Chinese Students Revive Ancient Song Dynasty Fashion To Practice Social Distancing

In the recent months, we’ve come across videos of people coming with creative ways to practice social distancing, such putting on bulky costumes and contraptions that literally make it impossible for people to come within at least 1 meter of their personal space. Now it looks like elementary school students in China are doing the same.

In photos that have recently surfaced, it shows how students at the Yangzheng Elementary School in China have revived an ancient fashion accessory worn during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). If you have ever watched movies or TV shows based on ancient China, then these are hats that you might have seen, where they come with long “wings” on each side of the hat.

The hats weren’t actually designed as a way to practice social distancing. According to the story, it seems that the dynasty’s emperor at that time, Taizu, came up with the design of the hat in order to maintain court etiquette and to prevent others from conspiring against him. He believed that the wings on the hat would make it difficult for officials to whisper to each other without poking each other in the face, thus preventing them from conspiring against him while in court.

Speaking to the Zhejiang Daily newspaper, Hong Feng, the school’s principal, was quoted as saying, “This was indeed our innovation. We’re advocating students to wear a one-meter hat and maintain one meter’s distance.”

Tyler Lee
Categories: General
Tags: China, Coronavirus, covid-19, fashion