Hanfu Through the Ages: A Brief Overview of How Fashion Evolved in Ancient China

A timeline of women's clothing from the Qin Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty.

What is Hanfu?

Hanfu (汉服) is the traditional clothing of China’s dominant ethnic group, the Han (汉族). Nowadays, it refers to the various styles worn by the Han Chinese people over China’s millenia-long history, excluding the Qing Dynasty. (See my article “Is Qing Dynasty Clothing Hanfu?” for more information on why that is the case.)

Hanfu styles changed dramatically throughout the course of Chinese history, from the simple robes of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, to the bold colors and elaborate designs of the Tang Dynasty, to the austere, pleated skirts of the Ming Dynasty. However, the broad strokes of this fashion style stayed relatively similar.

At its inception during the Shang Dynasty (1600 – 1046 BC), hanfu consisted of a simple, two-piece structure, not unlike modern clothes today—a cross-collar top, the yi (衣), and a skirt wrapped around it, the chang (裳). Combined, this was known as the yichang (衣裳), and both men and women wore this style. By the Zhou Dynasty (1046 – 256 BC), the defining ‘right over left’ rule of hanfu had been codified: cross-collar tops had to be tied ‘right over left’. The collars of hanfu must form a Y-shape when viewed from the front, a style known as jiaoling youren (交领右衽).

A diagram of a hanfu inner garment.

This custom likely originated for practical reasons, as right-handed people find it easier to place their left lapel over their right lapel. However, cultural reasons may have also played a role, since many ethnic groups in the Han Chinese people’s vicinity wore their clothes in the ‘left over right’ style and the Han Chinese wanted to distinguish themselves from the people around them.

Hanfu also consists of various types of headgear and hair accessories. Traditionally, Han Chinese men would wear their hair in a topknot and cover it with a cap once they came of age. A soft cap made of fabric was called a jin (巾), while more formal types of headwear were called guan (冠). In general, though, guan can be used nowadays as a catch-all term for hanfu headgear.

Various types of guan. From left to right: xiaoguan, faguan, ruguan, wuguan.

On the other hand, women would use a single-pronged hairpin, or ji (髻), to tie their hair in a bun once they came of age. A similar type of hairpin, the zan (簪), was more elaborately decorated and often featured carvings of plants, animals, or traditional Chinese patterns. In the modern day, the terms fazan (发簪) and zanzi (簪子) are used interchangeably to refer to the zan. Another common type of hairpin was the chai (钗), which had two prongs instead of the ji’s single one.

A zan that I wear with hanfu sometimes.

There are many, many more styles of headwear, but I’ll leave that for another day. Coming up next is Part 2, which talks about hanfu during the Zhou, Qin, and Han Dynasties!