Fashion in the Han dynasty

Published: July 28, 2026 · Updated: July 28, 2026

The Han established the classic forms later called hanfu — Han clothing — and opened the Silk Road that carried Chinese silk west; the deep shenyi robe and the jacket-and-skirt were its hallmarks.

Fashion in the Han dynasty — Author: Anonymous (Eastern Han period) Public domain Source

Overview

Men and women wore the shenyi, early with a curved wrapping hem (quju) and later a straight hem (zhiju). Women often wore a short jacket (ru) with a long skirt (qun), and the Mawangdui tomb preserves astonishing silks, including a near-weightless gauze gown.

Key garments and style

Rank was shown by the man’s cap (guan) and the color of his seal-cord. Sericulture and weaving reached great refinement, and Han silk became a prized export along the new trade routes.

Transition

After the Han fell, three centuries of division brought northern and steppe styles into the mix.

History of this period

Han dynasty 206 BC–AD 220