12/22/25

Gufeng music, Hanfu, and Historical-fantasy works co-create a reimagined ancient China

This is a video essay focusing on the transmedia storytelling of Gufeng music. A rough parody of operatic singing, reimagined Hanfu (traditional Han ethnic attire) fashion, opaque pseudo-ancient lyrics, and a niche Zhongguofeng (Chinese style, or Chinese Wind) all form the stereotype of Gufeng (ancient Chinese style) music. My impression of this genre was essentially the same. In this video, we're going to look past the stereotypes. First, I’ll trace the origins of the Gufeng genre and address the controversies surrounding it. Second, I will clear up the terminology. Gufeng (Ancient Style), Zhongguofeng (Chinese Style), and Guofeng (National Style) are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. I’ll explain the differences and examine what exactly gives Gufeng its 'ancient' vibe. Finally, I will analyze the industry from two directions: • From the bottom up: How transmedia storytelling transformed this from an online community hobby into a commercialized industry with offline events. • And from the top down: How Gufeng gained official acceptance and became a recognized part of mainstream culture.

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