Li also says it is difficult to find people who understand the message that Hanfu hobbyists are trying to convey, especially in small towns.
Most Hanfu hobbyists in China are from big cities. While no figure is available on the exact number of such hobbyists, about 2,000 to 3,000 such hobbyists live in Beijing, according to Li's estimates.
He also estimates that most Hanfu hobbyists are in their 20s and 30s and that few have adopted Hanfu as part of their everyday, public wardrobes.
Hobbyists join small clubs that rely heavily on personal contributions from members, and their meet-ups, which include costume shows, exhibitions and a pitch-pot game that was a popular way to entertain guests in ancient times, are usually held in parks and other free venues, he said.
Controversial
Hanfu sparked debate in 2007, when Chinese political adviser Ye Hongming proposed adopting Hanfu as China's national clothing.
Supporters said popularizing Hanfu would boost national pride and promote national unity, and they believed that such clothing called to mind China's ancient glories and could best represent China on formal occasions.
Others said the move was unnecessary and a symbol of Han chauvinism. "Why not the garments of ethnic minorities?" "A nation and its culture are not judged by their cover," Internet users wrote.
Prominent Chinese writer Yu Qiuyu labeled the proposal "nationalistic," arguing that people's freedom of choice would be undermined if everyone were required to wear Hanfu on important occasions.
The Hanfu battle flared back up this month after pictures of a university student in eastern China wearing Hanfu were posted on online forums.
Qin Yawen, a college student from China's Soochow University, said TV shows inspired her to dress in Hanfu, but others derided her actions as publicity-seeking.
Wang Zhi, a Xi'an-based folklore expert, says that in an age of globalization, people are craving a unique cultural identity, which has aroused an interest in Hanfu.
People have become worried about losing their identity, and they want to trace their roots, finding something that's unique about them, he says.
He Tongbin, a lecturer in the School of Liberal Arts at Nanjing University, believes that globalization has become such an indelible cultural influence that the promotion of Hanfu can do little to help modern Chinese people revive cultural traditions that were lost long ago.
It's hard to live like the ancestors, even for Hanfu campaigners, he said.
Source: Shanghai Daily
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