"Fever" of ancient costumes among Chinese youth
Hanfu includes clothing worn during several periods of Chinese history. The most popular styles were during the Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties. Hanfu clothing typically consists of a brightly colored robe and a skirt with intricate embroidery.
In recent years, according to SCMP, Chinese people tend to wear hanfu style costumes popular on the streets, especially in big cities of China. More and more teenagers are turning to wearing the costume as a fashion statement and cultural identity of mainland China.
Hanfu carries the cultural identity of the Chinese people.
"Only when people are truly interested will more people want to learn about hanfu and have a better understanding of history," the Chinese government has been promoting people's stronger sense of national identity and inspiring cultural confidence in recent years, hanfu has become a visual symbol of China's Hanfu revival movement.
Thanks to the influence of ancient costume dramas, young people in the country of a billion people not only wear this gorgeous and beautiful fashion at cosplay festivals or cultural events but also apply it in daily life. There is even a day called Chinese Traditional Costume Day, which was first held in April 2018.
Hanfu, the classical costume of the Han people that has existed for thousands of years, has gradually returned to life in many different forms.
During the Spring Festival, the surge in Hanfu searches and purchases clearly reflected this trend. According to data from the online shopping website Taobao, the number of searches and purchases for modern Hanfu and Song Dynasty brocade increased by 683% and 2,058% respectively in a short period of time. This sudden increase shows that not only young people but also other groups are gradually being attracted by the uniqueness and sophistication of traditional costumes.
The attraction of ancient costumes
In an interview conducted by Reuters, a 27-year-old Hanfu follower named Li Doudou said: "When I wear Hanfu, I feel like the most beautiful woman in the world." CGTN - China's English-language news channel also made a video report about this Hanfu trend.
This not only stems from taking beautiful photos or preserving personal memories, but also shows respect and the desire to preserve traditional cultural values of young people.
An elderly person said that this is the culture of their ancestors, so wearing them is not strange or different. Not only that, many people wearing Hanfu also said that when they wear this ancient costume, they feel like they are temporarily away from the noise and bustle of modern life to live more slowly.
Typically, a Hanfu set costs between 300 yuan and 500 yuan (1-1.6 million VND). Fashion lovers have even spent up to 80,000 yuan (267 million VND) on more than 240 outfits in the past nine years, with the most expensive outfit costing 6,000 yuan (20 million VND).
Hanfu is not just a passing fad but has become part of the identity of modern Chinese youth.
Along with the strong growth of the economy, analysts say the boom in traditional Han Chinese costumes will boost the development of cultural tourism in the country.
Notably, last year the Communist Youth League of China called on all citizens to share photos of themselves wearing ethnic costumes on social media during the National Day holiday. This call was not only to encourage national pride but also as a strategy to promote culture to the world. This is completely in line with President Xi Jinping's policy of bringing traditional cultural values across the border.
The tourism and photography industries in China are benefiting greatly from this trend. Museums, ancient towns, manor houses, and traditional gardens are always crowded thanks to the influx of visitors wearing Hanfu. Not only creating a rich tourism experience, professional photography services at these destinations are also developing strongly. Owning artistic photos in ancient costumes at historical sites has become a popular trend, especially during the holidays.
This trend not only has a positive impact on the tourism and photography industries but also contributes greatly to preserving and promoting traditional Chinese culture.
Hanfu has gone beyond its traditional function as clothing to become a powerful cultural symbol, connecting the past with the present. For many young people, wearing Hanfu is not only a fashion statement but also a way to recreate and preserve the spiritual values of their ancestors. For that reason, Hanfu not only has cultural value but also provides an insight into Chinese history and culture.
