Feature: Chinese traditional attire captivates enthusiasts in Taiwan

TAIPEI, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Warriors clad in black robes with long swords at their waists, scholars in flowing wide-sleeved garments, and ladies adorned in golden crowns and colorful skirts drew curious onlookers in the bustling Taipei downtown, with many pausing to take photos and ask, "Is this some kind of performance?"

The third weekend of November marked the annual Taiwan Hanfu Festival, a significant event for fans of traditional Chinese attire across the island.

Since its inception in 2020 with a gathering of about 100 Hanfu lovers, the festival has grown in scale and popularity, with 2024 marking its fifth edition. This year's festival featured not only a Hanfu parade but also a fair, a fashion show, and a Hanfu ambassador selection contest.

Zhong Min-hao has been involved since the first festival. On Saturday, due to the warmer weather, he chose a lightweight blue robe with lotus branch patterns. For Sunday's parade, aligning with this year's theme, he donned a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) royal costume, complete with a vermilion robe and a winged black crown.

"I currently own more than 50 sets of Hanfu, ranging from the Han, Tang and Song dynasties to the Ming Dynasty," Zhong said, while adding that his interest in Hanfu began because of a fascination with Chinese history and inspiration from period dramas.

"Initially, I just thought the clothes were beautiful, but after seeing many Hanfu bloggers sharing information on social media platforms, I became increasingly interested in the historical knowledge behind the attire, for instance, the meanings of the patterns and the distinctions between ceremonial and everyday wear."

Xu Ya-qing, newly elected ambassador for 2024 Taiwan Hanfu Festival, first got into Hanfu to emulate the graceful heroines of martial arts dramas. Over time, her understanding of the cultural heritage behind the clothing deepened.

"When I saw Japanese wearing the kimono and Koreans in the hanbok, I wondered what our traditional attire was," she reflected.

In her daily life, Xu often blends Hanfu with modern clothes, such as pairing T-shirts and shirts with traditional skirts. "When people see my mix-and-match outfits, they often ask out of curiosity, and I take the opportunity to tell them about Hanfu," she said.

Calling herself a "hairpin lady," Tsai Jing-ru set up a stall at the Hanfu festival's fair to showcase handcrafted hairpins created by her and her friends. The vibrant and diverse collection included hand-wrapped flower hairpins made using a traditional handicraft in Taiwan, silk flower hairpins from the mainland, and their own unique designs of glazed flower hairpins.

"Traditional hand-wrapped flowers are often used at weddings in Taiwan, mostly featuring red and gold colors and fixed shapes. We've used this old wrapping technique to create new floral designs with a wider range of colors, complementing the Hanfu attire," Tsai said. Her team of around ten regular members, along with occasional contributors, sell their creations online.

"The Hanfu trend is both a way for young people to express their unique style and a cultural awakening," said Tsai, who favors Ming Dynasty attire.

Tang Hua, owner of Xuntaiji Studio in the city of Tainan in southern Taiwan, traveled to Taipei specifically for the Hanfu festival, hoping to attract northern Hanfu enthusiasts to Tainan for photo shoots.

"Many people in Tainan are passionate about taking Hanfu photos, and the city's numerous ancient buildings and rural landscapes make it ideal for capturing a historical atmosphere," she said.

"The festival started when a few of us, meeting online, decided to wear Hanfu in the downtown one weekend, and we never imagined it would grow into such a large-scale event," recalled Lin Shi-min, one of the original initiators and organizers of the Taiwan Hanfu Festival.

This year, over 1,000 participants joined the parade, and the two-day fair attracted an estimated 30,000 visitors, Lin added.

Lin and Zhong recently attended a Hanfu cultural week in Xitang of east China's Zhejiang Province, where they observed that, while the Hanfu movement in Taiwan is primarily driven by personal passion, there is less commercial development and academic research compared to the situation on the mainland.

"In Taiwan, it's relatively easy to dress up beautifully in traditional attire for a photo shoot, but finding historically-accurate and well-reproduced Hanfu can be challenging," Zhong said.

Despite a later start, Hanfu culture in Taiwan is flourishing. Enthusiasts often showcase and introduce Hanfu during traditional festivals like Dragon Boat, Mid-Autumn and Chinese New Year, as well as during cultural events such as museum visits. More and more people are also incorporating Hanfu elements into their daily attire.

On his Facebook page, Zhong wrote, "Hanfu culture is not just about clothing. It's not simply ancient clothes or costumes, nor is it cosplay. It is a cultural legacy of a nation."