//2ha Spoilers

汉服复兴之路 History of Hanfu Revival Movement

History of Hanfu:

“Hanfu" as a technical term refers to traditional clothing worn by the Han ethnic group in China （Han = Han ethnic group, Fu = clothing).

The last Dynasty of China, Qing, saw a ruling class of the Manchu ethnic group who had attacked the Ming Dynasty from the North and ultimately achieved victory. This resulted in a forceful change of attire from "Han" clothing to "Man" clothing and fashion:

This included men being forced to shave the front half of their heads, leaving a long braid in the back (those who refused were beheaded)(四爷，借用一下您的盛世美颜😂) :

Therefore, technically, "Hanfu" had not been worn in China since the end of the Ming Dynasty (1616 AD).

Following the establishment of the current People's Republic of China (1949 AD) the country busied itself with development and economic growth. By the early 2000's China had undergone 2 rounds of economic reform and saw an economy that was flourishing. This left people with more time and money to revisit the country's vast history and rich culture (it's difficult to think about culture or history when you're trying to put food on the table).

Hanfu revival movement:

On November 22, 2003, an electric engineer by the name of Wang Letian (王乐天) strode through the streets of Deng Zhou wearing a Quju robe . This was the first time someone wore Hanfu for a casual outing since almost 400 years ago. Although, looking back, the design wasn't historically accurate, and the clothing seemed ill-fitting, this robe had been hand-sewn by Wang Letian and his friends, all of whom had a passion for Hanfu.

At the time, people laughed when they saw him in the streets, it looked so odd and strange among the sweaters and jeans that had become the norm, but Wang Letian had started a snowball of Hanfu revival. The internet spread photos of him wearing Hanfu through the streets and by chance, a Singaporean reporter, Zhang Congxing (张从兴), came across the photos. He wrote an article in the newspaper Lianhe Morning Report (联合早报) which became the first news article recorded of the current movement to revive Hanfu.

Following that, interest in Hanfu grew. People (especially young people) dug through history books, visited museums, and broke out the sewing kits. Today, Hanfu can often be seen around sightseeing locations and in historic cities like Xi'an. Although most people still aren't wearing it out and about daily, it's not uncommon to see someone wearing a Mamian Skirt (from Ming dynasty) with a blouse heading to work.

There are still some who think it's odd and strange (including my dad 😑), but the revival in Hanfu indicates a confidence and pride many young people have in China's own history and culture, something that had been often neglected over the past 100 years due to continuous wars and political chaos.

As a kid, I loved period dramas and would drape a bed sheet around my shoulders pretending it's a cape. I'd admire the beautiful hair styles on TV, wondering how it was done. Never did I dream one day I'd be able to purchase my own Hanfu and have a suitcase of hair buns and accessories 🤣🤣

Hello, is there any evidence and/or depictions of Tamg Dynasty women actually wearing the hezi as an undergarment rather than an outer garment?

(If you don't know what "hezi/诃子" is, I'll put it under the Keep Reading.)

Hi!!

I checked on Baidu, I checked on Google, I checked on Bili, I checked in my Hanfu books, I checked on 小红书 (popular Chinese app), and from all the information I gathered the simple answer is:

No.

As of right now, there are no artefacts or paintings depicting women of the Tang Dynasty wearing the undergarment hezi (诃子) inside. I imagine one of the difficulties with undergarments is most depictions (paintings, figures, etc) wouldn't show people wearing it without outer wear, so we can only rely on tomb excavations to unearth actual garments, and right now none have been discovered.

But you never know what they might uncover in the future! I heard when they expanded Xi'an's airport last time they dug out 3,500 tombs, so they're always finding new things :D

Hezi (诃子) is a woman's undergarment that many people thought was worn during the Tang Dynasty. It was strapless and covered the bust, then gradually evolved to be worn with portions being viewable on the outside (the green strip across the bust would be the 'hezi'):

However, no actual artefacts have been uncovered to show anyone wearing hezi inside, so the official status of this garment is "under question (存疑)".

A lot of Hanfu stores sell hezi dresses (诃子裙) which is actually not a historically accurate garment. They connect the top and bottom portion so it's just one long dress rather than separated (and they added straps for convenience). It does tend to be a very "stereotypical" look for the Tang Dynasty for people who aren't familiar with historically accurate Hanfu:

Terrible Trusted Advisors

(Even more of my Nan Feng & Fu Yao are real deputy officials AU)

+

How it started

Awkward meeting

Do you think MNQ have actual feelings for JW?Even after everything he's done?

[WARNING: SPOILERS ON TGCF END]

me, outside: *calmly typing*me, inside: LISTEN UP ONE (1) BRAIN CELL OF MINE - WE FINALLY GET A JW AND MNQ AND JUNMEI ASK SO SQUEEZE IT UP

Haha okayokay, so first of all - I’m not sure what you mean by “actual feelings” like is it in a platonic loyalty way? romantic sense? So I’m just going to try to be very general as much as possible. 

MNQ DEFINITELY LOVES JW (take the “love” however you mean it). MNQ left JW once already and hid from him. But now, he’s back and took courage to return and stay this time around. 

It’s evident that MNQ still cares for JW that when he found out that there was someone who was born under the same stars/circumstances and the like as JW, he disguised himself as that child’s teacher. We can also see how much he still respects him that even though technically JW was their “enemy”, when HC was being disrespectful to him with his “Why do we have to attach importance to you?”, MNQ couldn’t help himself to berate HC who was technically on their side with “Youngster, when you speak, don’t be too arrogant!” Of course, this is also because MNQ knew that JW is strong af and if pushed to his limit will wreck them all haha He also got how this JW’s mind worked (hence the many scolding and words he gave XL before) and even in ch237 we get that confirmed with “The Guo Shi can be said to be the person who understands Bai Wuxiang the most in this world right now”. 

And we also see how despite MNQ technically being a very big foil to his plans, JW holds him dear in his own way. He could have killed MNQ any time but time and time again, he keeps him alive (their false pretenses on each other when MNQ was still Xian Le’s Guo Shi and when he dragged him up the heavens and locked him up instead). Another instance this was very evident was when HC and JW were fighting and MNQ kept giving his insight to help their side and JW just lightly reprimands him with the part: He glances at the Guo Shi, smiling, “To teach others how to deal with me in front of me, and I won’t to kill you, but you’re certainly becoming increasingly bolder.”

Point is - MNQ and JW are on opposing sides and despite the fight not literally technically between them, the pain and hurt they have on each other seeps through. This was most evident during that time when XL was getting smashed by JW that MNQ screamed at JW asking him to stop and appealing to his humanity with arguments on “XL is young! Let him go this once! He’ll be sensible one day!”. And then JW turns his attention to MNQ and basically states his own hurt against him with words like “The one you wish to be sensible is not him but me, right?” and he starts accusing him of bringing up and teaching XL in hopes that XL will show JW that he’s wrong and anyway that whole ordeal. 

And when JW was pinned down, MNQ kept calling for him to stop, to please forget it and he kneels and begs JW to see reason even though JW kept roaring “scram!” to him. *cries* Then JW starts strangling him in anger and MNQ waves XL’s help away and just quietly says, “Your Highness ah.” And JW could snap his neck then and there and we all know MNQ would let him. JW would have continued fighting XL but it was MNQ’s words that finally reached him when MNQ admitted how he missed him, how he missed their friends, how he missed the days when they haven’t ascended and finally with that “i am tired now, are you not tired as well?” AT THE END, BOTH OF THEM ARE TIRED - MNQ is tired of running away, of letting JW down, of all this destruction; JW himself is tired of pretending, of deceiving, of suffering alone. 

MNQ understood the Wu Yong emperor, his friend, the one person he was loyal to. But back then, he failed to understand the fallen emperor, this devastation who wore a mask - who was consumed by pain, grief, and suffering that he destroyed, murdered, and made others bleed. It was only during this present time that he finally understood that part of JW; hence, why he stayed instead of running away again. One of my favorite parts on the last scenes of the big fight (besides XL putting his bamboo hat on JW as a parallel to how bamboo hat man put it on XL aka this act of kindness that saves is being passed on) is that small scene after the XL vs JW fight. XL asks MNQ to come with them but MNQ responds with “I’ll accompany His Highness the Crowned Prince for a while. After all, in the past, I didn’t accompany him.” 

*breaking down* It took them sooooo many years of dealing with pain, grief, and feelings of betrayal ALONE SEPARATELY but now they can stop. MNQ finally takes the courage to stay with JW this time and JW finally has that one person he needed by his side. They took a long destructive path to get here but now, they can start healing TOGETHER and rest.

True Love <3

(original audio by average_jake_)!

Anyway the best type of fengqing is when they are basically already a couple in canon but it was never really relevant to the plot, and they acted exactly how Xie Lian expected them to (they like fighting sue them), so it’s only post canon that he realises that Mu Qing and Feng Xin like. Fuck sometimes.

I see your “they slowly learn to do away with the false beliefs they have of each other post canon and put their sexual tension to good use” and raise you “yeah they’ve been fucking for a good 500 years out of the 800 they’ve been stuck together” solely because HC would lose his mind what do you MEAN they got together before he and gege did?!

I need someone to estimate the net casualties of junmei's divorce. It's in the millions for sure, the question is just how many.

anyway mei nianqing going "my dear highness" while getting chocked by jun wu who is actively trying to kill him is kinda insane. mnq is the biggest freak in this series and doesnt get nearly enough credit for it

Hmm, I'm surprisingly calmer this chapter (it's the stress i'm telling ya) and so much yapping to be done for EndoChika istg. I'm sorry for sidelining our savior Ume for the nth time, I'll make it up to you king i swear 😭🙏.

My thoughts on Chapter 152 of Wind Breaker so spoilers ahead!

First, the title ("Symbols") is so very fitting let me tell ya.

Secondly, idk why but Sakura being worried for Umemiya is so heart warming 🥹. My son, oh my, have you have grown so much 🥹😭🤧. I hope he gets to do the "babe this isnt you" that other people have said about in previous chapters, but like in the funniest way possible.

Thirdly, this panel of Ume is insane!! LIKE THE EYEE, THIS IS BOFURIN'S LEADER Y'ALL. BEAT HIM UP UME!!

Fourthly, Endo and Takiishi tattoo lore drop??? Not me thinking that tattoo on Endo's left deltoid m. was exclusively for himself then Takiishi takes of his jacket only to reveal the same tattoo as well!?

AND THEN PROCEEDS TO LORE DROP THAT HE DREW THE TATTOO HIMSELF??? Moreover, TAKIISHI AGREED?? these two make me sick (/affectionate)

(TAKIISHI LOOKS SO TINY HELP WHAT-)

AND OF COURSE HE TOOK GREAT CARE IN FINDING SMTHING THAT FITS TAKIISHI SO WELL.

I made a visual for comparison:

(Btw, the "kuzushi" is actually a JP martial arts term for unbalancing an opponent + there's a story behind the Kunikuzushi: to briefly sum it up, a military commander from the Sengoku Period by the name of Ōtomo Sōrin had obtained an ichibiya likely imported from Portuguese Goa, India and used it for battle in other countries hence its name Kunikuzushi.)

-

Man's so gay he literally made a soulmark tattoo for his boo. Even Sakura could see it.

Endo lowkey be fantasizing an period dramas in his head with Takiishi and I can respect that.

Him also being jealous of Umemiya that he's the center of Takiishi's thoughts is so hwkwkfksl. Ume would very much like to not be Takiishi's center of attention and can you please get your boyfriend back, please and thank you. This guy I swear, I'm embarrased for you and all your boy failure. Keep doing you hun.

Lastly, this chapter has made Endo more & more relatable and I don't know how I feel about that so I made memes about it:

He's part of the art community my guys. (Not surprising considering he is a prodigy).

Thank you again Nii-sensei for the chapter and to Jacqueline Fung for the official translation 🙏 Please go and support them via the official international release in Kodansha.

K MANGA

K MANGA - You can read the latest chapter on the Kodansha official comic site for free!

K MANGA - You can read the latest chapter on the Kodansha official comic site for free!

(P.S. I've decided to move my wbk content on a new blog specifically for wbk. That also means new chapter rants will be there to for the forseeable future. So if you wanna check that out, come visit me @transient-winds )