Exploring How Hanfu Combines with the Winter Olympics
The 2025 Beijing Winter Olympics is a stage for thrilling ice and snow sports, but it’s also spotlighting Hanfu Winter Olympics fusion, where Chinese traditional clothing meets athletic dynamism. A viral video of a girl skiing in crane-embroidered Hanfu on Aletai’s snowfield captivated netizens, with some calling it “ice and snow kung fu.” This Hanfu sports fusion, blending Chinese cultural heritage with Guofeng aesthetics, is redefining winter sports. Here are five ways Hanfu is making waves at the Winter Olympics!
Hanfu enthusiasts open a window to Chinese cultural heritage. To delve deeper into the symbolism behind these exquisite designs, explore our comprehensive guide: 《Guide to Traditional Chinese Clothing – Hanfu》
Hanfu Winter Olympics: A Viral Sensation
Recently, a video of a girl wearing hanfu speeding across a snowfield went viral, stunning many netizens, with some foreign viewers commenting that she created a new martial arts style, “ice and snow kung fu.”
In fact, this girl is a sports blogger. At the time, she was wearing hanfu embroidered with cranes, skiing on the Aletai snowfield. The blue sky reflected her blue qun, and as she glided through the boundless white snow, the hem of her hanfu fluttered, the wind roaring, and the exquisite crane embroidery on her back seemed to flap its wings in flight. In that moment, Shen Yan resembled a fairy who wandered into the mortal world; it was as if all viewers, following the fairy’s gliding path, caught a fleeting glimpse of an enchanted, dreamlike scene.
Guofeng Aesthetics in Figure Skating
The micro-film series Guofeng Meets the Winter Olympics by Yangshipin and CGTN (source: https://news.cgtn.com/) pairs Hanfu with sports like figure skating. In Han-Tang Dance Meets Figure Skating, a skater in Hanfu evokes Qingnü, the frost goddess from Huainanzi (source: https://ctext.org/). Her flowing sleeves and faguan embody Guofeng aesthetics, transforming the ice into a stage for Chinese cultural heritage. This Hanfu sports fusion captivates global audiences with its timeless elegance.
Indeed, such attempts show us the greater possibilities of hanfu and a unique Eastern beauty. It can be “serene as a flower reflected in water, moving like a willow swaying in the breeze,” gentle and elegant; or it can be “purple blooms surpassing rouge, plain beauty unfurling in the wind,” bold and heroic, or “golden form and jade essence, striding like a tiger, soaring like a dragon,” freely galloping.
The series of micro-films Guofeng Meets the Winter Olympics, co-produced by Yangshipin and CGTN’s Global Sports, showcases winter Olympic sports like skating, skiing, ice hockey, and curling combined with hanfu, embracing athletic vigor with romantic ancient charm. For example, Han-Tang Dance Meets Figure Skating draws on the ancient Chinese legend of the “frost and snow goddess”
Qingnü, likening a gracefully dancing figure skater to Qingnü crossing time, descending to earth in splendid attire, her sleeves fluttering on the pristine ice. The Huainanzi states: “All insects hibernate, doors stay closed, and Qingnü emerges to bring frost and snow.” Accompanied by the悠悠 flute, the skater on ice seems to truly command frost and snow, scattering frost and snowflakes with broad sleeves, bringing hopes of warding off evil, cleansing disasters, and curing ailments.
Hanfu Sports Fusion on Ice Rinks
The addition of guofeng and hanfu brings a deep cultural resonance to the fluid beauty of figure skating, transcending millennia and stirring the soul. The exquisite faguan and elegant huafu manifest in form and transform the scene, allowing the world to feel this open and inclusive Eastern aesthetic.
Moreover, many hanfu enthusiasts have spontaneously joined ice and snow sports, their flowing hanfu becoming a vibrant highlight on skating rinks. Figures gliding freely on ice, graceful as startled swans or roaming dragons, are breathtakingly beautiful. In the IOI City Mall in Selangor, Malaysia, a Chinese girl in hanfu skated effortlessly on the rink. Her skating video sparked discussions on TikTok, racking up hundreds of thousands of views. Some overseas netizens asked whether this was Chinese or Korean clothing, and a hanfu enthusiast clarified that it was Chinese hanfu.
The blogger chose to create short videos to pay tribute to the Winter Olympics. The work I, Handao, Declare You the Best fulfilled everyone’s martial arts dream, filmed in January at an average temperature of -18°C, yet it set everyone’s hearts ablaze. In boundless white snow, two swordsmen wearing douli, one in black and one in white, crisscrossed paths. Netizens commented: “It makes me want to hit the slopes right now! Foreigners will think all Chinese know martial arts!” Frame by frame, the scenes resemble ink-wash paintings, brimming with the vitality of wielding swords and galloping through the martial world, while the video team’s meticulous effort and perseverance in overcoming challenges paid homage to the Olympic spirit.
Bridging Tradition and Modernity
Hanfu Winter Olympics fusion bridges Chinese traditional clothing with modern sports, invigorating Hanfu sports fusion. From skating rinks to viral videos, Hanfu enthusiasts open a window to Chinese cultural heritage, as noted in CGTN reports. By blending Guofeng aesthetics with ice and snow sports, they celebrate the Olympics while showcasing Hanfu’s dynamic beauty. Share your favorite Hanfu Winter Olympics moment in the comments and join this vibrant celebration of Chinese cultural heritage!
This vibrant celebration of Hanfu sports fusion mirrors its global rise – discover how Hanfu captivates hearts worldwide in 《Hanfu Culture’s Global Rise: 5 Ways It Shines》
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