Han Chinese clothing or Hanfu, also known as Hanzhuang or Huafu (the layperson almost always use the term guzhuang which means "ancient clothing") refers to the historical clothing of the Han Chinese people, that was typically worn before conquest by the Manchus and the establishment of the Qing Dynasty in 1644. The term Hanfu derives from the Book of Han, which says, "then many came to the Court to pay homage and were delighted at the clothing style of the Han [Chinese]."Han Chinese clothing is presently worn only as a part of historical reenactment, hobby, coming of age/rite of passage ceremonies, ceremonial clothing worn by religious priests, or cultural exercise and can be frequently seen on Chinese television series, films and other forms of media entertainment. However, there is currently a movement in China and overseas Chinese communities to revive Han Chinese clothing in everyday life and incorporate in Chinese festivals or celebration.
Some costumes commonly thought of as typically Chinese, such as the qipao, are the result of influence by brutal laws (Queue Order) imposed by Manchurian rulers of the Qing Dynasty, and are regarded by some advocates as not being "traditionally" Han. Technically, the Qing dynasty and afterwards would be considered modern China, so the qipao would be modern clothing and not traditional. Today, most Han Chinese wear western-style clothing in everyday life.
Many East Asian and Southeast Asian national costumes, like the Japanese kimono, the Korean hanbok and the Vietnamese áo dài and áo tứ thân, all show influences from Hanfu, as historically these countries were part of the Sinosphere.
--Wikipedia
