Discover China: Traditional Han clothing makes a comeback

KUNMING -- Putting up her hair in a bun adorned with an elaborate hairpin and wearing a long gown with embroidery and loose sleeves, 19-year-old Chen Xi might be mistaken for a time traveler from centuries ago if not for her face mask and cellphone.

The sophomore of Yunnan Normal University fell in love with hanfu, a type of traditional clothing of the Han ethnic group, when she was 13, and now she stores more than 20 hanfu outfits in her wardrobe.

"I was drawn by the beauty of hanfu in costume dramas at the very beginning. They looked fairy-like, and I really liked it," she said. "Entranced by this special garment, many young Chinese like me become more interested in traditional Chinese culture, customs and music."

Chen is by no means alone in venerating the traditional Chinese attire. In 2018, the number of hanfu fans reached 2.04 million, up 72.9 percent year on year, according to a report on China's hanfu industry released by iiMedia Research, a Chinese consulting agency.

A few years earlier, whenever Chen put on hanfu and walked on the street, passers-by gave her weird looks. Now things are different. Hanfu has seen a growing and more visible presence in the daily life of China.

If you walk through the streets and parks in cities such as Hangzhou or Kunming, you may chance upon an individual dressed in the sweeping ropes, crossed collars and wide sleeves of hanfu. Dressed in this way, they aim to keep the apparel and the rich culture behind it alive.

In late 2019, a survey released by China Youth Daily showed that around 65.4 percent of the 2,001 respondents are fans of hanfu, while about 44 percent have worn such clothing in the past.

A total of 65 percent of the surveyed across the country felt that there were more people wearing hanfu at parks, scenic spots and even on the streets, and 64.5 percent believed the growing popularity of hanfu aroused the interest of more people.

Liu Dan, 43, put on his first hanfu suit and stepped out onto the street in 2006 when he returned from overseas to Kunming, the capital city of Southwest China's Yunnan province.

He said the hanfu craze started in the early 2000s on online forums and websites, but now the fashion has jumped out of the screen and onto the streets.

In 2007, Liu, with an educational background in software engineering, founded the Yunnan Hanfu Association.

The number of hanfu enthusiasts in the association has grown from fewer than 10 to more than 10,000. Each weekend, they meet up for themed activities. Amid the COVID-19 epidemic, Liu has moved these cultural activities online.

Liu's passion for hanfu carries into his career. He opened a store to sell self-designed hanfu accessories and headwear. His second hanfu store is expected to open this year. The outfits in his store cost from 60 yuan (about $8.5) to over 1,000, depending on the style and quality.

Many companies have cashed in on the upsurge in hanfu popularity. E-commerce giant Alibaba and livestreaming platform Huya both have launched apps to engage hanfu fans and thereby nurture online shopping sales.

Experts believe the resurgence of hanfu, like traditional songs and poems, is part of a larger trend to prize tradition, as the increasingly wealthy and modernized Chinese society sets off to reconnect with its cultural roots.

This view is echoed by Chen Xiaoye, a 27-year-old tea art specialist and a diehard supporter of hanfu, and other traditional cultural elements such as embroidery and "guqin," an ancient seven-stringed zither.

"Wearing hanfu is more than just an expression of aesthetic taste," said Chen, adding that "its popularity is a sign of the growing openness and inclusiveness of society."

Chen's girlfriend is also a hanfu enthusiast. "When we marry, we will choose a hanfu-style wedding," he said.