This summer, the number of inbound tourists has been increasing. In various scenic spots across China, many foreign tourists choose to wear Hanfu, becoming a new trend in inbound tourism. At the same time, the “Hanfu photo craze” has swept international social platforms, with more and more foreign tourists sharing their Hanfu experiences at ancient buildings and ancient town attractions across China on social media.
Which scenic spots are more suitable for wearing Hanfu?
In Suzhou’s Humble Administrator’s Garden, a Slavic young lady in a pink gauze ruqun (a type of Hanfu) walks across the zigzag bridge holding a round fan, forming a delightful contrast with the classical garden. In front of Xi’an’s Drum Tower, a British guy wears a black dragon-patterned robe and a golden silk winged hat, striking the “three-piece imperial pose”. Inside a teahouse in Shanghai’s Tianzifang, a French blogger covers half of his face with a folding fan, taking a set of “literati and refined scholar” photos and posting humorously. German blogger Wu Yuxiang takes Hanfu wedding photos with his parents. He prepares Ming-dynasty-style red wedding robes for them. When his mother puts on the Chinese phoenix crown and the gorgeous xiapei (a type of traditional clothing accessory), the guy exclaims, “Beauty knows no borders”.
Hanfu suitable for wearing in scenic spots
When it comes to foreign tourists coming to China to experience Hanfu photography and visit Chinese attractions, what are their favorite styles of Hanfu? Let’s explore them in detail.
The first popular Hanfu is the quju shenyi (a type of Hanfu) from the Qin and Han dynasties. The robe wraps around the body, and the hem spreads out like layers of clouds. It is mostly in serious black, showing the supreme dignity of status and the unique gorgeousness of one’s temperament. It is an extremely solemn formal dress. Foreign tourists put it on to experience a different kind of clothing aesthetics and explore a unique external beauty for themselves.
The second is the widely popular high-waisted ruqun from the Tang dynasty. As one of the highly representative Hanfu styles, it undoubtedly becomes a hot first choice for foreign tourists. The high-waisted ruqun lifts the skirt head above the chest line, reproducing the graceful demeanor of Tang dynasty ladies. The skirt sways with the wind. When paired with a silk belt and Tang-style 艳丽 makeup, it surprisingly matches foreign tourists perfectly without any sense of disharmony. Perhaps this is the modern manifestation of the Tang dynasty’s inclusive and open atmosphere of communication.
The third common Hanfu style is the Song dynasty’s beizi (a type of outer garment) with a pleated skirt. The beizi is made of light gauze, embroidered with exquisite patterns on the edges. The pleated skirt flutters freely when walking. The lightly made-up face seems to have some thoughts, showing a reserved, introverted, gentle and elegant temperament. Foreign tourists wearing it exclaim that they feel a different kind of gentleness and their mood calms down a lot.
The fourth popular style is the Ming-dynasty-style round-collar robe and mamianqun (a type of skirt). The former is neat and dignified, the latter has pleats like a fan. Both are embroidered with different exquisite patterns. Wearing Ming-dynasty Hanfu sets off the solemn and calm temperament of foreign tourists. The straightforward and reasonable Ming-dynasty Hanfu allows foreign tourists to experience a different aesthetic feeling.
Reasons why foreign tourists like to wear Hanfu
Nowadays, we often see foreign tourists wearing Hanfu when visiting various scenic spots. So, what makes many foreign tourists choose to travel in China in Hanfu?
First of all, based on the country’s cultural confidence, cultural inheritance, and the construction of cultural communication undertakings, many foreign tourists have encountered China’s ancient traditional culture overseas, been deeply attracted by Chinese culture, and want to have an immersive historical experience. Wearing Hanfu is one of the most direct ways to communicate with the culture, so as to truly feel the charm of Chinese culture, which is far beyond the description and impression of a paragraph of text or a few photos.
Secondly, with the popularity of short videos and the guidance of social media traffic, many foreign bloggers choose to come to China to directly promote and show the unique and charming Chinese culture to foreign friends. Affected by this, many foreign tourists are attracted to come. Coupled with China’s open, inclusive, convenient and safe tourism environment, a unique tourism stickiness is formed.
When foreign tourists visit in Hanfu, Hanfu is becoming a bridge between different cultures, connecting the cultural emotions of different countries and becoming a shared cultural language.
