In the long-standing history of Chinese aesthetics, a long flowing robe with sweeping sleeves and a touch of lustre – Hanfu – has been a great treasure of Chinese culture. This kind of traditional clothing once mainly appeared in books and on television, but has now quietly become a new street fashion scene. As a means of self-expression, Hanfu has returned as a modern style statement for the younger generation.

This summer, with the support of professional Hanfu restoration teams, Link launched “A Date with Hanfu” at Temple Mall in Hong Kong and Link CentralWalk in Shenzhen, marking the first collaboration between the two malls. During July and August, the two malls have orchestrated a symphony of Hanfu-themed activities, bringing people on an immersive journey through the past and present. Visitors can make a stop at the exhibition that showcases historically significant restored Hanfu, join the free Hanfu try-on experience, and take a stroll through the Han Market. From appreciating cultural heritage to experiencing a unique leisure activity, this event has it all.

Experts from different organisations have come together to make this event a success, among them the Chinese Culture and Hanfu Hong Kong Association. Lily Luk, the chairperson of the association, said that the rise of the Hanfu trend was started 20 years ago by a group of ancient clothing lovers in Mainland China who wanted to promote traditional Huaxia (a concept representing historical ideas about Chinese civilisation) culture. Today, the beauty of Hanfu has resonated with many people, including Lily, who wore Hanfu on the day of her interview with Channel 823.

With the meticulous restoration by Hanfu research teams, ancestral wisdom and craftsmanship are brought back to life in modern society. At the same time, young Hanfu entrepreneurs have emerged who strive to produce innovative Hanfu designs using modern fabrics and techniques, giving people a variety of Han-style garments to choose from, and accommodating different daily needs. “This is the beauty of Hanfu,” Lily said. “It’s a national treasure that has been resurrected in modern society.”

Why promote Hanfu? Lily explained the significant meaning behind this trend. Clothing in the Huaxia tradition dates back 5,000 years, with Hanfu providing a gateway for people to discover the rich culture of traditional dress. On a related note, the growing interest in Hanfu provides entrepreneurs the chance to explore and develop new business models following their own interests.

“Hanfu creates a sustainable economic model, as it allows people to pursue their own hobbies while participating in the cultural economy, which creates both economic and cultural value,” Lily said.

According to Lily, however, it hasn’t necessarily been easy to promote Hanfu in Hong Kong. This is why Lily and her team decided to collaborate with a shopping mall operator for the first time. Leveraging Link’s extensive community network has made it much easier for Lily’s team to reach a broader segment of the public. Furthermore, her team has also organised talks and traditional handicraft experiences in schools to accompany “A Date With Hanfu”.

“We hope to educate our younger generation,” said Lily, “and we look forward to more collaborations to boost cultural development in the future.”

Raising cultural awareness through activities

Temple Mall has also partnered with the Hong Kong Hanfu Group – Danqing Hanfu to meticulously recreate the Hanfu attire of eight illustrious figures from Chinese history. Among them are China’s Four Beauties (Wang Chaojun, Yang Guifei, Xi Shi and Diaochan); strategic maestros Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang from the Three Kingdoms; and the great poets Su Shi and Tang yin.

Undoubtedly, restoring the Hanfu of historical figures is challenging, but it also has an interesting side. Tin Kit, the chairperson of the Hong Kong Hanfu Group – Danqing Hanfu, talked about the hurdles his team overcame when restoring Hanfu for the event. When working on the costumes of Xi Shi and Zhou Yu, for instance, there were no portrait references, so the team carried out extensive research into these two figures, ultimately deciding to design their Hanfu according to the clothing culture at that time.

Putting the challenges aside, Kit’s team also made some innovative changes to the costumes, with the aim of breaking stereotypes of ancient figures. For example, the team restored the costume of the genius military strategist Zhuge Liang. Attracted by his legacy, game companies and TV shows often produce content about him. Such depictions have influenced the public’s impression of this legend, leading to an assumption that he would wear luxurious costumes. In fact, despite his wealth and power, Zhuge Liang actually lived a really simple life. Therefore, Kit’s team used linen cloth when restoring Zhuge Liang’s costume. “We hope this enables people to see Zhuge Liang for who he really was,” Kit said.

On the day of the interview, Kit showed up in his daily attire –  simple Hanfu. He joked that his clothing style used to attract curious stares from people on the street. These days, however, more people are aware that he is wearing Hanfu. When asked where his passion for Hanfu came from, Kit said, “It was born out of love and a sense of responsibility to educate the next generation about our very own people, culture and history. I hope I can contribute to deepening people’s love for their very own culture.”