Ancient Chinese ClothiHanfu is an old term for the early styles of dressing worn by the original Han people in ancient China. In modern days, the word "hanfu" has been coined by Chinese Internet users in general to broadly define the ancient Chinese clothing of Han people from the prehistoric period to the Qing Dynasty of modern China. The history of this clothing can be traced back as early as four thousand years ago to what was known at that time as the Anhui River. The clothes of these early people are still preserved in some areas today. These are referred to as "Shanfa", which literally means "old clothes".

The earliest forms of Han clothing, found as archaeological excavations over the past few decades in what was previously recognized as the Anhui Province, were found to consist of what is known as "Druce." This refers to the fabric made from deer hide. Druce cloth was quite thick and tough fabric. It was also dyed a reddish-brown to render it more suitable for clothing.

"Yam" clothing was a relatively late development. These had no distinguishing color or design. They consisted of a variety of patches on the body that varied in color. They were used mostly by female inhabitants of the Anhui River Basin.

"Furan" clothing, which is to be worn by both men and women, was developed during the Qing Dynasty of China. The term for Furan is commonly applied to the dresses of young men and boys. The term for "woman's furan" is sometimes used. Furan is a generic term that can apply to any dress made from silk with any pattern on it. These are generally referred to as "women's furan."

"Xu" clothing, meaning "knitted" clothing, was developed during the Qing Dynasty. It is not clear when this clothing first appeared. By the nineteenth century, X'an had become a common household item among Chinese women. It could be compared to the modern-day frills available for children. The material used to make such clothing was wool.

"Zhang" is another popular name for women's clothing. This refers to the long dresses worn by Chinese women. The word "zhang" means "dagger". The term was used to distinguish traditional clothing from the modern-day "zu" clothing that was created more recently.

Some historians and others who do research into ancient Chinese clothing wonder why some pieces of clothing have survived for hundreds of years while so many others have not. One theory is that some items were woven to order by highly skilled artisans. It is also believed that some women were allowed to wear elaborate clothing when visiting foreign lands. Some women even had their entire bodies custom-made. Whatever the case, the fact remains that women's clothing in ancient China is very different from what it is today. A modern woman may find it to be extremely boring but an ancient Chinese woman would consider it to be very comforting and appealing.

Chinese women's clothing has endured because of its history. It is one of the only ancient civilizations that still practice the weaving of garments by hand. There is proof in the form of a few surviving loom garments that prove that ancient Chinese women did indeed use clothing made of handcrafted fabrics. Today, some of these garments are often passed down as heirlooms between generations.

The women's clothing of ancient China consisted mainly of textiles. They were also likely to use silk which was probably the richest fabric at the time. Silk was a bit heavier than most cloths at the time and was therefore more comfortable to be worn by the women.

Some of the more popular articles of clothing that have survived to this day include clothes called jammers, which were wraps or shawls wrapped around a person's body to protect them from the cold. These were often worn by both men and women. They were also made in different colors depending on the preferences of the individuals who purchased them. One piece of clothing called the "bridesmaid's dress" is also thought to have been originated from China. It consisted of a skirt for the women and a white bridesmaid's blouse that were worn as a jacket.

Another type of clothing that can be considered ancient is the "harp". These were long dresses that were worn by both men and women. The materials that were used to make these outfits included things such as satin, silk, and jade. They could come in many different designs, but the most common ones that are found today are stripes, prints, and plaid patterns. The colors that these garments were made in were often ones that were dark like black, navy, and dark green.