Hanfu show infuses Venice Carnival with oriental charm

Italian volunteers display Hanfu, a style of clothing traditionally worn by the Han people, at Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy, Feb. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

A show of Hanfu, the traditional attire that used to be worn by ethnic-majority Han Chinese, was seen in the finale of the colorful parade in the Venice Carnival.

by Ren Yaoting, Peng Zhuo

VENICE, Italy, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Carnival 2024 concluded across Italy on Tuesday, culminating with the famous Venice parade of costumes and masks.

A show of Hanfu, the traditional attire which used to be worn by ethnic-majority Han Chinese, was seen in the finale of the colorful parade. This marks the second consecutive year such a show was included in the Venice Carnival.

A group of 22 Italian and Chinese volunteers wearing Hanfu participated in a parade at the Piazza San Marco in the city center.

Italian volunteer Chantal, who is also a student at the Confucius Institute at the Ca' Foscari University of Venice, was dressed in an oriental princess costume made of scarlet silk.

An Italian volunteer displays Hanfu, a style of clothing traditionally worn by the Han people, at Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy, Feb. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

She said she felt "very happy" to participate in the parade, adding: "I felt that (dressing Hanfu) is my approach to the beautiful Chinese culture, lifestyle, and incredible history of dresses."

The clothes, directly transported from the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou, were themed after the Han, Tang, and Song dynasties and displayed the traditional silk culture and millennium-long changes of Chinese traditional costumes, said Ma Xiaohui, the Chinese director at the Confucius Institute at Ca' Foscari University.

Suzhou, dubbed "the Venice of the East" by the Italian explorer Marco Polo in the 13th century, became a sister city to Venice in 1980. The Hanfu show is a tribute to Marco Polo, with this year marking the 700th anniversary of his death.

Italian volunteers display Hanfu, a style of clothing traditionally worn by the Han people, at Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy, Feb. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Over seven centuries ago, the young Venetian merchant and explorer embarked on a trailblazing journey along the ancient Silk Road, which led him through Central Asia to China.

"Today, we celebrate a friendship that lasted for 700 years," said Paola Mar, the deputy mayor of Venice, adding that activities such as Hanfu performances "strengthen the ties between our city and China."

Laura Fincato, a veteran Italian politician and honorary citizen of Suzhou, expressed his hope that the two countries can sustain their mutual understanding and respect.

In addition to the Hanfu show, dragon and lion dances, Kung Fu performances and sword dances were also staged. The Venice Carnival 2024, themed "To the East. The Extraordinary Journey of Marco Polo," ran from Jan. 28 to Feb. 13. It is one of the oldest carnivals in Italy, dating back to 1296.