Hanfu revival: Chinese youth embrace ancient Han clothing

Over one million young Chinese have adopted the hanfu, a flowing robe with wide sleeves inspired by traditional Han attire dating back millennia. The trend began in the early 2000s when a high school student in Pingliang, Gansu province, started wearing the long tunic regularly. Gansu hosts a Han cultural association that spread rapidly across China. Radical participants claim the hanfu was suppressed by Manchu warriors who conquered China from the north and ruled as Qing emperors from 1644 to 1911, showing repulsion for the tight Qipao and high-collared Manchu jackets. The annual Xitang Hanfu Cultural Festival, held 90 kilometers east of Shanghai, features fans wearing hanfu in various styles, including white and black combinations with sneakers, though purists argue these colors belong to the Ming dynasty. More accurate versions include lilac and white embroidered with blue clouds from the Jin dynasty. Hundreds of variants exist, sold on sites like Holoong and eBay. At the festival, Starbucks baristas wear robes, and participants engage in photography, flute playing, and archery. The hanfu encompasses all forms of clothing worn by Han over 5,000 years, but purists insist on a narrower tradition ending with the Ming dynasty in the mid-17th century.