Young people in Hong Kong integrate Hanfu into their daily lives: looking for traditional beauty in the modern city

With the rise of “national trend culture”, the niche culture of Hanfu has gradually entered the public eye. In Hong Kong, a group of young people who love Hanfu have formed the “Hanfu Hong Kong” association to promote Hanfu and traditional Chinese culture and integrate tradition into modern life.

Recently, in a teahouse with traditional Chinese characteristics in Lai Chi Kok, New Territories, the reporter interviewed the three people in charge of “Hanfu Hong Kong”: Yi Miao, Liu Nian and Chu Qing. They came wearing different styles of Hanfu, which was in sharp contrast to the busy modern city outside the window.

“Hanfu has now become a part of my life.” A girl born in the 1990s told reporters. She first came into contact with Hanfu in 2009. “When I watched costume dramas before, I felt that the costumes were very gorgeous. After I came into contact with Hanfu, I realized that these ‘ancient costumes’ are very different from the traditional Hanfu.” As her understanding continued to deepen, She discovered that Hanfu is not only gorgeous in appearance and exquisite in craftsmanship, but also has its own unique styles and combinations in different dynasties. It is a huge clothing system. During the interview, she wore a stand-up collared blouse with a horse-faced skirt, which is a type of Hanfu from the Ming Dynasty.

“Leading by example and promoting the integration of Hanfu into daily life” is the purpose of “Hanfu Hong Kong”. This association, which is mainly composed of young people, was registered and established in 2013. It is one of the earliest Hanfu associations in Hong Kong. It currently has more than 200 members, more than 90% of whom are Hong Kong locals. Yi Miao, foreign affairs chairman of “Hanfu Hong Kong”, said that before the establishment of the association, members were mainly active in major online forums, so they called each other by their nicknames on the forums, and this habit continues to this day.

Yi Miao said that when the association was first established, many Hong Kong citizens thought it was a “fancy dress”, and there were many who were mistaken for Hanbok or kimono. With the popularity of Hanfu culture, this situation has greatly changed, and many “comrades” have begun to dare to travel in Hanfu.

“Tongpao” is a term of mutual appellation among Hanfu enthusiasts, originating from the line “Qin Feng” in “The Book of Songs: Qin Feng”. After the establishment of the “Hanfu Hong Kong” society, “comrades” are encouraged to travel in Hanfu during important festivals. For example, around November 22 every year, around the “Hanfu Travel Day”, associations will hold relevant activities to show the charm of Hanfu to Hong Kong citizens. This year, they came to Song Wang Terrace in Kowloon City District. The gorgeous traditional costumes aroused the interest of the public, who came to take photos and group photos.

Starting in 2018, “Hanfu Hong Kong” has gradually expanded into other fields. For example, members will give lectures in various schools to explain clothing shapes, etiquette and dressing skills to students, or use Hanfu as a clue to explain to students Chinese history and traditional culture. Yi Miao said that the club has now conducted relevant lectures in primary and secondary schools in 18 districts in Hong Kong, and many students will ask themselves how to join the club after the activities.

She said that, especially in the past five or six years, as the channels for contacting and purchasing Hanfu have gradually increased, more and more teenage members have joined, and the club has become more “younger”.

Chu Qing, a “post-00s” girl, only started to get into Hanfu around 2018. On the day of the interview, she was wearing a short jacket with a stand-up collar and a horse-faced skirt. She introduced the design details of Hanfu to reporters: many Hanfu have a straight seam in the middle of the back, which is called the “middle seam.” In addition to being used as “upright clothes and hats”, it also fits the human spine, implying that a person must be upright.

Chu Qing told reporters that in addition to traditional Hanfu, she also mixes Hanfu with modern clothing in her daily life to create a unique matching style, such as wearing a cross-collar top with jeans. In her view, as an international city, Hong Kong’s citizens are tolerant of different cultures, and the same goes for clothing culture. “This mix of ‘Chinese and Western’ styles can just reflect the characteristics of Hong Kong’s multicultural intersection,” Chu Qing said.

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