More youngsters choosing to dress with cultural confidence

BEIJING — Dressed in long robes, a crowd of young people wanders around pavilions and royal gardens, with their flowing sleeves and heavily embroidered skirts gently swaying in the breeze. They are not actors on a movie set, but hanfu enthusiasts at a themed event in Beijing.

"Over a decade ago, hanfu fashion was an obscure subculture, but relevant activities nowadays often draw thousands of participants," says Liu Xiang, an organizer of the event.

Benefiting from the growing popularity of social media and a craze for traditional culture, hanfu, a traditional style of clothing once worn by the Han people, has enjoyed a fresh lease of life thanks to a new wave of young Chinese devotees, including Liu.