TRADITIONAL CULTURE

From Weapon to Costume Piece: The Formidable Hairpins of Fuzhou

With a 1,600-year history, Fuzhou’s “tri-hairpin” has evolved from weapon to accessory to nearly forgotten artifact, but now, thanks to a small group of designers, it’s back in vogue

ANCIENT HISTORY

Behind the Screen: A Brief History of Chinese “Pingfeng”

How the humble “pingfeng” screen came to adorn everything from cave dwellings to the emperor’s throne

ANCIENT HISTORY

How Ancient Chinese Got Their Hair Cut

Hair was almost sacred to some ancient Chinese, and hairdressers eventually cashed in

LIFE

Best (and Worst) Tiger Fashions this Lunar New Year

International brands have released their annual animal zodiac-themed products—we rate them here

ENTERTAINMENT

Viral Revival: Making Traditional Clothing Cool Again

Fashion influencer Ao Luojia talks about internet fame and updating traditional “hanfu” for modern tastes

ANCIENT HISTORY

The “Designer” Bags of Ancient China

Centuries before Chanel and Hermès became status symbols, ancient Chinese could tell a person’s rank from the bag they carried

TRADITIONAL CULTURE

The Jade Rush

Freewheeling prices and millennia of cultural mystique fuel China’s insatiable appetite for the green stone

ARTS

Imperial Leather

A nomadic survival skill lives on as an exquisite handicraft

ARTS

Red All About It

The enduring cult appeal of an 18th-century literary classic

DESIGN

Class Acts

For a century, school uniforms have mirrored social and political shifts in China