Beijing’s Imperial Palace Bustles with Visitors in Qing Dynasty Attire

In Beijing’s Forbidden City, the sprawling former palace of China’s Ming and Qing emperors, streams of visitors dressed in historical costumes pose for portraits, evoking a bygone era.

This trend is seen across heritage sites in China, influenced by comic book conventions and the Japanese passion for cosplay, but with a nationalistic and cultural twist.

Although the costumes may not be historically accurate, they draw inspiration from Chinese paintings, theater, and art, particularly from the Qing Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty, known for its prosperity and cultural advances through trade in silk and porcelain, significantly influenced Chinese fashion.

During the Qing era, China expanded its empire while its art and clothing thrived. Men and women wore elaborately embroidered silk robes, and women adorned their hair with flowers, pearls, and gemstones.

After the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911 and the subsequent decades of warfare, the Communist Party sought to eliminate traces of China’s imperial past. However, with the recent shift from hard-core Maoism and rising prosperity, it’s now common to see families dressed in Qing Dynasty outfits. These costumes are either homemade or rented from vendors who assist with hairstyles and makeup.

Historical TV dramas and the rise of social media have fueled the trend. While not involving battle reenactments like those popular in the U.S. and Europe, these gatherings show growing respect for China’s pre-communist history, with some participants modeling their looks on ancient literary characters.

People flock along the walls and scenic moat of the former palace, now a museum resplendent with weeping willows and autumn hues. Professional and amateur photographers offer their services to families and couples, and visitors in imperial dress take turns capturing the moment with their phone cameras. A group of students from Tsinghua University even celebrated the end of their semester with a costume photo shoot.

Despite the sweltering Beijing summer heat, families, friends, and couples pose with smiles, sweat dripping from their foreheads. This serious affair requires the right pose, the perfect prop, and the ideal camera angle. When everything aligns, they momentarily step back in time, feeling like royalty and fulfilling a fantasy, even if just for a brief moment, amidst their otherwise ordinary lives.

Source: The Associated Press