Please can you explain the difference of meaning between hanfu and huafu ? Sorry if you already got the question
Hi, thanks for the question, and sorry for taking ages to reply! (hanfu photo via)
The term âhanfuâ (traditional Chinese: æŒąæ, simplified Chinese: æ±æ) literally means âHan clothingâ, and refers to the traditional clothing of the Han Chinese people. âHanâ (æŒą/æ±) here refers to the Han Chinese ethnic group (not the Han dynasty), and âfuâ (æ) means âclothingâ. As I explained in this post, the modern meaning of âhanfuâ is defined by the hanfu revival movement and community. As such, there is a lot of gatekeeping by the community around what is or isnât hanfu (based on historical circumstances, cultural influences, tailoring & construction, etc). This isnât a bad thing - in fact, I think gatekeeping to a certain extent is helpful and necessary when it comes to reviving and defining historical/traditional clothing. However, this also led to the need for a similarly short, catchy term that would include all Chinese clothing that didnât fit the modern definition of hanfu -- enter huafu.
The term âhuafuâ (traditional Chinese: èŻæ, simplified Chinese: ćæ) as it is used today has a broader definition than hanfu. âHuaâ (èŻ/ć) refers to the Chinese people (äžćæ°æ/zhonghua minzu), and again âfuâ (æ) means âclothingâ. It is an umbrella term for all clothing that is related to Chinese history and/or culture. Thus all hanfu is huafu, but not all huafu is hanfu. Below are examples of Chinese clothing that are generally not considered hanfu by the hanfu community for various reasons, but are considered huafu:
1. Most fashions that originated during the Qing dynasty (1644â1911), especially late Qing, including the Qing aoqun & aoku for women, and the Qing changshan and magua for men. I wrote about whether Qing dynasty clothing can be considered hanfu here. Tangzhuang, which is an updated form of the Qing magua popularized in 2001, can also fit into this category. Below - garments in the style of Han womenâs clothing during the Qing dynasty (æž
æ±ć„łèŁ
) fromÂ ç§Šç¶żèĄŁè (1, 2).
2. Fashions that originated during the Republican era/minguo (1912-1949), including the minguo aoqun & aoku and qipao/cheongsam for women, and the minguo changshan for men (the male equivalent of the womenâs qipao). I wrote about why qipao isnât considered hanfu here. Below - minguo aoqun (left) & qipao (right) from ćŹć§·.
Below - Xiangsheng (crosstalk) performers Zhang Yunlei (left) & Guo Qilin (right) in minguo-style menâs changshan (x). Changshan is also known as changpao and dagua.
3. Qungua/èŁè€ and xiuhefu/ç§çŠŸæ, two types of Chinese wedding garments for brides that are commonly worn today. Qungua originated in the 18th century during the Qing dynasty, and xiuhefu is a modern recreation of Qing wedding dress popularized in 2001 (x). Below - left: qungua (x), right: xiuhefu (x).
4. Modified hanfu (æčèŻæ±æ/gailiang hanfu) and hanyuansu/æ±ć
çŽ (hanfu-inspired fashion), which do not fit in the orthodox view of hanfu. Hanfu mixed with sartorial elements of other cultures also fit into this category (e.g. hanfu lolita). From the very start of the hanfu movement, thereâs been debate between hanfu âtraditionalistsâ and âreformistsâ, with most members being somewhere in the middle, and this discussion continues today. Below - hanyuansu outfits from ć·é» (left) and èżć±±äč (right).
5. Performance costumes, such as Chinese opera costumes (ææ/xifu) and Chinese dance costumes. These costumes may or may not be considered hanfu depending on the specific style. Dance costumes, in particular, may have non-traditional alterations to make the garment easier to dance in. Dunhuang-style feitian (apsara) costumes, which I wrote about here, can also fit into this category. Below - left: Chinese opera costume (x), right: Chinese dance costume (x).
6. Period drama costumes and fantasy costumes in popular media (live-action & animation, games, etc.), commonly referred to as guzhuang/ć€èŁ
 (lit. âancient costumesâ). Chinese period drama costumes are of course based on hanfu, and may be considered hanfu if they are historically accurate enough. However, as I wrote about here, a lot of the time there are stylistic inaccuracies (some accidental, some intentional) that have become popularized and standardized over time (though this does seem to be improving in recent years). This is especially prevalent in the wuxia and xianxia genres. Similarly, animated shows & games often have characters dressed in âfantasy hanfuâ that are essentially hanfu with stylistic modifications. Below - left: Princess Taiping in historical cdrama 性æćź«èŻ/Palace of Desire (x), right: Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji in wuxia/xianxia cdrama éæ
什/The Untamed (x).Â
7. Any clothing in general that purposefully utilizes Chinese style elements (embroidery, fabrics, patterns, motifs, etc). Chinese fashion brand Heaven Gaia is a well-known example of this. Below - Chinese-inspired designs by Heaven Gaia (x).
8. Technically, the clothing of Chinaâs ethnic minorities also fit under the broad definition of huafu, but itâs rarely ever used in this way.
From personal observation, the term âhuafuâ is mainly used in the following situations:
1. Some large-scale events to promote Chinese clothing, such as the annual âćææ„/Huafu Dayâ, will use âhuafuâ in their name for inclusivity.
2. For the same reason as above, Chinese clothing including hanfu will often be referred to as âhuafuâ on network television programs (ex: variety shows).
3. A few Chinese clothing shops on Taobao use âhuafuâ in their shop name. Two examples:
æéćæ/Mingjing Huafu - sells hanfu & hanyuansu.Â
è±ç„ćŠćæ/Huashenmiao Huafu - sells Qing dynasty-style clothing.
With the exception of the above, âhuafuâ is still very rarely used, especially compared to âhanfuâ. It has such a broad definition that itâs just not needed in situations for which a more precise term already exists. However, I do think itâs useful as a short catch-all term for Chinese clothing that isnât limited to the currently accepted definition of hanfu.
If anyone wants to add on or correct something, please feel free to do so! ^^Â
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