Young culture fans dress to impress

A group of young people wearing hanfu, the traditional clothing of the Han ethnic group, gathered at Donghua University in Shanghai in November to stage a series of performances.

The event, featuring ancient dancing and singing, was staged by two traditional culture clubs－Han Fu and Huayue－and was seen by scores of attentive students.

Deng Yujie, president of the university's hanfu club, who hosted the event, said nearly 30 students took part in the performances.

Deng added that in recent years, young people have become increasingly interested in activities to promote and display traditional culture.Such performances have had to be called off, however, because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The main features of hanfu include collars, upper garments in the style of a skirt, jade ornaments and a sash, according to Wen. Materials such as brocade and yarn, along with traditional craftwork, including embroidery, are also hallmarks of the attire.

"Recently, young people have a growing sense of cultural identity, while environmental improvements and better living conditions have given them a sense of superiority. They don't feel that wearing period clothing is unfashionable. Instead, they are proud to do so," Wen added.

What's more, Hanfu enthusiasts refer to themselves online as tongpao, which literally means wearing the same type of gown as a symbol of comradeship. Most tongpao love traditional culture and see the use of hanfu items as the most important symbol of the group's identity. They also attend hanfu festivals and travel while wearing the clothing.