Brother, just how powerful is our family?

A girl next to me nodded: "Exactly! Our ancestors' aesthetic sense has always been on point. From Han Dynasty murals to Tang Dynasty terracotta figurines, and then to Song Dynasty portraits, which era didn't value appearance? There are countless descriptions in history books like 'extraordinarily handsome' and 'magnificent appearance.' If you're not good-looking, no matter how talented you are, it's hard to stand out—that's a fact."

Qin Yao chimed in at the opportune moment: "This fellow countryman is right. In fact, it's not just Zhu Yuanzhang; the images of many historical figures have been distorted. For example, Qin Shi Huang is portrayed as a tyrant, but he standardized writing, cart axles, and weights and measures, laying the foundation for China's two thousand years of history. Without him, there might not be a China today."

She looked around at everyone, her voice clear and bright: "We often say, 'Those who offend our mighty Han, though far away, shall be punished,' that is the spirit of the Han Dynasty; we say, 'One man can destroy a country,' that is the glory of the Tang Dynasty; we say, 'The sun, moon, mountains, and rivers will live on forever, the Ming Dynasty will live on forever,' that is the backbone of the Ming Dynasty. These are all our excellent historical heritages."

The chat room was flooded with comments:

"Well said!"

"This is the correct view of history!"

"I've always wondered since I was a child, if Zhu Yuanzhang really looked like that, could he have become emperor?"

"The portrait of Zhu Yuanzhang in Nanjing had just been replaced with the normal version when it was maliciously vandalized. The intentions of these people are despicable!"

"We are not trying to glorify historical figures, but to restore the truth."

A young man dressed in a flying fish robe and wearing an embroidered spring knife at his waist walked up to Qin Yao, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Miss Qin, your insight is profound. Our revival of Hanfu and study of history is not to glorify the past and belittle the present, but to rediscover our cultural confidence. Only by knowing where we come from can we understand where we are going."

Qin Yao returned the greeting: "Exactly. National rejuvenation begins with cultural rejuvenation. Our own traditional culture is so excellent, why should we idolize foreign things?"

She turned to the camera: "My darlings, look, this is what young people are like today. They wear Hanfu and read history books, not to be different, but because they truly identify with their cultural roots. This awakening is more precious than anything else."

Just then, music came from the other end of the square. Everyone looked over and saw that a Hanfu dance troupe was beginning to perform.

The music was an adapted version of "Prince Lanling Enters the Battle Song," and the dancers, dressed in various Hanfu (traditional Han clothing), held props such as folding fans, paper umbrellas, and long swords, their movements graceful and elegant. Although they were not as skilled as professional dancers, their enthusiasm and dedication touched everyone present.

The performance ended with thunderous applause.

The dance team leader, a young woman in her early twenties, approached Qin Yao, somewhat nervously, and asked, "Yao Yao, can we take a picture together?"

"Of course!" Qin Yao readily agreed.

While taking a group photo, the girl whispered, "Actually, our dance team has been around for three years. Before, when we rehearsed in the park, people would always point and whisper. But in the last two years, more and more people have come to understand us. Everyone is especially happy to be able to come to Huai County to participate in this event."

Qin Yao patted her shoulder: "Keep going. You're doing something very meaningful."

At 10 a.m., the Hanfu (traditional Han clothing) activities at the Confucius Temple Square reached their climax.

Fellow enthusiasts spontaneously organized a "Hanfu Parade." Hundreds of people, dressed in Hanfu of various colors, formed an orderly procession and set off from the Confucian Temple, slowly proceeding along the bluestone-paved streets of the old city.

Qin Yao walked at the front of the group, her crimson flying fish robe standing out brightly in the sunlight. She held a live-streaming device, providing commentary as she walked.

Tourists stopped to watch, take photos and videos along both sides of the street.

Many children excitedly pointed at the line: "Mommy, look! Ancient people!"

As the parade passed along the banks of the Huai River, they encountered a group of foreign tourists. They were clearly impressed by the spectacle and immediately raised their cameras.

A blonde, blue-eyed girl asked in broken Chinese, "What...holiday is this?"

Qin Yao stopped and replied, "This isn't a festival; it's a display of our ethnic group's traditional costumes."

"They're so beautiful!" the girl exclaimed. "These clothes are even more exquisite than we imagined!"

Her companion, a tall boy, asked, "May I take a picture?"

"Of course," Qin Yao smiled. "Welcome to learn about Chinese culture."

Foreign tourists kept taking pictures and exclaiming "amazing" and "incredible".

In the live stream, the viewers were very proud:

"Look how shocked the foreigners are!"

"This is true cultural export!"

"Hanfu is truly beautiful; you have to see it to know."

"I hope that one day, Hanfu can become a cultural symbol of the country."

After the parade, Qin Yao and her comrades rested by the Huai River.

Everyone sat on the ground, exchanging their experiences with Hanfu and their historical insights.

A young man wearing a Ming Dynasty-style cloak said, "Actually, the biggest change in the Hanfu revival over the past few years is people's understanding of history. In the past, when people mentioned the Ming Dynasty, many only knew about Emperor Chongzhen's suicide. Now, more and more people know about the Yongle Encyclopedia, Zheng He's voyages, Yu Qian's defense of Beijing..."

"And there are cultural achievements as well," one girl added. "The scientific works such as 'Tiangong Kaiwu,' 'Bencao Gangmu,' and 'Nongzheng Quanshu' were all from the Ming Dynasty. Our ancestors were not lagging behind in science and technology."

Qin Yao listened to these discussions and was filled with mixed emotions.

Today, Hanfu has become a popular choice for everyday wear among many young people. This change, which may seem like just a change in clothing, actually reflects a shift in the mindset of the entire nation.

The journey from worshipping foreign things to developing cultural confidence has taken decades.

And now, the dawn has broken.

Around noon, the event came to a temporary end. Qin Yao said goodbye to her fellow participants.

Before she left, a young man dressed in Confucian scholar's robes called out to her, "Miss Qin, thank you for today."

Qin Yao turned around: "What are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you for letting so many people see us and understand us," the young man said earnestly. "Many people think that Hanfu is a 'show' or a 'performance.' But your live stream today has made more people understand that we are serious. We are preserving and reviving Hanfu."

Qin Yao shook her head: "I'm the one who should be saying thank you. It's people like you who truly love it who have brought traditional culture back to life. I'm just a recorder."

The young man smiled: "No, you're the guide. You've shown this path to more people."

After saying goodbye to her comrades and returning to the villa, Qin Yao did not immediately turn off the live stream.

She addressed the camera, saying, "My darlings, what are your thoughts on today's Hanfu event?"

The barrage of comments surged in like a tidal wave:

"I'm so touched, truly touched."

"I saw hope, hope for culture."

"I want to buy Hanfu too and join the Hanfu enthusiasts!"

"History should not be distorted; we must understand the true history ourselves."

"The title 'China' is truly well-deserved!"

"Yes, the name 'China' is truly fitting," Qin Yao repeated softly. "Our ancestors created such a splendid civilization; we have no reason not to be confident, no reason not to be proud."

Wearing fine clothes in broad daylight is not for ostentation, but to demonstrate:

The traditional clothing and customs of the Chinese people have endured for thousands of years.

Cultural roots, ever-flowing.