Hanfu Beizi: A Thousand Years of Elegance and Charm
In the traditional Hanfu dressing system, there is an indispensable component. With a simple yet elegant style, it has traversed the long river of thousands of years, carrying rich historical and cultural connotations, and has become a classic garment that is widely loved and highly regarded in the Hanfu system. This is the Beizi. Today, let's take a closer look at its past and present. ###
The Historical Origin of Beizi
The origin of Beizi can be traced back to ancient times. According to relevant historical records, as early as the Sui and Tang dynasties, the prototype of Beizi had already emerged. At that time, the social economy was prosperous, cultural exchanges were frequent, and people's clothing styles became increasingly diverse. A kind of clothing similar to Beizi quietly emerged among the court and the noble class. Its shape was relatively simple, mostly with a front opening, a straight collar, a relatively short length, and slits on both sides. It was mainly used as casual wear or inner clothing, which was convenient for daily activities while still maintaining elegance.
In the Song Dynasty, Beizi reached its heyday and became clothing that was widely worn by people from the imperial family and nobles to commoners. During this period, the politics were relatively stable, the culture and art were highly developed, and Neo-Confucianism represented by Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi prevailed, which had a profound impact on people's aesthetic concepts and clothing styles. The styles of Beizi were further developed and improved during this period. Its shape became more standardized, the lines of the front opening were smoother and more natural, the length of the garment body increased, generally reaching around the knees. The slits on both sides were higher, and some were even close to the armpits, making it more convenient to move after wearing. Meanwhile, the collar, cuffs, and hem of Beizi were often decorated with exquisite edges. The materials and patterns of these edges were rich and diverse, including silk, brocade and other materials, embroidered with flowers, birds, animals, geometric patterns, etc., adding a touch of delicacy and magnificence to Beizi.
In the painting works of the Song Dynasty, we can frequently see the figure of Beizi. For example, in Zhang Zeduan's "Along the River During the Qingming Festival", many scenes of the lives of common people in the marketplace were depicted. Many women in it were wearing Beizi, either strolling on the street or busy in the shops, showing the wide application of Beizi in daily life. In some court paintings, such as "The Literary Gathering" by Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Ji, the Beizi worn by court ladies were more magnificent and delicate, made of high-quality materials and elaborately decorated, highlighting the nobility and elegance of court clothing. These painting works not only provided precious visual materials for us to understand the styles and wearing ways of Beizi in the Song Dynasty but also vividly reflected the social features and cultural atmosphere at that time.
With the changes of history, during the Yuan Dynasty, due to the Mongolian rule over the Central Plains, the clothing culture was impacted and integrated to some extent. Beizi still existed during this period, but there were slight changes in its shape and style. It absorbed some elements of Mongolian clothing, such as the design of the collar became more diversified, and the materials of the garment body might also use some fabrics with northern characteristics.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the overall development of Hanfu was restricted to some extent, but Beizi still maintained a certain vitality among the people. The Beizi in the Ming Dynasty had some new changes on the basis of inheriting the style of the Song Dynasty. The front opening of its collar became wider, forming a unique "厂" -shaped collar. The length of the garment body was shortened, and the overall style was more concise and lively. In the early Qing Dynasty, Manchu clothing dominated, but in some areas inhabited by the Han people, Beizi was still worn by people, only the wearing occasions and matching methods had changed.
The Shape Characteristics of Beizi
The shape of Beizi is unique and has distinct characteristics. It is usually with a front opening, with the left and right fronts facing each other and fastened in the middle with ties or buttons. This design of the front opening is simple and elegant, convenient to wear, and can also show the wearer's dignity and elegance. The straight collar is another important feature of Beizi. The lines of the straight collar are simple and smooth, extending from the neckline to the chest, which can modify the neck lines and give people a slender and elegant feeling.
The length of the garment body can be long or short. Long Beizi usually reaches below the knees or even to the ankles. After wearing, it looks elegant and free, with an otherworldly temperament, and is suitable for formal occasions or more solemn activities. Short Beizi is mostly above the knees, which is more convenient for movement and has a more lively and playful style. It is often used as daily casual wear. The slits on both sides are one of the标志性 characteristics of Beizi. The heights of the slits are different. Some start from below the waist, and some are close to the armpits. The design of the slits not only increases the flexibility of Beizi, making the wearer move more freely when walking or doing activities, but also can show the graceful posture of the garment hem fluttering with the wind, adding a touch of lightness and beauty.
In terms of material selection, ancient Beizi mostly used natural fabrics such as silk, cotton cloth, and linen. The Beizi made of silk is soft and smooth in texture, with high gloss and good drapability. It looks noble and magnificent after wearing and is often used in court clothing or worn by noble women. The Beizi made of cotton cloth is softer and more comfortable, with good air permeability, suitable for daily wear and deeply loved by ordinary people. The Beizi made of linen is relatively simple and has a natural texture, reflecting the ancients' pursuit of a simple and natural life.
The decorative techniques of Beizi are rich and diverse. The collar, cuffs, and hem are often carefully decorated. The most common decoration for the collar is the edge. The materials and colors of the edge match with the garment body. Some use fabrics of the same material as the garment body but with slightly different colors to form a sense of hierarchy. Some choose silk, brocade and other materials with better quality and more exquisite patterns as the edge, such as embroidered with beautiful flower patterns, delicate geometric patterns or auspicious characters, etc., to increase the delicacy and decorativeness of the collar. The decoration of the cuffs is also ingenious. There are commonly narrow sleeves, wide sleeves and long sleeves. Narrow sleeves are simple and neat, suitable for daily activities. Wide sleeves are more magnificent and elegant, and are often decorated with gorgeous embroidery or borders at the cuffs, such as embroidering a circle of beautiful flower patterns or inlaying a beautiful lace border, making the cuffs one of the highlights of the whole garment. The design of long sleeves is more elegant. When walking or dancing, the long sleeves flutter with the wind, as gracefully as flowing clouds and flowing water. The decoration of the hem should not be ignored either. Some will embroider beautiful patterns on the hem, such as continuous flower patterns, auspicious cloud patterns, etc., making the whole Beizi look more delicate and magnificent. Some use the same edge decoration as the collar and cuffs to make the style of the whole garment more unified and coordinated.
The Wearing and Matching of Beizi
Beizi has strong flexibility in wearing and matching, and it can be combined with a variety of Hanfu clothing to show different styles and charm.
Matching with Song-style trousers is a common and classic way of wearing. Song-style trousers are generally divided into two layers. The inner layer is long trousers, and the outer layer is short trousers with slits on both sides, exposing the cuffs of the inner long trousers. When Beizi is matched with Song-style trousers, the overall style is simple yet magnificent, suitable for daily outings or more casual occasions. You can choose a short Beizi in a light and elegant color, such as light blue or light yellow, and match it with a pair of white or plain Song-style trousers. Then put on a pair of simple cloth shoes or embroidered shoes, comb a bun on the head and insert a simple hairpin, fully showing the fresh, natural, lively and playful image of a young girl. If it is a more formal occasion, you can choose a long Beizi in a dark color system, such as dark blue or dark purple, and match it with a pair of Song-style trousers made of relatively fine materials and with matching colors, such as black or dark gray Song-style trousers. Then put on a pair of delicate upturned shoes and wear corresponding accessories such as jade pendants and sachets to show a dignified, elegant, gentle and generous temperament.
Matching with pleated skirts is also a very popular combination. The skirt body of the pleated skirt has fine folds and sways gracefully when walking. When Beizi is matched with the pleated skirt, it can create an elegant and sweet atmosphere. For example, choose a medium-length Beizi in pink or light green and match it with a white or light yellow pleated skirt. The folds of the skirt body sway gently with the steps, as if the blooming flowers are swaying in the wind. You can tie a belt of the same color family or a contrasting color around the waist to highlight the waist line. Wear some delicate hair accessories on the head, such as hair combs in the shape of flowers, small pearl and jade hair ornaments, etc. Then hold a round fan or a sachet in your hand to fully show the classical and elegant demeanor of a lady. On some traditional festivals or special occasions, such as the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival, you can choose Beizi and pleated skirts with more vivid colors and more exquisite patterns for matching. For example, a red Beizi embroidered with golden dragon and phoenix patterns is matched with a pleated skirt embroidered with flowers and auspicious patterns, plus gorgeous accessories, which can fully show the festive atmosphere of the festival and the charm of traditional culture.
It is suitable to be worn in spring and autumn. It can not only keep warm but also display a unique fashion taste.
In terms of accessory selection, there are a wide variety of hair ornaments that can be paired with Beizi. One can choose simple wooden hairpins, jade hairpins or gorgeous gold hairpins with pendants. The wooden hairpins are simple and natural, complementing the elegant and plain style of Beizi perfectly. The jade hairpins are gentle and elegant, capable of enhancing the overall temperament. The gold hairpins with pendants are even more magnificent and delicate. When walking or dancing, the pendants on them will sway gently with the movements, adding a touch of lively beauty. The accessories around the waist are also very important. Common ones include belts, jade pendants and sachets. Belts can play a role in cinching the waist, highlighting the waistline and are also a kind of decoration at the same time. Jade pendants are symbols of traditional culture. Worn around the waist, they are not only beautiful and generous in appearance but also can reflect the moral cultivation of the wearer. Sachets have both practical and decorative functions. They usually contain spices inside, which can emit a pleasant fragrance, repel insects and ward off evil spirits. Their exquisite embroideries and shapes also add a sense of delicacy to the whole outfit. The choice of shoes can be determined according to different occasions and matching styles. For daily wear, cloth shoes, embroidered shoes and the like can be chosen. For more formal occasions, upturned shoes, boots and so on can be selected.
The cultural connotation of the gown
Suitable for wearing in spring and autumn. It can not only keep warm but also show a unique fashion taste.
From the perspective of social culture, the popularity and prevalence of Beizi reflected the various aspects of the society at that time, including politics, economy, and culture. In the Song Dynasty, the wide popularity of Beizi benefited from the stable political environment, prosperous economy, and developed cultural and artistic achievements. It became the clothing favored by people of different social strata, breaking the clothing boundaries between classes and reflecting the relatively equal and inclusive cultural atmosphere of the society at that time. Meanwhile, the development of Beizi was also influenced by the cultural thoughts of that time. For example, the Neo-Confucian thought of "preserving heavenly principles and extinguishing human desires" made the overall style of clothing in the Song Dynasty tend to be simple and restrained. As a result, the shape and decoration of Beizi also paid more attention to implicitness and refinement, reflecting an inner spiritual pursuit.
The Inheritance and Innovation of Beizi in Modern Times
With the development of the times, Hanfu culture has been gradually revived in modern society. As an important part of Hanfu, Beizi has also come back into people's sight and has obtained extensive inheritance and innovation.
In terms of inheritance, more and more people have begun to learn and understand the historical and cultural knowledge of Beizi, and study its traditional production techniques and wearing methods. Many Hanfu enthusiasts actively participate in Hanfu cultural activities, wearing Beizi to show the charm of traditional culture. Some cultural institutions and schools have also carried out Hanfu cultural lectures, exhibitions and other activities to popularize Hanfu knowledge among the public. Among them, Beizi is one of the key clothing introduced, enabling more people to recognize its unique value. Meanwhile, the traditional Hanfu production techniques have also been inherited and carried forward. Some handicraftsmen adhere to traditional skills and carefully make one beautiful Beizi after another. Every link from fabric selection, cutting to embroidery and sewing strictly follows the traditional process standards, ensuring that the quality and cultural connotations of Beizi can be inherited.
In terms of innovation, modern designers have made bold innovative designs for Beizi on the basis of respecting traditions. In terms of shape, they have improved the collar, cuffs, hem and other parts of Beizi and created some new styles. For example, the collar is designed into more fashionable oblique collars, round collars, etc.; the cuffs adopt novel flared sleeves, lotus leaf sleeves, etc.; and irregular cutting or wrinkling designs are added to the hem, making Beizi more in line with modern fashion aesthetics. In terms of material selection, in addition to traditional fabrics such as silk and cotton cloth, modern new fabrics such as lace, chiffon, and cotton-linen blends have also been incorporated. These fabrics have different textures and characteristics, bringing a brand-new visual and wearing experience to Beizi. In terms of pattern design, combining modern art elements and fashion trends, traditional flower, animal and bird patterns are simplified, deformed or combined with modern geometric figures, cartoon images, etc., creating creative and personalized decorative patterns. In terms of wearing and matching, Beizi is no longer limited to traditional matching methods but is mixed and matched with modern clothing and accessories. For example, Beizi is matched with jeans, short skirts, high heels, modern handbags, etc., forming a unique fashion style that combines the ancient and the modern, making Beizi radiate new vitality in modern life.
As a treasure of Chinese traditional culture, Hanfu Beizi bears the historical memory and cultural essence of thousands of years. With its unique shape, rich cultural connotations and diverse wearing and matching methods, it shines brightly in the long river of history. In modern society, we should actively inherit and promote Beizi culture, allowing this ancient clothing to continue to shine with brilliant luster in the new era, becoming a cultural bond connecting the past and the present, inheritance and innovation, and enabling more people to appreciate the unique charm of Hanfu culture and feel the profoundness and extensiveness of Chinese traditional culture.