Han Dynasty Clothing

Each dynasty in China has its own memorable culture. Facets of color and design that emerged during a dynasty’s reign were marvelous and made each and every aspect of Chinese culture a great work of art. For many years, Han dynasty clothing retained its simple and elegant style.

Western Han Dynasty

During this era, the dark style of clothing was carried over from the Qin Dynasty where black was the preferred color. Court dress was black and during the sacrificial ceremonies, the formal dress was edged with red.

The clothing during this era was characterized by square sleeves, sloping necklines, red shoes, and a cicada-like hat. The high ranking officials and ordinary people typically wore the same style. The only way to differentiate different positions and ranks in the society was the color and quality of materials used in the clothing.

Eastern Han Dynasty

During this era, red was the color worn by the most respected people in society. This is because red symbolized the “fire virtue” of this dynasty. Government officials during this time wore clothes with colors that conformed to the current season.

During the spring months, a ceremony was held in the eastern suburbs. Clothes and carriages were gray in color during this celebration. During the summer months, a ceremony was held at the southern suburbs and the preferred color was red. During autumn, the color was yellow and when winter started, the people preferred black.

Types of Clothing

There were two main categories for clothing in this dynasty; Shenyi (long coat) or Yijin (this makes up the front of the jacket). Historians have said that only a few people wore Shenyi during the time period of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Clothing for Women

The women during the Han Dynasty era wore long pants with long jackets. They also wore a long intricate belt in many cases. Their accessories were quite delicate and also very expensive. These conveyed the class a woman belonged to in this society.