Cultural Symbiosis and Symbolic Transmission in Chinese Dress Institutions: Daoist Thought and the Historical Evolution of Hanfu

Zhixuan Kang

doi:10.71222/y57dnw46

Authors

Zhixuan Kang The Frederick Gunn School, Shanghai, China Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.71222/y57dnw46

Keywords:

hanfu, daoism, ritual dress, material culture, symbolic transmission

Abstract

Dress systems transcend bodily protection in the physical sense to organize social relationships and present normative models for hierarchies and morals through organizational means. This article explores the extent to which Daoist thought and its rituals interacted with the history of Chinese Yiguan (ritual attire) and how this legacy bears witness to the contemporary revival of Hanfu. Based on the works of costume historians and Daoist scholars, alongside specific case studies, this research discusses historical moments when Daoist ideas and symbols appeared prominently within attire-related institutions. Rather than considering Daoism merely as an evangelical means to produce certain costumes, this paper explores how core philosophical concepts, such as ziran (naturalness) and wuwei (non-action), are integrated into broader aesthetic controversies encompassing simplicity, strength, and ritualistic practice. Throughout history, despite significant transformations in political regimes and textile technologies, numerous fundamental components of traditional clothing remain recognizable and unchanged today. Daoist priests' robes, court regulations, and literati self-imaging each contribute to a category of shared symbols with the potential for reuse across diverse situations. Currently, amidst the popularization of Hanfu, these older motifs proliferate through digital technologies, commercial design, and cultural heritage performances. They are continuously reinterpreted according to modern contexts in ways that diverge from their original ritualistic purposes. Exploring these symbolic transformations ultimately facilitates a deeper understanding of their enduring role on the stage of historical dress and their ongoing cultural recreation.

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