Dior vs Hanfu Saga: Homage, Copycat or Appropriation?

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The Hanfu scene is bustling with excitement (for better or worse) today because of the Dior Fall collection. In particular, the black mamian skirt look-alike (Dior Pleated Skirt) and its pairing with the corset which looks suspiciously also like the way the modernised Ming dynasty (14th-17th century) hanfu style that you see a lot in the last few years in China.

Homage, Copycat, or Appropriation are all just similar concepts to different ends/results and of different intentions. I’m too lazy to be politically correct or prescriptive about their definitions and nuances, but the simplest way of looking at it is probably whether the finishing looks as good as, better, or worse than the original item/style that they are trying to emulate. Or if they managed to establish a strong style/design through thoughtful innovation on top of the original which makes it a new style by definition.

THE ORIGINAL ARTEFACT IN HISTORY

Here’s the original Ming style Mamian Skirt and the vest-like (or if you want to sound pretentiously superior, corset-like) undergarment artefact image:

The low cut with strings tying together is actually the front of the vest

This is a silk gauze brocade skirt with its pleats laid out flat. When worn, it would look like the Dior skirt.

THE MODERN HANFU INTERPRETATIONS

The Hanfu movement has been in full swing for a while, and there are many young Chinese designers who have came up with lots of variations of the Ming style modern hanfu wear which you might find shockingly similar to the one by Dior:

Even I have done that pairing once upon a time in my In Search of the Chinese Red series:

So they’ve shortened the skirt length, modified the fastening/securing mechanism of the skirt, and matched the undergarment as a summer top with the mamian skirt.

For autumn/fall/winter season, the Mamian skirt is even nicer to pair with winter coats and other basics as I did during my Sabbatical Trip. Thanks in advance for indulging me in my pre-covid + pre-baby travel trip photo-sharing.

IN VENICE

IN NYC

Of course mine were the original length skirts with tie-string fastening mechanism which was the most traditional method for the Chinese. But you could see just how non-costumey they can be if you paired them properly. I also have black mamian with subtly weaved motifs and golden thread weaved patterns. I’m a huge fan of Mamian skirts (Have more than a dozen of them of different colours and materials).

Anyway…

When it comes to innovating a nice fastening mechanism, I would say Dior 0 : Hanfu designers 1

Honestly for a S$5,500 skirt, I expected better. But obviously the Hanfu makers were probably also copying the kilt makers in the waist fastening mechanism.

Dior’s skirt buckle

Taobao Hanfu designer’s skirt buckle

One of my favourite part about the vest-like undergarment of Ming is the Ming style metal frog buttons that lined the front middle part of the undergarment as in the one below:

They’re wonderfully diverse and beautifully made, and often adorned with precious stones such as the ones below:

The least that Dior could do was to invest some of their marketing budgets into these finer details. They can keep the clean lines and ‘minimalistic’ look (sometimes I suspect minimalism is just an excuse to cut cost), but those metal eyelets and straps are hardly anything worth shouting about.

MAMIAN SKIRT, SCOTTISH KILT, DIOR—What are the differences?

My first instinct when I saw the controversy erupting was, hang on, maybe they’re just inspired by their own ‘Western’ (sorry I’m using such a loose term) dressing—kilts. But then someone noted that the kilts had full pleats at the back, whereas the Mamian skirt had the same flat panel front and back which was exactly what Dior had. And yes, we also saw how the Hanfu makers copied the kilt’s way of securing the skirt:

Although I can’t be 100% sure but from the video (based on how the skirt moves when the model is walking) it appears that the back flap of the Dior skirt also has that ability to flip open up from the back just like the front. [Update: OK, I can confirm that the Dior skirt is EXACTLY the same structure and everything as the Chinese Mamian skirt, video explanation below the image]:

This artefact is from the Southern Song dynasty (12-13th century) of China, and it already had the earliest form of the Mamian skirt. Interestingly, such skirts were initially worn by the courtesans (who were, as usual, always at the forefront of fashion), and then it became a skirt popular amongst the aristocratic women by the Ming dynasty.

Obviously everyone loves the Mamian skirt. The style has survived for almost 1,000 years now, with fashionistas constantly trying to emulate it in different forms, and it has not only fascinated the Chinese. The Western designers of our days were equally fascinated by the Mamian skirts and Dior’s 2022 Fall design is by no mean their first encounter with the Mamian skirt of China.

Back in 1998, the legendary John Galliano had presented several dresses inspired by the Qing dynasty Mamian skirts as well:

Here are the actual Qing era skirts and the resemblance is pretty evident:

But wait, Dior’s not the only one!

Princes Diana too wore it once, and Alice Through the Looking Glass film clearly also based Alice’s costume on it.

If you want to read a bit more about the Qing dynasty Mamian skirts, you can hop over to ‘From Hanfu to Cheongsam: The Missing Link‘.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE?

Taste is subject, of course. That explains why many people splurge on what I would find ugly items. So what is your take on Dior’s latest Fall design that is obviously based on the Ming era mamian skirt?

Personally, I find it a blatant and poorly done copycat attempt (without acknowledgement at that!) because obviously the 2022 design doesn’t create anything distinctly new or impressive. The Chinese has a modern phrase 谁丑谁尴尬 which loosely translates to ‘Whoever does it better wins the game’. This applies to many of the art appropriation claims as well.

And I’m not even going to talk about cultural appropriation in this instance since it’s beyond obvious. But I’d love to hear your thoughts!

And I shall end my post with my Ming style mulberry silk vest embroidered with hydrangeas, in NYC (cos everyone is travelling now and I’m stuck! I deserve this. 😉

Are we really more progressive than women of the past?

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With the overturn of Roe v Wade in the States, discussions on the regression of female rights once again resurface. While I am not familiar with the situation in the West, I have been thinking about Chinese women from over a thousand years ago and how they were remarkably progressive even by today’s definition.

I binge-watched two Northern Song dynasty drama (10th-12th century)while recuperating from COVID infection— A Dream of Splendour featuring the gorgeous Liu Yifei (mostly known to the Western audience as the actress of Mulan), and The Story of Minglan. It set me thinking about women, our marriage rights and protections, and if female rights have been progressive or regressive.

Poster: A Dream of Splendour (2022) 梦华录

FROM TANG TO SONG, WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN MARRIAGE

UNILATERAL DIVORCE BY MEN: SEVEN REASONS TO AND THREE REASONS NOT TO

It might surprise you to find out that divorce was actually legally and socially possible for women over a thousand years ago in the Chinese society. While men still had the upper hand in a marriage, the law offered certain protection for women as well (especially when compared to the last 800 years, women who lived over 800 years ago had it much better).

For instance, while men were allowed to unilaterally divorce their wives if their wives infringed on any of the 7 reasons (these reasons were formally accepted as part of the law in the Tang period though it originated from over 2,000 years ago) :

1. Child/Son-less (Chinese were huge on child-bearing to continue the family lineage)
2. Adultery
3. Not cordial or obedient to the parents of the men
4. Gossipy
5. Theft
6. Jealousy (including disallowing the husband from having concubines)
7. Having a virulent disease

Tang women were quite comfortable and confident in sitting cross legged, instead of kneeling. Had this happened 500 to 1000 years before, they might face the accusation of being rude and have their husbands divorce them.

The legendary ‘sage’ Mencius from some 2,500 years ago almost divorced his wife for her poor sitting posture! So he complaint to his mother about his wife sitting with crossed legs instead of kneeling down, and he found it incredibly rude and had the urge to divorce her as a result (oh my god… I know…). His mother, being a much more sane person, told him off for barging into the room without sounding out his wife, and intruding into her private moment unannounced and pointed out that Mencius was the rude one instead. Mencius, realising his stupidity, was overwhelmed with shame and never mentioned the divorce again.

HOWEVER, the men CANNOT divorce their wives if she fulfilled any of the 3 exceptions:

1. She doesn’t have her own family to return to after the divorce
2. Observed 3 full years of mourning period for her in-laws (the man’s parents)
3. She went through thick and thin with the man, from rags to riches

Poster: The Story of Minglan (2018) in which there were many exploration of women and their status at home, in society, and their rights

We saw how easily women were abandoned by their husbands in the show A Dream of Splendour, with San Niang, one of the female protagonists which should not have been the case in the Song Dynasty as the period before (the Tang Dynasty) had already a properly legislated law on unilateral divorce by the husband.

UNILATERAL DIVORCE BY WOMEN

If you think men were ridiculous and could come up with all sorts of excuse to get out of a marriage, women of the period didn’t let their social disadvantage stop them from doing similar things as well. The most amusing reason for divorce cited by a woman during the Song Dynasty, was that her husband was too ugly!

In The Dream of Splendour, the female protagonist (left) was made to divorce by her husband (right) who went to marry a widow after that. I think she should have just divorced him for being too ugly, or for having an affair, or for neglecting her.

Of course there were many other much more legitimate reasons such as husband not returning home for over 3 years, husband having an affair, husband got too busy/obsessed with other pursuits in life and neglected the wife, husband’s family members or relatives tried to sexually harass/violate the wife etc.

Essentially, the Chinese legislators/society at that point believed that if two people were not happy together, there was no point in forcibly keeping them together. Which, on hindsight, was pretty advanced and enlightened even by today’s standard!

This was clearly displayed in The Story of Minglan when her relative requested for divorce with her husband who was really quite a bum. From the show, you could also see that the dowry which were brought to the marriage by women, remained the property of the women and she had rights to them after divorce. Marriage laws in ancient Chinese were pretty well-developed.

MARRYING A DIVORCÉE

Empress Liu of Song Dynasty (11th century) was not only a divorcé who married the prince, but she was also previously a courtesan/singing girl.

And it was perfectly acceptable for divorced women to remarry. There was a famous empress who remarried the emperor when he was a prince after she divorced! So no, the British monarchy was not the first nor will they be the last to marry a divorcée, although it’s interesting that it still was such a big deal even in the 21st century.

What was more amazing than Empress Liu’s identity as a divorcé who married a prince who later became the emperor was that she was also a courtesan/singing girl! That makes her somewhat similar to Eva Perón. I must clarify that courtesans in ancient China were not prostitutes in that sex was not part of the deal, though they were free to have sex with their clients or whoever they fancy (similar to the Geisha). Courtesans were skilled artists who sold their companionship and time to patrons with their performances.

COURTESAN IN LITERATURE: THEN AND NOW

So what’s the big deal about A Dream of Splendour? It was based on a Yuan dynasty (13th century Mongolian rule of China lead by Genghis Khan’s troops) theatre script of a courtesan by the name of Zhao Pan’er and how she used her wit and courage to save her fellow courtesan from an abusive marriage. The content from this script formed the basis of the storyline for the first 8 episodes of A Dream of Splendour, and the modern playwright continued developing the content for the subsequent 32 episodes.

Liu Yifei (Mulan) acting as Zhao Pan’er in A Dream of Splendour.

While the original script 700 years ago was meant to give an empowering voice to the courtesans who were of the lowest social status (even though many of them were of exceptional artistic talent and admired by literati and royalties alike, but they faced systemic discrimination), the modern adaptation revealed just how backward our society has been after all these years.

In A Dream of Splendour, the main female protagonist who was supposed to be a courtesan, was ‘whitewashed’ into being the daughter of a famous general who offended the emperor. And there was this part where she proclaimed to the male protagonist that she was a virgin and this topic of her being no longer of slave caste and an entertainer who ‘sells her smile and beauty’ kept coming up as a redeeming and admirable quality. It was problematic for me because it perpetuates the elitism and narrow definition of an admirable woman.

A scene in A Dream of Splendour where the friends all supported each other through thick and thin

That being said, I do appreciate the show’s effort in having positive reinforcement for female friendship and community building in that unlike many tens and thousands of dramas where women were pit against each other and did lots of nasty things to sabotage each other, this show has none of that at all. In fact, women looked out for one another so much that the only villains were men. LOL. So it kind of lived up to its tagline/hashtag/selling point of girls help girls. The irony is, however, in the 21st century, we’re still just coming around to this idea of girls helping girls when that has been done in a script 700 years ago.

So… I have nothing to say except to emphasise the importance of studying history because it always repeats.

YAY OR NAY?

I’m not a typical TV drama person, but COVID made me one. I love the sets in the show, the costumes are hits and misses (some of them could be a bit cringy but I think it’s an improvement from the typical period drama cliche costumes). I personally preferred the first 8 episodes the best (and it showed the brilliance of the original writer who lived 700 years ago), and it got a bit draggy later on. But there are definitely some interesting moments later on relating to women in commerce in ancient China, and the economic prosperity of the 11th century Chinese capital.

So I would say, if you’ve got some spare time, it’ll be a fun show to watch!

Tang courtesans唐妓—Trendsetters? Influencers? Celebrities? Nah. They’re just Women of Taste.

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Entertainers, prostitutes, muse—these are a few of the terms widely used by academics and general public alike to describe female performers in ancient China. The Chinese term for performing artists evolved from a unisex word (伎jì) referring to male and female performers, into a word dedicated to female entertainers (妓jì) in the Tang dynasty (around 7-9th century) likely due to the wild popularity and prestige of being a female performer (also Courtesan) during that period. Thereafter, due to changing value and political systems, the nature of the profession evolved and these women of spiritual pleasure were objectified into women of carnal pleasures.

It’s interesting to note that in the ancient worlds across the world, there are Courtesans of similar natures. They were usually one of the most educated and artistically accomplished women in society, and they produced and inspired great artistic legacies. We see it in the Mesopotamian culture (West Asia i.e. Iran, Iraq, Syria), the Ancient Greek culture, Indian culture as well as Japanese, Korean and Chinese culture. There’s a wonderful book that I highly recommend everyone to read if you are interested in this topic—“Freewomen, Patriarchal Authority, and the Accusation of Prostitution” by Stephanie Lynn Budin.

Scene extracted from Yanzilou: Forgotten Tales (2021)

For the purpose of this article, I shall touch on the extravagant lifestyles that top courtesans enjoyed, and their role in leading the fashion of their times.

Now in case you think that all these women are sex slaves, you couldn’t be more wrong. They were slaves, yes, but not for sex.

There were courtesans, and there were Courtesans.

While Entertainment Houses weren’t exactly the epitome of female liberty and empowerment, they certainly offered these talented women a break from life as a traditional good wife.

FASHION TREND SETTERS

Gold and Silk

Scene extracted from Yanzilou: Forgotten Tales (2021)

Good wives had to adhere to strict rules on dressing—they have to dress in according to the rule book based on their husbands’ title and social status, courtesans were exempted from any rules. In fact, even though gold and silk were only accessible and permitted to be worn by the elites, Courtesans were decked in them in the comfort their entertainment houses because the realm of the Entertainment House was theirs.

And so, they were at the forefront of fashion styles. This continues to hold true until now, where public performers and celebrities were leaders of sartorial styles because they were bold enough to embody it. In fact, their very existence and popularity kind of depends on it. And you can try to spot the many different styles of Tang Dynasty dresses which you probably would never realised was iconic of the period if you just watched period dramas—most period dramas aren’t very period accurate.

Disclaimer: We actually incorporated Tang dresses worn by women across different periods of the dynasty, spanning 300-400 years so you could see the diversity in sartorial choices. Be it of Hu/western influence, or Han Chinese influence. So it was not specific to one particular time period in Tang.

Purple Brows

How Murex Snail looks like although mostly it could also be normal shell colour based on what I saw instead of purple.

Naturally, make-up was a large part of the fashion trends. Starting from the brow, the Tang period women were known for having extremely bold make-up (think Mulan except more tastefully done). There was mention of a compilation of 10 different brow styles of the period, but unfortunately the actual record was missing. The Courtesans, were the main drivers of this change and they were given a special title— the Ambassador of Brows!

If you actually do catch Yanzilou: Forgotten Tales, do look out for Mamapan and her brows in the early stage and you might just spot a tinge of purple. This was an actual pigment that would’ve been used during ancient China to showcase your wealth and connections.

Purple as we all know, is a colour of royalty in the West, and it was actually frowned upon by Confucius as an inferior colour since he saw it as an ‘impure’ colour unlike red, white, black, yellow and green/blue (yes he’s an CYMK fan). But during the Tang Dynasty, purple became extremely popular that the highest level of honour was to be wearing a purple gown in the imperial court, and to be bestowed one by the emperor. Purple brow pigment was also extremely precious. They came from a Mediterranean Sea snail—the Murex snail and the intense and deep purple produced was called the Tyrian purple. Of course, due to different oxidisation process, it might turn blue as well.

Screencap of the “Tyrian purple brow kit” in the Legend of Zhenhuan. Such a far cry from the actual image above right? And the box they used, was a fake carved lacquerware, it’s made of resin and costs 1/10th the price of a real one. I can just see through its fairness despite the low resolution!
The real carved lacquer made by craftsmen, we have in a couple in Yanzilou and you would get to see it in the film experience too.
We will make sure you see it because carved lacquerware started in Tang!

The last I checked, Tyrian purple in today’s market would’ve cost you 300USD/gram from a private seller (before shipping). I don’t think it is commercially available on a large scale since the production is extremely limited. But just imagine in those days, with shipping, it would’ve cost you a bomb. That’s why Tyrian purple brow make-up kit appeared in the Legend of Zhenhuan—it was a tribute item from “Persia”. Only the emperor’s favourite concubine would have access to it.

Don’t ask us how Yanzilou got hold of it. It’s a secret we’ll never tell. 😉

On a side note, I heard from a weaver that there are some places in Southeast Asia that produces similar style of purple dye with some sea snail or creatures. That’s quite an interesting thing to explore further!

Scene extracted from Yanzilou: Forgotten Tales (2021)

ARTS CRITIQUE

Arbiter of Taste & Sophistry

When it comes to the arts, we have to admit that taste is subjective and there’s technically no absolute judgement of good and bad art unless you are an ancient Chinese, of course. In which case, it is always literati-lead. So you see a rejection of life-like painting style in Chinese arts, because the literati found it too literal and lacking in imagination and spirit.

And guess who has got them wrapped around their fingers?

*takes a bow*

We often assume that the Chinese Imperial Exam System was probably one of the most meritocratic inventions of the ancient Chinese and that it had been meritocratic from the start. But back in the Tang Dynasty, it wasn’t so exactly. For one, only the rich could afford to study since cost of paper was extremely high. For two, Tang Dynasty exam submissions were not anonymous. So if you have some kind of reputation, or connections, the examiners could very well choose you over someone unknown.

That’s the plight of many scholars and the only way out, was to have their poems and writings known by the influential officials in the capital.

And the most effective way, is not to cold call. But to go through the Courtesans who would have access to the most powerful men in the country since all state banquets and important events would require their attendance. They in fact, would be invited to the private events as well, to host the sessions.

Scene extracted from Yanzilou: Forgotten Tales (2021)

So there were the courtesans, and there were the Courtesans, and there were the Duzhis who were the most highly regarded Courtesans (like Head Courtesans). The Duzhi’s talents were so highly regarded that they would host drinking and poetry sessions with these influential and highly educated patrons, and be the judge of the merits of the poetry. If you were of a lower level official, I suppose Courtesans would be good enough as well!

So just imagine, these Duzhi or Courtesans started praising a random scholar’s poem, or compose a song and used the scholar’s poems as lyrics… It would’ve been the most effective advertisement/product placement!

Most literature and history text books wouldn’t point this out, but it is precisely because of the courtesan culture, of them singing poems as lyrics, that in the dynasty after Tang (the Song Dynasty), the Song Lyrics became an important for of literary arts.

So how did we get from there, to prostitutes?

It’s the same old story in every civilisation, every culture. Like witches being hunted for their knowledge and associated power. I mean, there’s definitely nothing more badass and threatening than women with a great deal of knowledge, free from the traditional rules of a ‘good woman’, and knows all the secrets of influential men.

Just in case you are not on Facebook or Instagram, and have missed out on the announcement of the upcoming virtual interactive film experience, here’s a sneak peek of it! I realised that not many people can imagine what the experience would be like, and at this point, I can only say that you can choose who you meet in Yanzilou, the premium Entertainment House of the 8th century Tang China, and we have as many as 6,464 possible paths so different people would definitely experience Yanzilou very differently. Just like how it would’ve been in real life.

I will leave the trailer below, and if you’re interested to get a ticket, Early Birds/Black Friday sale is on until end of the month! It’s 25% off the regular ticket ($24) and 40% off the Late Bloomer tickets ($30).

It’s only running from 16 Dec to 31 Dec online, and you will receive informations in due course about how to experience this wherever you are, at your own time, with a cup of good wine/tea in a dark room with a pair of kicks earphones/speakers!

So join us on this time travelling experience this Christmas!

Courtesans – China’s Earliest Poster Girls

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Chinese Courtesans are probably China’s best kept secret and earliest influencers in fashion and lifestyle.The famous horse-face skirts that were popularly amongst Ming dynasty aristocrat ladies were said to be original worn by the courtesans of the previous period (Song dynasty), and the popularisation of Cheongsam, too, were in part due to the singing girls in early Republican era.

Many of the images and paintings of women in casual poses in the past were often that of the Courtesans.

When we mention Poster Girls of China, we probably think of the posters from the 30s with women dressed in Cheongsam gracing the covers of certain magazines or endorsing certain brands. Any earlier, it would have to be the subject of our discussion today–the courtesan of Qing dynasty.

Postcards of famous courtesans of Qing dynasty, some of these photos made their way into the Forbidden City and collected by the imperial family even.

A quick search of early female portrait paintings, before the onset of photography, you would realise that they are predominantly depictions of noble women. And most of the times, these paintings were kept in private collections with only the formal looking ones available for public display. This is in line with the predominant idea in the last few centuries that women should be as private as possible. Courtesans, on the other hand, obey a totally different set of rules.

The Qing dynasty women featured in this entire article were probably very different from the typical ones you watch on TV. Those wearing a one-piece long robe were the Manchurian women, whereas these are the Han women who retained their two-piece (blouse and skirt) way of dressing despite the Qing government’s call to standardise the Hans’ with that of the Manchurians’.

Unlike what poorly researched and cheaply produced TV shows would have you believe, courtesans of the past were more classy than trashy. They were better educated than the majority of Chinese women and were admired as celebrities since over 1,000 years ago.

The bottom caption indicates that this lady is the Top scorer of the courtesan contest, which isn’t at all like your beauty pageant today–they’re much more focused on virtues and talents instead of sex appeal.

Beauty Pageants amongst courtesans have existed for at least 1,000 years in China, but in 1897, such a contest was formalised and made public through a newspaper in Shanghai. The Courtesan pageant was divided into 3 titles:

• Flower pageant
  Top courtesans who were well-read, educated and knowledgeable. This mirrors the Imperial Exam system which only men could participate in.
  
• Talent pageant
  Taking inspiration from the Tang dynasty Pear Garden arts institution (The first Arts school in Chinese history, set up by the Emperor Xuanzong who personally mentored courtesans/artistes and musicians), this category is to award to a courtesan of the highest artistic attainment.
  
• Leaf pageant
  There’s no flower without its leaves. This category is for the attendants of the top courtesans.

There was no reward for winners of these contests, but their contact details alongside with their nomination write-up would be published for those interested to know more 😉

I guess that’s the earliest form of “paid with exposure”.

A top courtesan reading newspaper and posing for the gram.

Taking inspiration from the western voting system for political representatives, the pageant organiser started probably the earliest form of Voting Contests. The entire contest would start with an open nomination, where every single nomination letter detailing the virtues, beauty, merits, talents, knowledge of the courtesans would be published on the newspaper. Every nomination letter counted as one vote, and it was not limited to any nationality.

In a society where a man could have multiple wives (all of whom would be illiterate or less exposed to the world), Courtesans fulfilled more of a man’s need for romance and companionship on an intellectual level. Therefore being well-educated, skilled in arts, intellectually-engaing, were much more important than their looks.
This is an export oil painting depicitng a “famous courtesan” painted in mid-1800s.

An American was said to have participated in the voting and he even wrote a complaint letter to the newspaper for awarding the title to the ugly ones instead of the good looking ones. Oh, the superficiality!

Little did he know, one of the critical scoring criteria was how many books, and how widely the courtesan read. Oh, the ignorance!

The Courtesan in this photo is entirely decked with silk wounded accessories (very Southern Chinese craft, Hakka in origin) which I commissioned a craftsperson to make based on the paintings. She was also wearing a mock Kingfisher feather earring with dangling pearls. Lace, although not usually seen in Chinese garment of this period, was already used in China in the 1900s.

Now that we’re on the topic of foreign men and their superficial appreciation of the exotic Chinese beauty, we have to mention the oil paintings of Qing courtesans which were sold as souvenir paintings for overseas market.

In the 1800s, Guangzhou was a thriving port for international trade. With that, emerged a popular trade of portrait painting for the general masses, as well as the souvenir paintings. One of the most popular term for painters and shops selling western-style paintings (usually painted by locals in the western style), would have the name “Gua/qua” attached to it, so painters and shops would call themselves [insert name]-Qua. The Qua reference originated from the Portuguese term Quadro (which means frame).

Many of the portraits of women were entitled “Famous Courtesan”, and they looked really quite similar. Most likely a very popular style and design which painters of that period would copy from each other and reproduce at rapid speed for quick sale. It is also because most people would not have access to meet graceful women willing to pose for them regularly, so courtesans would be the easiest to paint.

Of course, we would be naïve to believe that Andy Warhol started the whole Warhol Factory with production lines of artworks in the 1960s. The Chinese, being the production house for many artistic wares (i.e. Chinaware) had been at it for centuries and oil painting was no exception. The well-known Quas of Guangzhou would have many assistants paintings in their workshops and selling them off cheaply to earn quick profit. Most of the times, the export paintings would bear no signatures–nobody cares, unless the painters were well-known in which case they would sign those pieces.

Export painting in progress.

There were many interesting stories of rivalry between fellow painters, foreign painters and local painters, foreign teachers and their more commercially successful student all in the name of profit. And after China lost the first Opium War, it opened up more of its ports, and the exclusivity of Chinese content and imagery in Guangzhou was greatly reduced. The foreign market in the West with their China Mania in the mid 18th century were also increasingly more exposed to Chinese imagery, and were more discerning consumers of such ‘exotic’ souvenir paintings. Eventually, the painters didn’t end up earning much, and some went to Hong Kong, or Shanghai to seek alternative patronage and market.

The type of skirts worn by women of Qing were rather varied and colourful. They were so daring and good with their colour matching, that their rainbow coloured skirts (yes that’s right, I will come to that in the next article) and rainbow stripes were quite something.

While we’re at the topic of foreign influence in Chinese art, I would like to bring your attention to the Qing dynasty Madonna and Child paintings. Jesuits have been in China for centuries since the Ming dynasty, and we could find traces of these localised imagery of Madonna and China since the Ming period. I love how these Madonna and child were obviously Chinese, and shows the importance of remaining relevant to the target audience through decontextualisation. So I thought of doing one of my own (diaper included–Pampers should totally sponsor me :P).

This Intl Women’s Day weekend, Hanfugirls celebrate Chinese femininity

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In case you’ve yet to catch the latest interview that the Hanfugirls Collective has done with the South Morning China Post (SCMP)

We’re not weak, we’re Wonder Women: real Chinese femininity celebrated by group fighting traditional stereotypes through ancient dress and customs

I’m shamelessly linking it above and below before we go into what we have prepared for you this International Women’s Day!

This International Women’s Day, we’ve prepared a range of experiences and learning opportunities to satisfy both our thirst for knowledge and our penchant for vanity.

We will kickstart the weekend with a full day of activities focusing on the concept of Chinese femininity (not the way you probably assumed for it to be), epitomised by the Chinese courtesans who are really more of the predecessors of Geishas than what conventionally we would think of as prostitutes.

Of course, since I’ve said in the news report that the world has no lack of pretty girls, we need more empowered women, I can’t possibly offer photoshoot opportunities/packages that are not historically-accurate (means the airy-fairy-goddess kind one would see on TV). Think of it as an experiential learning opportunity rather than a simple glamour shoot opportunity. As part of our fundraising efforts for the performance, I’m partnering Dressed Up Dreams Photo Studio for the Tang courtesan dress-up experience. I will focus on the styling, and Sharon my counterpart will focus on the photos.

7 MARCH 2020

To the ancient Chinese, music and dance were referred to by the same word yuè 乐, and entertainers both male and female would be referred to as jì 伎. Over time, jì came to be identified with female entertainers, then courtesans, and eventually, prostitutes.

History has always been told from a man’s perspective, of their conquests, victories and achievements. This International Women’s Day, we are telling the stories and artistic legacies of women from the ancient past starting from music and dance.

Workshop & Lecture: Ancient Chinese performing arts and its evolution in history
$20/person
7 Mar (Sat) | 2pm–3.30pm
Speakers: Elizabeth Chan & Cen Hai Shan*

Music and dance have been an integral part of human life throughout history in every culture. Each culture has its unique aesthetic sensibilities which is usually a culmination of beliefs, lifestyle factors and these in turn shape its art forms. It is a continual evolution brought about with the exchange of ideas and people with the opening up of trade routes and human migration. Come and learn more about the evolution of Chinese classical music and dance through the ages, and how foreign influences have contributed to the arts we now know today. Do dress in comfortable attire as you will have the chance to learn and experiment with a few dance movements in this interactive session. 

Origins of the Geisha: Women and Art in Tang China

Part I: Encountering Tang courtesans in early Yanzilou
$40/person (limited to 10 guests who will stay on for the lecture)
7 Mar (Sat) | 7pm–9pm

Poets and scholars feverishly penned poems to catch her eye, while noblemen gifted her with mansions in exchange for an evening of entertainment. The Tang courtesan accepts no ordinary patrons – only those who value her art above the banal things in life. Tonight, the courtesans of Yanzilou will host ten guests fortunate enough to catch their fancy – you may indulge in conversation with them about the fascinating culture of Tang, and take in the sights and sounds of a regular evening in the courtesan house.

Part II: Origins of the Geisha: Women and Art in Tang China (Lecture)
$20/person
Speaker: Mamapan (Hanfugirl)
7 Mar (Sat) | 8pm–9pm

Modern literature, pop culture and even academics often dismiss the courtesans of ancient China as just prostitutes, without exploring their artistic achievements and legacies in a historical narrative dominated by male scholars, literatis, and historians. On the other hand, the Japanese Geishas who were very much influenced by the ancient Chinese courtesans traditions, have been hailed as keepers of Japanese artistic traditions, admired and respected by foreigners and Japanese alike. This lecture will unveil the forgotten origins of geishas in the form of Tang dynasty courtesans, who held contradictory identities of both superstar celebrities and slaves, occupying the liminal space between a muse and a slave, and who were indispensable in the proliferation and popularisation of Tang dynasty literature and arts. You will also see how female entertainers, then as now, were also subjected to objectification and exploitation of their talent, and how history is always repeating itself.

8 MARCH 2020

So this is the moment many of you have been waiting for! Photoshoots! I don’t typically do photoshoots for the public because of my schedule and need for me-time. But I was relieved to find a partner in Sharon who would be doing the photos while I just focus on the styling (yay to no more sleepless nights of photo-editing!). Whenever there’s a query/request for photoshoots, I would also typically refer people to Sharon since she does it professionally for a living.

For this collaboration, you will be transformed into a Tang courtesan and have a taste of what life was like through her eyes. It would also be a once-a-lifetime chance for you to get any shoot of yourself done in our beautifully decorated to Tang style space!

As playing the role of a famous courtesan is no easy feat, come with an open mind, an appreciation for alternative beauty ideals, and an inquisitive spirit in order to get the most out of the session!

Packages start from $588 for an hour’s shoot between 1pm–6pm, and you can top up another $100 for a pure silk dress which was recreated to be as authentic as possible based on Tang artefacts and paintings.

If you were to engage me beyond this opportunity, it would cost you a lot more, so do grab this chance!

More details available HERE.

*ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Elizabeth Chan

Elizabeth Chan, or 美锜, is a Chinese dance practitioner-researcher. She graduated from the University of Roehampton (London) with an MA in Dance Studies in 2016 and prior to that, from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts with a BFA in Dance (majoring in Chinese dance) in 2013. She worked in Hong Kong for two years, with Hong Kong Disneyland and as a freelance dance artist. Most recently she is based in Singapore, studying her PhD at the National University of Singapore, as well as working with local artists and fellow Chinese dance practitioners on varied contemporary, intercultural and traditional topics. Her own research is focused on the multiple past and present positions of Chinese dance in the world.

Cen Haishan

Haishan is a Guzheng teacher and performer. She graduated from the China Conservatory of Music with a B.A. in Music Performance. She has played for TV broadcast both in China and Singapore. Haishan has performed with key arts groups both as a soloist and ensemble player with the  Singapore Chinese Orchestra, City Chinese Orchestra, DingYi Music Company, Teng Company. She was featured in MediaCorp Channel 5 documentary, The Big Unknown I & II in 2005-2006. Her other identities include being a certified Yoga and Taijigong instructor.

Feb with Hanfugirls: Feasts & Fashion

IMPORTANT: WE HAVE MOVED!
CLICK HERE FOR OUR NEW SITE!

Here it is! Your chance to be able to visit our new space at the Stamford Arts Centre!

Shall release the first weekend’s registration information first for registration while I procrastinate over the others on the list.

This is the first time I’m doing these two lectures in public, and in English as well. If the response is good, I might do it again, otherwise, I guess I’d better stick to blogging! 🙂

As the space is rather cosy, and I prefer a more intimate group so we could have more casual and candid sharing, the available tickets for registration will be limited, so please think twice before registering and if you can’t come, please try to find a replacement.

The space has been decked out with cushioned flooring, and no seats. So please dress comfortably with easy-to-remove shoes (yes, Asians don’t wear shoes in our living quarters, and we kind of fashioned the space to be courtesans’ living quarters).

Finally, if you/your family have just returned from China within the last 2-3weeks before the lecture date, and would really like to attend this lecture but unable to because of self-quarantine measures, please write to me (hanfugirl@gmail.com). I will consolidate the requests and if sufficient requests I could always do another one for those who missed out when this whole thing blows over! You won’t lose out because of you being socially responsible!

Reimagining China through Fashion
Speaker: Gong Pan Pan (Hanfugirl)
15 Feb (Sat) | 2pm–3.30pm
Project Studio #01-02, Stamford Arts Centre
155 Waterloo Street
Pre-registration required (Registration URL: https://www.eventbrite.sg/e/90601400227)

When one says never judge a person by what he/she wears, it clearly does not refer to the ancient Chinese! Fashion was never frivolous to them who had been codifying their dressing and styling for over 2500 years. From Sogdian-influenced fashion to Tibetan-influenced make-up, stylings of aristocratic women gave important clues of cultural exchanges between ancient China and the world at large. One could catch a glimpse of ancient China and its evolving clothing identities through this talk.

Workshop & Lecture: Reliving the ancient Silk Road through Chinese textiles
Speaker: Gong Pan Pan (Hanfugirl)
16 Feb (Sun) | 2pm–4pm
Project Studio #01-02, Stamford Arts Centre
155 Waterloo Street
$20/person
Pre-registration required (Registration URL: https://www.eventbrite.sg/e/90607911703)

Did you know that many textiles and related crafts such as batik and beaded embroidery date back to over 1,200 years ago in China’s Tang dynasty? While most associate silk with the Chinese, the average Han Chinese in China didn’t used to wear silk and the habit of donning silk was very much an aristocratic privilege. Many of the imperial crafts are still being continued in Japan and China today, including the famous carved silk tapestry kesi weave. This lecture will take you on a 2,000 year journey through the use of Silk in China and the evolving Chinese aesthetics. You will get to see first hand some of the rare silk crafts mentioned in ancient texts and used only by the imperial family, and see some of the replica dresses from those periods. Tips will also be provided on how to differentiate a truly handmade and valuable piece of textile from a mass-produced low-value one!

OTHERS COMING UP!

Origins of the Geisha: Women and Art in Tang China (Lecture)
Speaker: Gong Pan Pan (Hanfugirl)
22 Feb (Sat) | 2pm–3.30pm
Pre-registration required. Registration information TBC.

How pop culture (mis)represents traditional Chinese garments and artforms
Speaker: Gong Pan Pan (Hanfugirl)
23 Feb (Sun) | 2pm–3.30pm
Pre-registration required. Registration information TBC.

Food and Feasting in medieval China (Tang dynasty)
Speaker: Goh Yih-Shian
29 Feb (Sat) | 2pm–3.30pm
Pre-registration required. Registration information TBC.

Hanfugirls have a Home! (For Now!)

IMPORTANT: WE HAVE MOVED!
CLICK HERE FOR OUR NEW SITE!

I apologise profusely for MIA the past few months. Truth is, unbeknownst to most, Hanfugirls has finally gotten a physical space (albeit temporarily for now) so we could conduct more activities, workshops, lectures and we are also gearing up for an immersive performance later this year!

January is a non-event month because everyone’s still getting over Christmas and New Year and trying to stay afloat for Chinese New Year. So our public lectures and programmes from fashion to food, entertainment to arts and literature in ancient China (especially the Tang dynasty) would kick off mid Feb!

Thanks to the generous support of the National Arts Council, we managed to secure a physical space at the Stamford Arts Centre for a temporary residency programme! So let’s do it the typical Hanfugirl style, work hard, play hard and feast on~!

The space is totally immersive, and decorated in the style of the Tang dynasty China where cultures from Persia, China and India mixed to create this extremely vibrant and dynamic golden era in world cultural history (imho anyway). We’ve packed lots of easter eggs related to history and artefacts in this space too!

A quick overview of the lectures and workshop lined up for February alone:

Talk: Reimagining China through Fashion

Workshop & Lecture: Reliving the ancient Silk Road through Chinese textiles

Talk: Medieval China’s Tang dynasty courtesans, performing arts and women

Talk: How pop culture (mis)represents traditional Chinese garments and artforms

Talk: Food and Feasting in medieval China (Tang dynasty)

And it’s just from 15 to 28 Feb!

When I started planning and researching on this huge research-performance-education project based on medieval Chinese artforms, folk art, cultural practices and fashion, I wasn’t aware that the Stamford Arts Centre with its Japanese-inspired aesthetics would be such a perfect place for what I am about to do. You see, the Japanese adored Tang dynasty and absorbed all its aesthetics and cultural practices with such fervour back in the 8th-10th century that you can still find very obvious traits of Tang Chinese in their aesthetics today.

Central Asian incense ball with many Indian and Central Asian influenced vessels against a red-and-white Tang Chinese architectural archetype.

Imagine you are invited into an entertainment house, hosted by the courtesans of ancient China (said to be Geisha and Gisaeng’s predecessors from a thousand years ago). The artforms, music, dance, feasts and drinks and entertainment (masked or shadow puppetry) they indulge in with their visitors and patrons is a treasure trove of fascinating encounters.

Of course, you can’t experience them from the public lectures and workshops just yet, because we’re gearing up for a fully immersive Night of Feasts and ancient Artforms second half of the year where only a handful of “patrons” would get to spend 3 different evenings with our courtesans–each night with a different theme and narrative.

I shall stop before giving too much away. The fun part is always the wait isn’t it? 🙂

And here’s a little sneak peek of the space and two of our characters in the upcoming show!