Overview
A mamianqun is made of two overlapping skirt pieces that share a plain, undecorated panel — the horse face — at the center front and back, with crisp pleats filling the sides. The flat panels give a clean surface for borders and woven or embroidered decoration.
How it is worn
The skirt is wrapped so the two smooth panels overlap at front and back and is tied at the waist, letting the pleated sides move freely when walking. It is worn with an upper jacket such as an ao or ru, and the panel’s border marks its formality.
History
The horse-face construction appears by the Song and became the standard women’s skirt of the Ming and Qing. After a long decline it has surged back since the 2010s as the signature piece of everyday hanfu, now made in both traditional and modern fabrics.