Traditional Chinese clothing

are mainly robes. Women wear long tunics which often reach the ground. Men also wore tunics mainly reached knees.

Sleeves are wide with loose fitting; sashes are sometimes added as ornamentation and to express status. Dark shades are used more often than light ones.

The old Chinese (before the Europeans came) had various social classes who used certain styles and dressing plus different symbols.

In the last Chinese Dynasty from 1644 to 1912 (Manchu Dynasty) the clothing was hanfu with many variants including the military. Hanfu was the traditional dress of the Han people. Hanfu has its origin in the Book of Han, telling "they came to the Court and were delighted at the clothing style of the Han”, where Han stands for Chinese.

The material of this ancient Chinese clothing of the nobility was always silk, which is said that the Yellow Emperor's lesser wife Leizu more or less invented. Hanfu now is worn only at special occasions such as ceremonial clothing worn by priests and at cultural occasions.