Young Chinese Bring Hanfu to the World During Spring Festival

A screenshot from the Chinese lifestyle-focused social media platform Xiaohongshu shows photos and videos of young people wearing hanfu at landmarks around the world. [Photo/CGTN]

Young people dressed in hanfu, the traditional clothing of the Han ethnic group in China, were spotted in many locations around the world during this year's Spring Festival holiday.

An initiative launched in late January by Xiaohongshu, a Chinese lifestyle-focused social media platform, invited users to upload photos or videos of themselves and friends wearing hanfu at landmarks around the world from January 28 to February 19.

The first two weeks of the initiative saw some 10,000 Xiaohongshu users share their photos taken from around 30 countries and regions around the world. One user even posted photos from Antarctica.

Many young Chinese people working or studying overseas also invited their foreign friends to wear traditional Chinese costumes to celebrate the Spring Festival together.

A screenshot from Xiaohongshu shows a photo of a young Chinese woman and one of her foreign friends dressed in hanfu in the United States. [Photo/CGTN]

Hanfu, as well as other traditional forms of Chinese costume, have experienced a surge in popularity in recent years. Clothes featuring traditional Chinese elements combined with modern designs, dubbed the "new Chinese style," has developed into a fashion trend among the younger generations not only in China, but also worldwide.

Analysts say the rise of "China chic" reflects young Chinese people's confidence in their own culture. Wearing Chinese-style costumes not only reflects the wearer's Eastern temperament, but also presents Chinese aesthetics to the world. 

A screenshot from Xiaohongshu shows a photo of a Chinese man dressed in hanfu in Fujian, China. [Photo/CGTN]

A screenshot from Xiaohongshu shows a photo of a Chinese woman dressed in traditional Chinese costume in Toronto, Canada.[Photo/CGTN]