So true. I actually listed this drama for The Historical C-drama Challenge as Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) but I…
Comments are not necessarily targeting this drama, but is criticizing TVB historical dramas in general. TVB is from Hong Kong though.
So technically Mainland Chinese audience is criticizing Hong Kong producers for the inaccuracies. The drama you are watching comes from TVB (Hong kong TV station), so yes its not historically accurate.
Here are some comments from Mainland Chinese audience about TVB historical hairstyles and historical costumes. Although some Mainland Chinese audience have also criticise their entertainment for blindly following suit.
So true. I actually listed this drama for The Historical C-drama Challenge as Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) but I…
Saw your watchlist, that you are watching TVB drama A Step Into The Past.
If you are watching for fun, you can watch it. But if you are watching to learn more about Chinese costume and hairstyles, please do not take it seriously. (TVB historical dramas are notoriously known for inaccuracies among Mainland Chinese people)
There is a huge talk among Mainland Chinese audience about TVB historical drama about their hairstyles and costumes for their big inaccuracies.
If you search in Zhihu (Chinese platform), this search would come up: 客观地说，TVB是否带「坏」了大陆古装剧的服装造型？
If you use ChatGPT to translate, the Chinese sentence would mean: Objectively speaking, has TVB negatively influenced the costume designs in mainland Chinese historical dramas?
So true. I actually listed this drama for The Historical C-drama Challenge as Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) but I…
Glad that you are not confused. I thought what I said was confusing to the point that you messed up.
Court Lady costumes and hairstyle are pretty accurate for the Tang dynasty period. Some of the hairstyles though especially for the crown princess in this series remind me of Geishas hairstyle. ( Its like Maikos strolling down the street of Kyoto)
Personally, I feel like Japan has preserve traditional chinese culture very well although they have localised it as well. (Han & Tang dynasty era)
So true. I actually listed this drama for The Historical C-drama Challenge as Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) but I…
I think how I say it was confusing. You got messed up. Court Lady was set during the Tang dynasty period. Tang dynasty costumes does not look like Wafuku/ Kimono. The costumes in the Han Dynasty Era is the one that has a lot of similarities to Wafuku. ( Actually Han dynasty costume is Not complicated at all. It is simple and elegant. Here are some photos of costumes during the Han Dynasty Era.
The costumes in Han dynasty was similar to Wafuku but the hairstyle not really( as you can see from the photos above) . Both the hairstyles and costumes in Han dynasty period is more simple and elegant.
So true. I actually listed this drama for The Historical C-drama Challenge as Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) but I…
Personally, I like Han dynasty attire the most as it reminds me of Wafuku Japanese clothing a lot. (which is simple and elegant)
Most Chinese in Mainland China like the costumes in Han, Tang, Song & Ming best. If you like Hanbok (korean costume), you might like Ming dynasty costume. Ming dynasty costume really resemble those in Goryeo dynasty and early Joseon dynasty.
Early Joseon period costume has many similarities to the one during the Ming dynasty era. However by the mid-late Joseon period, Hanbok has went through alterations and amendments and it start to look different from their cousins Ming dynasty costume.
Tang & Song costumes are also good-looking, especially in dramas like The Court Lady, Gone with The Rain, The romance Of Tiger And Rose.
You are the first to tell me that you are like Qing dynasty costume and accessories. Most Chinese prefer attires during the Han, Tang, Song and Ming the most. Most Chinese cannot stand the pigtail hairstyle of the guys during the Qing period😂
Ps: If you watch these 2 korean drama: The Queen Who Crowns and the other one The King Of Tears, Lee Bang Won. The Korean hanbok attires really resemble the Ming dynasty costume. ( although the hairstyles are different).
Korean Hanbok is influenced by Ming dynasty costume and Japanese Kimono is more influenced by Han dynasty costume. Although Japanese geishas hairstyle sometimes remind me of Tang dynasty hairtsyle.
So true. I actually listed this drama for The Historical C-drama Challenge as Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) but I…
Also if you are looking at old dramas, especially those historical dramas from Taiwan and Hong Kong many years back, the costumes, attire as well as the hairstyles are totally NOT accurate.
Taiwanese and Hong Kong directors back then are notoriously known for creating hairstyles that seems extravagant with lot of hairpins, accessories and complicated hairstyles(which are generally not historically accurate)
Some old Chinese historical dramas are influenced by Taiwanese and Hong Kong historical dramas back in the days. So hairstyles and some attires are not entirely accurate in some old chinese historical dramas. There is a TVB Hong Kong drama called Beyond the Realm of Conscience. The hairstyles and costumes are definitely NOT accurate.
Many Chinese from the Mainland praise Hong Kong and Taiwanese directors for creating extravagant hairstyles and costumes. (Like the one you see in Beyond the Realm of Conscience). However they also mention that the hairstyles/ costumes you see in Beyond The Realm of Conscious are not historically accurate.
Recent Mainland Chinese dramas from the last 10 years have done a better job in making sure that the hairstyles and costumes are more historically accurate. Kudos to dramas like Secret of The Three Kingdom, Legend Of Haolan, The Wind blows From Longxi, Ancient Melody of Love, The Longest Day In Changan, The Court Lady, Gone With The Rain, Flourished Peony, Are You The One, Royal Feast, Blossom, Pledge of Allegiance.
Ps: Saw that you have watched many old dramas. Do take note that old dramas does not mean that the costumes/ hairstyles are historically accurate. The reason is because Chinese historical dramas in the past is dominated by Hong Kong and Taiwanese directors, that is famous for creating extravagant hairstyles and extravagant attires (that is not historically accurate). Mainland Chinese dramas back then are hugely influenced by Taiwanese and Hong Kong dramas. Hence old chinese dramas doesnt mean/equate that it is historically accurate either. The last fe ew episodes of Beyond the Realm of Conscience and last episodes of Deep In the Realm of Conscience have really nice bright and nice costumes and complicated hairstyles and many hairpins and accessories but Not really historically accurate.
So true. I actually listed this drama for The Historical C-drama Challenge as Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) but I…
Beijing is good if you are looking and learning about Jin, Liao, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasty (the later chinese periods).
As you know, China as a country has been invaded many times by nomads up in the north. Most that invaded China eventually assimilate into the Chinese society though. So Beijing existence means that it has the potential to embrace and assimilate nomads up in the north. Beijing, if you break down the words in Chinese would mean "Northern capital". Beijing has been the capital of quite a number of dynasties. But its mainly manchus, Jurchens, Khitans and mongols that made Beijing their capital. There is 1 dynasty ruled by the Han Chinese that made Beijing the capital, which is Ming dynasty.
However if you want to learn about ancient Chinese culture, personally I would recommend a trip to Xi An (also known a Chang An). This city is the capital of Han and Tang dynasty (both are the greatest dynasties in Chinese history.) In fact, the fact that Chang An (also called Xi An today) has been the capital of China for over 1200-1300 years is very impressive.
Out of the 4 great ancient capital of China, Xi An (Chang An) boost being the capital of China for most of its history. Xi An is really Chinese in every aspect. Although Beijing is also good, but if there is a chance, you can try visit to Xi An.
Xi An was one of the terminal points on the Silk Road during the ancient and medieval eras, as well as the home of the 3rd-century BC Terracotta Army commissioned by Emperor Qin Shi Huang—both of which are listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Ps: Pretty sure you have heard of the word " Chang An" multiple times when watching Chinese historical dramas.
So true. I actually listed this drama for The Historical C-drama Challenge as Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) but I…
For architecture of Tang dynasty period, you can watch The Imperial Coroner (2021). The starting first 3-4 minute of the drama shows the Tang Dynasty architecture accurately but the costumes/ attire on the other hand is not that accurate😂 The reason why I said the costumes are not so accurate in The Imperial Coroner (2021) is because some people in this drama is wearing Han dynasty clothes, some of them Song dynasty clothes, some of them Tang dynasty clothes and other wearing Ming dynasty clothes. (a mixture). The female hairstyles in the The Imperial Coroner (2021) is also not that accurate. The femalehairstyles in The Imperial Coroner(2021) is mainly taken from inspiration from Hong Kong and Taiwanese historical drama in the early days, which is not really accurate. For architectures of Tang dynasty, you can watch The Imperial Coroner (2021), the first 4 minute of the drama shows Tang architecture. However the ladies hairstyles and costumes of The Imperial Coroner (2021) is not accurate at all. Its opposite of Flourished Peony. (whereby the costumes and hairstyles in Flourished Peony is accurate but not the architecture)
Tang dynasty architecture is more similar to those in Han dynasty Era. Both have their capital in Chang An ( also called Xi An). The architecture featured in Goodbye My Princess( the second part of the story) is also a good representative of how Tang dynasty architecture looks like.
So true. I actually listed this drama for The Historical C-drama Challenge as Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) but I…
If you have the chance to visit museums in China or Taiwan one day, you should. There are paintings and murals dating back to those period.
The colours are different. Chinese architecture from the Han Dynasty, Tang dynasty and Song dynasty favour different colours from the later period(eg, Ming dynasty). Ming dynasty architecture favour brighter colours like orange and red. Whereas those architecture in Han dynasty, Tang period and Song era prefer those that is black and dark grey in colour.
As you imagined, Chinese architecture has went through many changes throughout the millennia with many styles coming in and out of fashion which can be considered quite distinct compared to other periods. The distinction is particularly noticeable in the style of architecture that was characteristic of the period before and during the Song dynasty and afterwards due to a general shift in preference from wood being the primary building material to stone and a shift towards heavy ornamentation and the loss of functional usage of dougong bracketing systems, which are a characteristic element of Chinese, and through extended cultural influence, Northeast Asian architecture.
Originally, Chinese architecture was characterized by the usage of wood as a main material, and of large wooden columns that would be connected to a complex system of wooden brackets known as “dougong” which served to transfer the weight of the roof of a structure directly onto the columns. This meant that walls generally did not serve a structural purpose since they didn’t carry any of the weight of the building themselves. Unfortunately, since wood deteriorates much faster than stone and is susceptible to things like arson and decay, the oldest remaining wooden buildings in China date back only to the Tang dynasty, characterized by the main halls of the Nanchan and Foguang temples. While no remaining wooden buildings exist from before this time, dougong bracketing systems can be seen in painted murals and grave pottery sculptures that imitated wooden buildings dating back to the Han dynasty and earlier.
During the Tang dynasty significant cultural exportation happened, heavily influencing the culture and architecture of both Korea and Japan. The Japanese in particular are considered to have preserved many elements of early Chinese architecture that were later lost or fell out of fashion in China. The first permanent Japanese capitals of Heijō-kyō and Heian-kyō, now Nara and Kyoto respectively, were modelled after the Chinese capital of Chang’an, and the architecture of some of the oldest preserved temples in Japan like Hōryū-ji, Kōfuku-ji, and Yakushi-ji would have closely resembled Tang architecture with their large roofs and dougong brackets. Unfortunately, like in the case of Han dynasty architecture, apart from the aforementioned Nanchan and Foguang temples we can only get glimpses of how Tang architecture would have looked by examining paintings and murals dating back to that period, such as the ones from the Mogao and Dunhuang caves. Also still extant from this period are a number of stone pagodas that were meant to imitate wooden pagodas, such as the Giant and Little Wild Goose Pagodas. One other aspect that can be noticed from this is that the Chinese originally preferred to build pagodas on square foundations, resembling watchtowers which they most likely originated from, and only later did the Chinese begin to prefer building octagonal based pagodas.
It was during the Song dynasty that the dougong bracketing system fully matured in China, and treatises like the Yingzao Fashi, still extant today, were written in order to provide standardization of building techniques. Buildings like the pagoda of Fogong temple, the Dule temple and the main hall of Jinci temple in Taiyuan are considered to be exemplary examples of this period of Chinese architecture. It was also during the Song period that stone became a much more popular building material, and as a consequence walls could now be used to bear more of the weight of buildings, meaning that dougong brackets became more and more obsolete. This shift meant that dougong brackets began to get progressively smaller and more ornamental in nature, since they had lost their primary function.
By the Ming and Qing periods, Chinese architecture as it is popularly imagined today started to fully mature, characterized by palaces and temples like the Forbidden city and the Temple of Heaven. Due to the shift to stone, many elements of Chinese architecture like dougong brackets lost their functional roles and more focus was paid towards decoration and ornamentation instead. By focusing on these aspects, it’s relatively easy to tell the difference in the architecture of the Ming and especially Qing dynasties, which are very distinct compared to the architecture of previous periods like the Song dynasty.
. If you look at Hengdian World studio, there are 2 big palaces. The Palace of Emperor Qin is used for filming in the Zhou, Three Kingdoms, Han & Tang Dynasty Era. Architectures of the earlier- mid Chinese dynasties would look like that. The other place in Hengdian World studios is Palace of Ming and Qing. This palace is used for filming in the Ming and Qing periods (later Chinese period)
For architectures/ Palace during the Han, Tang/ Song dynasty period, you can watch dramas like The Imperial Coroner (2021). The start of the show ( the first 3-4 minute of the drama) roughly depicts how the Han/ Tang architecture looks like.
Ps: Chang An (modern day name is Xi An) serve as the capital of 13 Ancient Dynasties in China, including Han dynasty and Tang dynasty (both known as the golden age in Chinese history). Out of the big 4 ancient capitals of China, Chang An ( also known as Xi An today) has been the capital of China the longest period of time. Beijing as a capital only for 700 years whereas Xi An has serve as China capital for 1200 years. Han dynasty and Tang dynasty capital is both located in Xi An. In chinese historical drams, Xi An is known as Chang An.
So true. I actually listed this drama for The Historical C-drama Challenge as Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) but I…
Saw that Flourished Peony ( 国色芳华) is in your watchlist. The costumes in this drama is pretty accurate for the Tang Dynasty period. However the architecture/ housing shown in this drama is more towards the Ming dynasty/ Qing Dynasty/ Later period Era), which is not really accurate.
So true. I actually listed this drama for The Historical C-drama Challenge as Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) but I…
Here are the clothing style of different Hanfu from different dynasties. If you are interested, you can watch them: (You can learn about the different dynasty clothing style and more about Chinese culture.
Zhou Dynasty + Qin dynasty (Qin Shi Huang) + Han dynasty+ 3 Kingdom era
1) Secret Of The Three Kingdoms ( 三国机密 ) 2) Legend Of Haolan ( 皓镧传) 3) The Wind Blows From Longxi ( 风起陇西 ) 4) Growling Tiger, Roaring Dragon ( 大军师司马懿之虎啸龙吟) 5) Ancient Melody of Love ( 古相思曲)
Liu Song Dynasty + Northern Wei Dynasty 1) Untouchable Lovers ( 凤囚凰)- first part of story accurately depicts costumes in Liu Song dynasty era, the second part story are costumes from Northern Wei Dynasty
Tang Dynasty 1) The Romance Of Tiger & Rose （传闻中的陈芊芊) 2) Goodbye My Princess ( 东宫）( Attire of the main actress in second part of the story is set in Tang Dynasty Era, watch the 52 episodes one instead of 55 episodes) 3) The Court Lady ( 骊歌行 ) 4) Gone With The Rain ( 微雨燕双飞 ) 5)The Longest Day In Changan ( 长安十二时辰 )
Song Dynasty 1) Are You The One ( 柳舟记) 2) A Dream Of Splendor ( 梦华录)
Ming Dynasty 1) Royal Feast ( 尚食 ) 2) Blossom (九重紫) 3)Pledge of Allegiance ( 山河之影)
Note: Costumes in Xianxia dramas in recent years are westernized to a great extent. You cannot really call them Hanfu clothing anymore. At least the Han Chinese people in China does not accept all these xianxia westernized clothing as " Hanfu". If you are into more authentic Hanfu clothing style, you might want to watch the above Chinese dramas. (these are the Chinese dramas costumes that is acknowledged/ praised by the audience in China that is more historically accurate in terms of attire)
The producers of the above Chinese dramas took time to study the historical outfits and tried their best to produce it in these Chinese dramas. (Not saying the costumes are 100% accurate, but they would be closest to what you see in history, which most Chinese audience appreciate)
Currently there are very few Chinese dramas that show traditional Hanfu clothing, so costumes in these Chinese dramas are very valuable. (most Xianxia dramas nowadays are really westernized to the point that most Chinese audience doesnt take it seriously)
So true. I actually listed this drama for The Historical C-drama Challenge as Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) but I…
But whether it is set on Northern & Southern Dynasty or Northern Zhou, the attire is still wrong. Pretty sure the hanfu clothing that Jing Tian is wearing is Song dynasty period clothing (as well as her hairstyle). Costumes in earlier Chinese dynasties, have different hairstyles and different style of Hanfu clothing.
To be honest, if the story of this drama is set in Zhou dynasty, then the costumes/ attire in this drama is totally wrong. The costumes featured in this drama is more for the Song dynasty. Zhou dynasty costumes are more similar to Han Dynasty.
So technically Mainland Chinese audience is criticizing Hong Kong producers for the inaccuracies.
The drama you are watching comes from TVB (Hong kong TV station), so yes its not historically accurate.
https://www.tumblr.com/ziseviolet/170558145583/can-you-recommend-a-historically-accurate-and
https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/comments/18xt4j8/historically_accurate_costumes_and_not_so_much/
Reaction 1: 说不好听，谁会计较TVB的古装阿。。。人家不拍历史正剧的，都是武侠剧、轻喜剧为主。颜色嘛是搭配的辣眼睛，但是合家欢就够啦。
谁能想到多年后要从这种剧里面抠形制哦……而且TVB那么抠门。真是太难为它了,
Reaction 2: 娱乐剧和正剧拜托你们分清楚好吧。港剧从来都是娱乐性较强的剧，人家也从来没说过是正剧。
Reaction 3: 因为高层抠经费和历史正剧制作时期长，TVB别说拍历史正剧了，连正经历史题材都很少。我印象中拍过项羽和刘邦的楚汉骄雄，三国拍过穿越剧回到三国，九十年代有拍成吉思汗，杨贵妃基本看作同人剧吧。TVB根本没打算认真创作历史剧，它是一家要向股东分红的商业电视台。不像内地电视台都是半市场化半体制，古早年代的古装剧要向领导交差的，不好好制作但TVB有一个好处，把观众当大爷，人家古装剧拍武侠，拍言情，拍轻喜剧
Reaction 4: 没错。大量港台制作团队涌入大陆，完全降低了影视剧的质量。连最起码的造型服饰都不愿意去考据，拍什么电视剧？我建议，以后披头散发造型的古装剧，广电总局一律禁播。
Here are some comments from Mainland Chinese audience about TVB historical hairstyles and historical costumes. Although some Mainland Chinese audience have also criticise their entertainment for blindly following suit.
You really cannot rely on TVB dramas for costumes and hairstyles accuracies.
If you are watching for fun, you can watch it. But if you are watching to learn more about Chinese costume and hairstyles, please do not take it seriously. (TVB historical dramas are notoriously known for inaccuracies among Mainland Chinese people)
There is a huge talk among Mainland Chinese audience about TVB historical drama about their hairstyles and costumes for their big inaccuracies.
If you search in Zhihu (Chinese platform), this search would come up: 客观地说，TVB是否带「坏」了大陆古装剧的服装造型？
If you use ChatGPT to translate, the Chinese sentence would mean: Objectively speaking, has TVB negatively influenced the costume designs in mainland Chinese historical dramas?
There is a whole discussion on this.
Court Lady costumes and hairstyle are pretty accurate for the Tang dynasty period. Some of the hairstyles though especially for the crown princess in this series remind me of Geishas hairstyle. ( Its like Maikos strolling down the street of Kyoto)
Personally, I feel like Japan has preserve traditional chinese culture very well although they have localised it as well. (Han & Tang dynasty era)
https://preview.redd.it/han-dynasty-women-hanfu-styles-seen-across-dramas-movies-v0-eiu8njncftxc1.png?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=7092b847bfa57241361050f79cb7d2bd6603b344
https://preview.redd.it/han-dynasty-women-hanfu-styles-seen-across-dramas-movies-v0-t225ucncftxc1.png?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=37b2cdc870b6c3f8730cfcf150814d46ebebdd1e
https://preview.redd.it/han-dynasty-women-hanfu-styles-seen-across-dramas-movies-v0-qymsn4wdftxc1.png?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=c56752d46f9cbafa7d9f16c9b2cf21514472895e
https://preview.redd.it/han-dynasty-women-hanfu-styles-seen-across-dramas-movies-v0-jnr8xancftxc1.png?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=c5eddaf92d7e5ed726658c631ba253981eeee9e0
https://www.fashionhanfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/classic-hanfu-of-various-dynasty-china-27.jpg
The costumes in Han dynasty was similar to Wafuku but the hairstyle not really( as you can see from the photos above) . Both the hairstyles and costumes in Han dynasty period is more simple and elegant.
Most Chinese in Mainland China like the costumes in Han, Tang, Song & Ming best. If you like Hanbok (korean costume), you might like Ming dynasty costume. Ming dynasty costume really resemble those in Goryeo dynasty and early Joseon dynasty.
Early Joseon period costume has many similarities to the one during the Ming dynasty era. However by the mid-late Joseon period, Hanbok has went through alterations and amendments and it start to look different from their cousins Ming dynasty costume.
Tang & Song costumes are also good-looking, especially in dramas like The Court Lady, Gone with The Rain, The romance Of Tiger And Rose.
You are the first to tell me that you are like Qing dynasty costume and accessories. Most Chinese prefer attires during the Han, Tang, Song and Ming the most. Most Chinese cannot stand the pigtail hairstyle of the guys during the Qing period😂
Ps: If you watch these 2 korean drama: The Queen Who Crowns and the other one The King Of Tears, Lee Bang Won. The Korean hanbok attires really resemble the Ming dynasty costume. ( although the hairstyles are different).
Korean Hanbok is influenced by Ming dynasty costume and Japanese Kimono is more influenced by Han dynasty costume. Although Japanese geishas hairstyle sometimes remind me of Tang dynasty hairtsyle.
Taiwanese and Hong Kong directors back then are notoriously known for creating hairstyles that seems extravagant with lot of hairpins, accessories and complicated hairstyles(which are generally not historically accurate)
Some old Chinese historical dramas are influenced by Taiwanese and Hong Kong historical dramas back in the days. So hairstyles and some attires are not entirely accurate in some old chinese historical dramas. There is a TVB Hong Kong drama called Beyond the Realm of Conscience. The hairstyles and costumes are definitely NOT accurate.
Many Chinese from the Mainland praise Hong Kong and Taiwanese directors for creating extravagant hairstyles and costumes. (Like the one you see in Beyond the Realm of Conscience). However they also mention that the hairstyles/ costumes you see in Beyond The Realm of Conscious are not historically accurate.
Recent Mainland Chinese dramas from the last 10 years have done a better job in making sure that the hairstyles and costumes are more historically accurate.
Kudos to dramas like Secret of The Three Kingdom, Legend Of Haolan, The Wind blows From Longxi, Ancient Melody of Love, The Longest Day In Changan, The Court Lady, Gone With The Rain, Flourished Peony, Are You The One, Royal Feast, Blossom, Pledge of Allegiance.
Ps: Saw that you have watched many old dramas. Do take note that old dramas does not mean that the costumes/ hairstyles are historically accurate. The reason is because Chinese historical dramas in the past is dominated by Hong Kong and Taiwanese directors, that is famous for creating extravagant hairstyles and extravagant attires (that is not historically accurate). Mainland Chinese dramas back then are hugely influenced by Taiwanese and Hong Kong dramas. Hence old chinese dramas doesnt mean/equate that it is historically accurate either. The last fe ew episodes of Beyond the Realm of Conscience and last episodes of Deep In the Realm of Conscience have really nice bright and nice costumes and complicated hairstyles and many hairpins and accessories but Not really historically accurate.
As you know, China as a country has been invaded many times by nomads up in the north. Most that invaded China eventually assimilate into the Chinese society though. So Beijing existence means that it has the potential to embrace and assimilate nomads up in the north. Beijing, if you break down the words in Chinese would mean "Northern capital". Beijing has been the capital of quite a number of dynasties. But its mainly manchus, Jurchens, Khitans and mongols that made Beijing their capital. There is 1 dynasty ruled by the Han Chinese that made Beijing the capital, which is Ming dynasty.
However if you want to learn about ancient Chinese culture, personally I would recommend a trip to Xi An (also known a Chang An). This city is the capital of Han and Tang dynasty (both are the greatest dynasties in Chinese history.) In fact, the fact that Chang An (also called Xi An today) has been the capital of China for over 1200-1300 years is very impressive.
Out of the 4 great ancient capital of China, Xi An (Chang An) boost being the capital of China for most of its history. Xi An is really Chinese in every aspect. Although Beijing is also good, but if there is a chance, you can try visit to Xi An.
Xi An was one of the terminal points on the Silk Road during the ancient and medieval eras, as well as the home of the 3rd-century BC Terracotta Army commissioned by Emperor Qin Shi Huang—both of which are listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Ps: Pretty sure you have heard of the word " Chang An" multiple times when watching Chinese historical dramas.
Tang dynasty architecture is more similar to those in Han dynasty Era. Both have their capital in Chang An ( also called Xi An). The architecture featured in Goodbye My Princess( the second part of the story) is also a good representative of how Tang dynasty architecture looks like.
The colours are different. Chinese architecture from the Han Dynasty, Tang dynasty and Song dynasty favour different colours from the later period(eg, Ming dynasty). Ming dynasty architecture favour brighter colours like orange and red. Whereas those architecture in Han dynasty, Tang period and Song era prefer those that is black and dark grey in colour.
As you imagined, Chinese architecture has went through many changes throughout the millennia with many styles coming in and out of fashion which can be considered quite distinct compared to other periods. The distinction is particularly noticeable in the style of architecture that was characteristic of the period before and during the Song dynasty and afterwards due to a general shift in preference from wood being the primary building material to stone and a shift towards heavy ornamentation and the loss of functional usage of dougong bracketing systems, which are a characteristic element of Chinese, and through extended cultural influence, Northeast Asian architecture.
Originally, Chinese architecture was characterized by the usage of wood as a main material, and of large wooden columns that would be connected to a complex system of wooden brackets known as “dougong” which served to transfer the weight of the roof of a structure directly onto the columns. This meant that walls generally did not serve a structural purpose since they didn’t carry any of the weight of the building themselves. Unfortunately, since wood deteriorates much faster than stone and is susceptible to things like arson and decay, the oldest remaining wooden buildings in China date back only to the Tang dynasty, characterized by the main halls of the Nanchan and Foguang temples. While no remaining wooden buildings exist from before this time, dougong bracketing systems can be seen in painted murals and grave pottery sculptures that imitated wooden buildings dating back to the Han dynasty and earlier.
During the Tang dynasty significant cultural exportation happened, heavily influencing the culture and architecture of both Korea and Japan. The Japanese in particular are considered to have preserved many elements of early Chinese architecture that were later lost or fell out of fashion in China. The first permanent Japanese capitals of Heijō-kyō and Heian-kyō, now Nara and Kyoto respectively, were modelled after the Chinese capital of Chang’an, and the architecture of some of the oldest preserved temples in Japan like Hōryū-ji, Kōfuku-ji, and Yakushi-ji would have closely resembled Tang architecture with their large roofs and dougong brackets. Unfortunately, like in the case of Han dynasty architecture, apart from the aforementioned Nanchan and Foguang temples we can only get glimpses of how Tang architecture would have looked by examining paintings and murals dating back to that period, such as the ones from the Mogao and Dunhuang caves. Also still extant from this period are a number of stone pagodas that were meant to imitate wooden pagodas, such as the Giant and Little Wild Goose Pagodas. One other aspect that can be noticed from this is that the Chinese originally preferred to build pagodas on square foundations, resembling watchtowers which they most likely originated from, and only later did the Chinese begin to prefer building octagonal based pagodas.
It was during the Song dynasty that the dougong bracketing system fully matured in China, and treatises like the Yingzao Fashi, still extant today, were written in order to provide standardization of building techniques. Buildings like the pagoda of Fogong temple, the Dule temple and the main hall of Jinci temple in Taiyuan are considered to be exemplary examples of this period of Chinese architecture. It was also during the Song period that stone became a much more popular building material, and as a consequence walls could now be used to bear more of the weight of buildings, meaning that dougong brackets became more and more obsolete. This shift meant that dougong brackets began to get progressively smaller and more ornamental in nature, since they had lost their primary function.
By the Ming and Qing periods, Chinese architecture as it is popularly imagined today started to fully mature, characterized by palaces and temples like the Forbidden city and the Temple of Heaven. Due to the shift to stone, many elements of Chinese architecture like dougong brackets lost their functional roles and more focus was paid towards decoration and ornamentation instead. By focusing on these aspects, it’s relatively easy to tell the difference in the architecture of the Ming and especially Qing dynasties, which are very distinct compared to the architecture of previous periods like the Song dynasty.
. If you look at Hengdian World studio, there are 2 big palaces. The Palace of Emperor Qin is used for filming in the Zhou, Three Kingdoms, Han & Tang Dynasty Era. Architectures of the earlier- mid Chinese dynasties would look like that. The other place in Hengdian World studios is Palace of Ming and Qing. This palace is used for filming in the Ming and Qing periods (later Chinese period)
For architectures/ Palace during the Han, Tang/ Song dynasty period, you can watch dramas like The Imperial Coroner (2021). The start of the show ( the first 3-4 minute of the drama) roughly depicts how the Han/ Tang architecture looks like.
Ps: Chang An (modern day name is Xi An) serve as the capital of 13 Ancient Dynasties in China, including Han dynasty and Tang dynasty (both known as the golden age in Chinese history). Out of the big 4 ancient capitals of China, Chang An ( also known as Xi An today) has been the capital of China the longest period of time. Beijing as a capital only for 700 years whereas Xi An has serve as China capital for 1200 years. Han dynasty and Tang dynasty capital is both located in Xi An. In chinese historical drams, Xi An is known as Chang An.
Zhou Dynasty + Qin dynasty (Qin Shi Huang) + Han dynasty+ 3 Kingdom era
1) Secret Of The Three Kingdoms ( 三国机密 )
2) Legend Of Haolan ( 皓镧传)
3) The Wind Blows From Longxi ( 风起陇西 )
4) Growling Tiger, Roaring Dragon ( 大军师司马懿之虎啸龙吟)
5) Ancient Melody of Love ( 古相思曲)
Liu Song Dynasty + Northern Wei Dynasty
1) Untouchable Lovers ( 凤囚凰)- first part of story accurately depicts costumes in Liu Song dynasty era, the second part story are costumes from Northern Wei Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
1) The Romance Of Tiger & Rose （传闻中的陈芊芊)
2) Goodbye My Princess ( 东宫）( Attire of the main actress in second part of the story is set in Tang Dynasty Era, watch the 52 episodes one instead of 55 episodes)
3) The Court Lady ( 骊歌行 )
4) Gone With The Rain ( 微雨燕双飞 )
5)The Longest Day In Changan ( 长安十二时辰 )
Song Dynasty
1) Are You The One ( 柳舟记)
2) A Dream Of Splendor ( 梦华录)
Ming Dynasty
1) Royal Feast ( 尚食 )
2) Blossom (九重紫)
3)Pledge of Allegiance ( 山河之影)
Note: Costumes in Xianxia dramas in recent years are westernized to a great extent. You cannot really call them Hanfu clothing anymore. At least the Han Chinese people in China does not accept all these xianxia westernized clothing as " Hanfu". If you are into more authentic Hanfu clothing style, you might want to watch the above Chinese dramas. (these are the Chinese dramas costumes that is acknowledged/ praised by the audience in China that is more
historically accurate in terms of attire)
The producers of the above Chinese dramas took time to study the historical outfits and tried their best to produce it in these Chinese dramas. (Not saying the costumes are 100% accurate, but they would be closest to what you see in history, which most Chinese audience
appreciate)
Currently there are very few Chinese dramas that show traditional Hanfu clothing, so costumes in these Chinese dramas are very valuable. (most Xianxia dramas nowadays are really westernized to the point that most Chinese audience doesnt take it seriously)