OP: If ordinary people wear commoner-style Hanfu, will it enhance their aura as much as wearing elaborate Hanfu?
Got a message asking why so many hanfu in transformation videos are elaborate styles for officials and nobles, like do "commoners’ hanfu" get no representation? That's actually one of the hot topics in China's hanfu community. It's been discussed so many times, and there are already a lot of well-formed views on this.
The revival of hanfu is incredibly diverse and inclusive — commoners’ hanfu is definitely part of it. In this context, “commoners’ hanfu” generally refers to simpler clothing with less decoration and less luxurious fabrics, worn by everyday people like peasants, townsfolk, urban residents, small traders, household servants and so on (they held no official posts and had no noble titles, and they weren't wealthy merchants either). Hanfu enthusiasts have actually recreated many such styles based on historical records.
Back in feudal times, ordinary people were not allowed to wear colors reserved for the imperial family or use embroidery patterns that symbolized noble rank or official status. This doesn't mean they dressed in rags—far from it. In dynasties known for open social customs and economic prosperity, commoners, especially women, could dress quite elegantly and colorfully. Chinese people in those era placed great importance on festivals. During celebrations like the Lantern Festival, Spring Festival, and Shangsi Festival(Double Third Festival for Spring Outing), they would go out to meet people, so they pay extra attention to their attire. It was very common for ordinary people to save up for a few nice sets of clothing — not being wealthy didn’t mean they had no decent clothes to wear.
Particularly during the Song and Ming dynasties, it was common for ordinary people to wear brocade. In the Song dynasty, wearing floral headpieces(huaguan花冠) was popular among women, whether noble or common. By the Ming dynasty, women could even wear bridal attire resembling phoenix crowns and embroidered capes(feng guan xia pei凤冠霞帔) for their weddings — as long as they avoided patterns exclusive to the nobility. Even maids from noble households could dress in lavish and delicate attire, thanks to the advanced silk weaving techniques of the time. Though they were commoners by status, their clothing was often indistinguishable from that of the young ladies of wealthy families.
Also you can often see commoner men in classical paintings wearing long robes like formal gowns, cloaks, or even loose-sleeved garments, while commoner women usually wore a top layered over a skirt. Basically, commoners and nobles wore very similar styles of clothing. The real differences were in the fabric, decorative patterns, and craftsmanship.
In discussions among Chinese netizens, there is a divide in opinions regarding Hanfu. Some argue that there should be greater promotion of "commoner hanfu""everyday hanfu""modern hanfu" – simpler, more practical styles suitable for daily wear and relaxing at home – rather than always opting for elaborate, ornate Hanfu that requires time-consuming hairstyling and makeup. Others believe that in the modern era, intricate Hanfu represents the artistic heritage of past laborers and artisans, not just the privileged class, and that people should be free to wear whatever they prefer.
Nowadays hanfu content creators widely share this sentiment: Many of today's Chinese people are descendants of resilient ordinary ancestors who survived generations of war, natural disasters and hardships. In this era of material abundance, they now wear exquisitely crafted hanfu. Wearing hanfu feels like fulfilling a long-cherished wish on behalf of their forebears—after all, everyone hopes to dress as they please; These garments embody the craftsmanship, wisdom, and diligence of historical laboring people (even royal hanfu was made by embroiderers and weavers, who themselves came from ordinary backgrounds); so exquisitely crafted hanfu never belonged exclusively to the wealthy; it truly belongs to the people.
Of course, not all hanfu content creators share the same view. Some hanfu bloggers still believe that daily outings should feature simpler, more casual Hanfu styles rather than always dressing in elaborate attire. Their reasoning is: “I still hold the view that the revival of Hanfu depends on reaching a broader market. Only when people who don’t follow traditional culture become aware of Hanfu can it truly take root.” Other bloggers respond in a more conversational tone: “Public tastes vary. While some prefer simplicity, most people are first drawn to eye-catching, gorgeous outfits, which then spark their interest to learn more. I don’t think we should dictate what others should wear—clothing is a personal expression. Those who prefer simple, everyday styles should wear them, and those who love intricate designs should embrace those.” In practice, it’s common for people to switch between different Hanfu styles depending on the occasion and their needs. Many content creators have also shown interest in commoners hanfu and have recreated styles suitable for both lounging at home and going out.
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