Cosplay and Gazhuang in China

"Is this style gothic? No, it's Lolita." China's young generation, fuelled by social media, is experimenting with pop culture Cosplay as well as guzhuang/古装 (“ancient costume”) or yinglouzhuang/影楼装 (“photo studio costume”) overlapping with the Hanfu cultural movement which originated at the end of 1990s to bring back ancient Chinese clothing and other cultural aspects. In China, Cosplay or costume play, which originated in Japan, has become increasingly popular with “Cosplayers’ associations” popping up and young people using the subculture to express their personal and collective identity. At the same time the revival of ancient Chinese clothing (and cultural forms from poetry to martial arts) has seen the surge of a decentralised visual movement across the streets of major urban and cultural sites. In Nanjing, Shanghai and Suzhou we joined eyes with young people and "spectators" telling us more about this movement and trend.