynasty: Long Sleeves and Dance

The Han Dynasty’s deep clothing, particularly dance garments, is iconic. The “raised sleeves and bent waist dance” featured long-sleeved attire, as seen in Western Han pottery figurines. These flowing sleeves embodied the phrase “long sleeves skilled in dance,” a defining feature of Hanfu history.

8. Tang Dynasty: Pomegranate Skirts and Bold Trends

The Tang Dynasty’s vibrant red “pomegranate skirts” were a fashion staple, famously referenced by Wu Zetian. Tang women embraced bold, revealing styles and broke gender norms by adopting men’s clothing, showcasing a liberated aesthetic that influences modern Hanfu outfits.

9.Song dynasty’s “oriole yellow, sheer gauze, and beizi”

Song Dynasty Hanfu favored light colors like oriole yellow and sheer gauze fabrics. The beizi, a long outer coat with embroidered collar wipes, was a popular choice. This delicate style, often paired with red skirts, remains a favorite in contemporary Hanfu designs.

10.Ming and Qing’s “bijia, horse-face skirt”

The Ming Dynasty popularized the bijia (sleeveless vest) and horse-face skirts, characterized by four overlapping panels with pleated sides. These skirts, named for their resemblance to ancient city wall structures, were a staple through the Qing Dynasty and inspire many modern Hanfu styles.

11.Hanfu fabrics: silk, satin, gauze, brocade

The earliest Hanfu fabrics included silk, hemp, ramie, and fur; silk fabrics have always been the most important Hanfu material, often collectively referred to by the Chinese as “lingluochoudian” (silk, satin, gauze, brocade), meaning high-quality fabrics.
After the Yuan dynasty, cotton was widely planted, and cotton cloth became one of the main fabrics.
Due to different weaving methods, silk fabrics have varied appearances and performance, with common fabric names including juan, wan, gao, ti, xiao, bo, chou, duan, luo, sha, zhou, ling, qi, jin, rong, etc.

12.Hanfu, highlighted by auspicious decorations

Hanfu’s decorative patterns, such as peonies, phoenixes, and cloud motifs, carry auspicious meanings. Techniques like embroidery, dyeing, and weaving create romantic or dignified aesthetics. These intricate designs make Hanfu a visual spectacle, enhancing its cultural significance.

13.A single buyao, enough to haunt dreams

Hanfu accessories, including buyao (swaying hairpins), jade pendants, and yingluo necklaces, are focal points. Materials like gold, jade, and kingfisher feathers, combined with techniques like cloisonné and filigree, elevate Hanfu’s elegance, making accessories a key element of traditional Chinese fashion.

14. Hanfu: A Timeless Legacy

Hanfu is more than clothing—it’s a cultural narrative. Beautiful in its garments, accessories, and demeanor, Hanfu connects ancient traditions with modern allure. Seen in artifacts, murals, and poetry, it embodies the enduring vitality of Chinese culture. In 2025, Hanfu remains a stunning symbol of heritage, inspiring global fashion trends. For styling tips, check Vogue’s guide to traditional fashion.