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lilacs in forbidden city by smileglory

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芥子园jieziyuan, nanjing, jiangsu province by 云中·微博

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willows in spring in suzhou, shajiabin沙家滨 by 枫红叶落999

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西湖xihu/west lake, hangzhou, zhejiang province

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Hi, weird question but i noticed that a lot of buddhist-themed hanfu don't really seem to resemble 'normal' hanfu? Like for example, chinese depictions of feitian (apsaras) often show them in pants and bandeaus that show indian influences. Is that still considered hanfu, or is there a different chinese term for that kind of clothing?

Hi! Thanks for the question! No it is not a weird question. 

“Feitian” like above are often based on the aesthetic of Dunhuang murals. 

隋 莫高窟401窟 北壁龛顶 Feitian mural from Sui dynasty

I wouldn’t consider them hanfu. It could be called 影楼/Yǐnglóu (”photography studio”) because they only existed in studio shots, but  影楼 have a derogatory sense among hanfu wearers… Perhaps 古装/Gǔzhuāng (”ancient costume”) or 表演服/Biǎoyǎn fú (”performance clothing”) as dancers also wear something like this. Sometimes I saw the word 神仙装Shénxiān zhuāng （”costumes of the immortals”) was used.

Hanfu inspired by feitian usually consists of U-shape collar half-sleeve set (complete with pibo) such as the one below by  裳宫语汉服店.

(反弹琵琶 Playing pipa behind one’s back is a must have pose.)

Additional reading:

敦煌壁画中＂飞天＂到底是何方神圣? This is a post in Chinese that introduced different depictions of feitian from Sui Dynasty to Yuan Dynasty.

Ziseviolet’s feitian tag

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What exactly does Dunhuang style mean?

Hi, thanks for the question! (x)

Dunhuang/敦煌 style refers to the art, fashion, and culture depicted in the Dunhuang Murals/敦煌壁画 of China, which are located in the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, Gansu Province. From the 4th to 14th century, the caves were constructed by Buddhist monks to serve as shrines with funds from donors. These caves were elaborately painted, the cave paintings and architecture serving as aids to meditation, visual representations of the quest for enlightenment, and teaching tools for Buddhist beliefs and stories. The major caves were sponsored by patrons such as important clergy, local ruling elite, foreign dignitaries, as well as Chinese emperors (x). Below - painting from the Dunhuang Murals (x):

Dunhuang-style (敦煌风) hanfu refers to hanfu that is recreated from, based on, and/or inspired by the Dunhuang Murals. Inspiration is typically derived from two types of figures depicted in the paintings: cave patrons/donors & Feitian (apsaras).

The Dunhuang Murals depict many patrons & donors of the caves, people of high standing in society dressed in elaborate garments. You can see many hanfu recreations of the patrons in my dunhuang tag. The photo at the top of this post is a recreation of a patron. Additional examples below (1, 2, 3, 4):

The second major source of inspiration for Dunhuang-style hanfu is Feitian/飞天. Feitian is the Chinese word for apsara, which are beautiful flying celestials in Buddhism, skilled in music and dance. It is estimated that there are more than 4,500 flying apsaras painted in the 270 plus Mogao Caves. Below - depictions of Feitian in Dunhuang Murals (x):

The Feitian in the paintings aren’t depicted wearing historical Chinese hanfu, but rather non-realistic fantastical garments common in Buddhist art. Thus, Feitian-style hanfu is not, strictly speaking, recreating the clothing of Feitian, but rather imitating it using hanfu garments. Feitian-style hanfu typically consists of u-collar, half-sleeve, Tang dynasty-style sets. Below - hanfu based on the Feitian aesthetic (1, 2):

This particular hanfu outfit below has been tucked & draped in a non-traditional way to resemble Feitian clothing (x):

Now there is also a relatively new trend of recreating Feitian costumes closer to how they are depicted in the Murals. These costumes typically consist of items like bandeaus, pants, and scarves that are influenced by Indian clothing (which makes sense since Buddhism and apsaras came to China from India). Recently, it has become popular to have Feitian-themed photoshoots wearing such costumes. Below - examples of Feitian costumes (1, 2, 3):

Note that Dunhuang-style Feitian costumes are not considered hanfu. They are in their own separate category, and are typically referred to as “Dunhuang Feitian Costume” (敦煌飞天服), or just “Feitian Costume” for short. They are usually only worn for dance, performances, or photoshoots. Nonetheless, like hanfu, they are a part of the broader trend of interest in historical & traditional fashion in China. Below - Left: Feitian-style hanfu, Right: Feitian costume (x):

For more information and visual references, please check out my Dunhuang & Feitian tags, as well as the following posts: 

@fouryearsofshades has two informative posts on Dunhuang/Feitian-style clothing here & here.

@siumerghe has a detailed post on the Dunhuang Murals here, as well as several posts on recreations of patrons’ clothing: 1, 2, 3, 4.

Hope this helps!

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Family ⚖️🪴🍃

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feitian飞天 of dunhuang by 超不可爱小朋友

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Hi there, I am wondering what the difference between pifeng and daxiushan is please? structurally it looks so similar? And what fabric is usually used to make pifeng? Thank yoU!

Hi,

Thanks for the questions.

The most visible difference between pifeng and daxiushan is the collar. Pifeng have a half-collar (only reaching somewhere around the bottom of the chest) while daxiushan have a full-collar (as long as the clothing). 

Pifeng are usually fasten with metallic buttons while daxiushan usually worn without any fastening (or with a pair of ties made with the same fabric as the main body of daxiushan).   

Pifeng goes with other Ming-style pieces while Daxiushan goes with Tang-style pieces. 

Pifeng usually are made with stiffer fabric than daxiushan to have a more structured shape. (I did see pifeng made with translucent and soft fabric, but that was eight years ago.)  The choice of fabric depends on the weather. In the winter there are pifeng made with wool and some even comes with down lining, while in the summer there are silk pifeng.

Pifeng is strictly casual wear. Daxiushan is generally casual, but it could be styled into something more formal.

There also are Song-style daxiushan, which the back of the clothing is usually longer than the front. It was an inheritance from late-Tang/post-Tang style daxiushan, which also styled in this way. (The drawing below is part of a hanging scroll of a bodhisattva (Avalokiteśvara or Kṣitigarbha) leading an elegant lady 晚唐五代引路菩萨绢画 excavated from Dunhuang no. 98 敦煌藏经洞 98窟 . I saw it in the British Museum but I could not find it in the online collection).

 Song-style daxiushan could be styled into formal wear.

Other related posts:

Differences between daxiushan and beizi

Differences between daxiushan, beizi, and dachang

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Hello! Do you happen to have a master post of all of your asks/posts anywhere? Just to help me navigate! ^^

Hi, thanks for the question! (Image via duitang)

For all my own posts, please see my China tag (that’s the tag I use for my original posts).For navigation via tags, my Tags page has links to common & useful tags on my blog. I’ll be updating the Tags page and this Masterpost as needed ^^.

Ziseviolet’s Replies Masterpost, Part 1 (Part 2):

Hanfu Terms:

What is Hanfu?

Guide to the different types of Hanfu

Hanfu names

Difference between Hanfu & Huafu

My favorite Hanfu style - Part 2

Top 10 most popular Hanfu styles of 2018

Unisex Hanfu

Formal Hanfu

Difference between Ru & Shan

Banbi (half-sleeve jacket)

Bijia (sleeveless jacket)

Zhaojia (men’s Bijia)

Difference between Bijia & Banbi

Daxiushan (large-sleeve robe) - Pt 2

Difference b/w Beizi/Daxiushan/Dachang

Yuanlingpao (round-collar robe) - Pt 2 / 3

Difference b/w Tang & Ming Yuanlingpao

Hezi (chest undergarment accessory)

Weichang (short outer skirt)

Doupeng (cloak/cape)

Parallel/straight collars

U-collars (Tanling)

Aoqun & Pipa Xiu (pipa sleeves)

Jian Xiu (arrow sleeves)

Winter Hanfu - Part 1, Part 2

Casual/adventurer type Hanfu (Shuhe)

Hanfu sleepwear

Mourning Hanfu (Sangfu)

Burial Hanfu (Shouyi)

Waist-high Ruqun from Wei/Jin dynasties

Identifying Hanfu in a photoset

Chinese armor

What does Dunhuang style mean?

Hanfu History:

Did Hanfu exist after the Han dynasty

Comparison/charts of Hanfu from different dynasties

“Left-over-right” rule of crossed-collar Hanfu - Pt 2, Pt 3

Children’s Hanfu - Part 1, Part 2

What type of Hanfu would old women wear

Hanfu for empress/noblewoman

What type of Hanfu did maids wear

Commoner’s Hanfu - Part 2

Poor people’s Hanfu

Hanfu and cleavage - Part 2

Qin dynasty Hanfu

Han dynasty Ruqun & footwear

Three Kingdoms period Hanfu

Northern & Southern dynasties Hanfu

What Mulan would’ve worn

Tang dynasty emperor’s Hanfu

Hanfu robes with just one shoulder

Was Daxiushan restricted to royal ladies

What Hanfu did people wear in winter

Song dynasty Hanfu styles

Ming dynasty skirts

Ming dynasty summer Hanfu

Yuan/Qing dynasty Hanfu - Part 1, Part 2

Symbolism of Orange-Red and Turquoise color combination

Differences b/w contemporary & historical Hanfu

How Han women managed periods/menstrual belts

How women used toilets while wearing Hanfu

Books & magazines on Hanfu - Pt 2, Pt 3

Wedding Hanfu:

What are the colors of wedding Hanfu?

Wedding Hanfu recs

Pictures of wedding Hanfu

Wedding Hanfu accessories

Manchurian vs Han wedding attire

Why couples both wear red even when it’s not the traditional color for certain styles

Modified Hanfu, Hanyuansu, Mix & Match:

Incorporating Hanfu styles in a modern way 

Combining Hanfu & modern styles

Modified Hanfu shops recs - Pt 2

Men’s modified Hanfu shops recs

Websites that sell modified Hanfu

Where to buy modified Hanfu

Modified Hanfu shops in the West

Identifying Chi Xia’s modified Hanfu

The term “modernized Hanfu”

Hanfu Accessories:

Pibo (long scarf) 

Tuanshan (rigid fan) - Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 3, Pt 4

Difference b/w Tuanshan & Folding fan

Jinbu (waist ornament) - Part 2

Hebao (purse) - Part 2

My tag for Chinese hats/headgear

Weimao (veiled hat) - Part 1, Part 2

Weimao (veiled hat) Taobao Recs

Tiger hats

Douli (conical hat)

Yingluo & Xiangquan (necklaces) - Pt 2

Traditional Chinese earrings

Meaning & History of Jade

Bangshoudai (hand wraps) & Huwan (wrist guards) - Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 3, Pt 4

Panbo (strings to tie up sleeves)

Miansha & Mianlian (Veils) - Part 2

Nail guards - Part 2

Hanfu Shoes

Hanfu boots (xue)

Hu Ban (ritual tablet)

Eyemasks & Masks

Hanfu Hair Accessories:

Names of Chinese hair ornaments

Shop recs for hair accessories

Hanfu hair accessories

Fabric flower hairpins for Hanfu

Ronghua (velvet flowers) - buy & make

Hair accessories for fine hair

Phoenix crowns (Fengguan)

Lotus crowns

Miao silver hair accessories - Pt 1, Pt 2

Huasheng (forehead ornament)

Hairpin styling question

Fasheng (hair rope) & fakou (hair buckle)

My tag for Chinese hats/headgear

Jewelry boxes for hair accessories

Hanfu Hairstyles:

Hanfu hairstyle tutorials

Traditional hairstyles

My favorite hairstyle

Pre coming-of-age ceremony hairstyles for Han girls

Double bun hairstyles

Looped hairstyles in “The Empress of China”

Tang dynasty pinned peony hairstyle

Ming dynasty hairstyles

Dynasty with long loose hairstyle

Did ancient Chinese people have bangs

Half-up half-down hairstyles - Part 2

Short hair and Hanfu

Simple hairstyles for shoulder-length hair

Makeup:

Huadian (forehead decoration) - Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 3, Pt 4, Pt 5

Did men wear Huadian

Traditional Chinese makeup ingredients

Tang dynasty lip makeup

What makeup is used to replicate traditional makeup styles

Men’s Hanfu:

Hanfu styles for men

Men’s formal Hanfu

Types of men’s Hanfu

Resources for men’s historical hanfu styles

Pictures of men’s Hanfu

Dachang (open-fronted robe)

Zhiduo vs Daopao

Yesa/Yisan vs Tieli

Yichang vs Yesa/Yisan

Men’s Hanfu blog recs

Men’s Headwear/Hairstyles:

Historical hairstyles for men

Did men wear ponytails

Men’s hair accessories

Where to buy Xiao Guan

Men’s hairstyles & Guan

Guan (headdress) - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Guan & Mianguan

How bald men put up hair with a Guan

Fangjin (four-cornered flat cap)

Hanfu Undergarments:

Hanfu undergarments guide - Pt 2, Pt 3

Children’s Hanfu undergarments 

Hanfu petticoats - Part 1, Part 2

Emperor’s undergarment for Mianfu

Dudou (chest undergarment)

Lower body Neiyi (underwear)

Zhongyi & Neiyi

Wearing Hanfu:

Tutorials on wearing Hanfu

How to put together a Hanfu outfit

Mixing hanfu from different dynasties

Plus-sized Hanfu - Part 1, Part 2

Girl wearing men’s Hanfu

Wearing Hanfu made for a gender you are not part of

Chest-high Ruqun for big-chested figures

Chest-high Ruqun skirt slippage

Is Hanfu hard to wear/sew

Is Hanfu comfortable to wear

Are chest-high styles restrictive for the chest - Part 1, Part 2

Hanfu renting/dressing up

Photo studios for renting Hanfu and taking pictures in Shanghai

Do people in China still wear Hanfu - Pt 2

Events in present-day China where people wear Hanfu

Making Hanfu:

Resources for sewing Hanfu - Pt 1, Pt 2

Hanfu sewing patterns - Pt 1, Pt 2

Buying Hanfu sewing patterns

Making Hanfu by hand - Part 2

Making Chest-high Ruqun

Making Hanfu with patterned cloth

Using shiny brocade fabric

Young people learning to sew Hanfu

Buying Hanfu & Hanfu Accessories, Part 1 (Part 2 in Pt.2 of Masterpost):

My recs for places to buy Hanfu

Where to buy Hanfu & Chinese hair accessories  - Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 3

Recs for non-Taobao Hanfu shops

Hanfu clothing stores outside of mainland China

Recs for places to buy hanfu accessories that aren’t based in China or have an English website

How to buy Hanfu on Taobao

International shipping on Taobao

Using a Taobao agent

Posts with links to where to buy Hanfu

Buying Hanfu in US/Washington DC

Hanfu shops in Shanghai

Where to buy Hanfu in Hong Kong

Hanfu shops in Singapore

How to distinguish b/w authentic & knockoff hanfu

Recs for colorful & flowy Hanfu

How to search for large-sleeved crossed-collar Ruqun on Taobao

Taobao shops that regularly carry larger sizes for men’s Hanfu  

Shops that sell Hanfu w/natural fabrics

Where to find Hanfu for pageants

Hanfu from Aliexpress with right side over left

Hanfu brand Qinghuige’s Taobao page

***Hanfu in films/dramas/animations is in Pt 2 of Masterpost!*** 

***Hanfu revival movement is in Pt 2 of Masterpost!***

***Comparison with kimono & hanbok is in Pt 2 of Masterpost!***

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Yin Zheng’s weibo update to celebrate the 2-year anniversary of Winter Begonia on March 20, 2022 (x)

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Xuan Lu in hanfu + tuanshan for her 33 birthday

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拙政园zhuozhengyuan, suzhou, jiangsu 

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伫倚危楼风细细。望极春愁，黯黯生天际。草色烟光残照里。无言谁会凭阑意。拟把疏狂图一醉。对酒当歌，强乐还无味。衣带渐宽终不悔。为伊消得人憔悴。

@脸大装不下嗯嗯  

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Greek Mythology | The Lovers Part 1 & 2

prints!!

i’m actually proud of these!! so far i’ve done greek mythology goddesses and lovers… i want to continue this series so let me know if you have any suggestions of what to do next!