Embodied Hanfu culture experiences among tourists in historical Luoyang, China

Abstract Wearing national customs has become popular among youth and led to the emergence of experiences for consumers focused on hanfu, a traditional form of Chinese attire. Although such experiences are often integrated into tourism activities that offer unique, participatory experiences, the topic has been largely overlooked in research on tourism study. In a case study on Luoyang, China, the ancient capital of the Han dynasty, interviews were conducted to examine the characteristics and development of hanfu embodied experiences. The results indicate that embodied hanfu experiences can be categorised as the hanfu makeup experience and the hanfu travel experience, both of which encompass psychological and physical dimensions that afford tourists diverse physical and emotional insights. Cultural, social, and commercial ambiance play crucial roles in shaping embodied hanfu experiences, as does the construction of the scene in which hanfu is worn. Therein, the behavior of tourists and of bystanders influences the other.