Traditional Han clothing a major hit among Generation Z

Wearing a long gown with loose sleeves and elaborate embroidery while touring the ancient city wall of Xi'an, Wei Fangbing could easily pass for someone from the ancient times were it not for her smartphone.

Hailing from Northeast China's Liaoning province, Wei is a devotee of hanfu, a type of traditional garment of the Han ethnic group. The early 20-something bought the eye-catching outfit well before her trip to Xi'an, a historical city in Northwest China best known for the Terracotta Warriors.

"On social media, I saw many people visited Xi'an wearing hanfu. They look very gorgeous," she said. "The outfit's retro style goes particularly well with Xi'an."

Wei is among a growing number of young hanfu fans in China who have been charmed by the traditional attire's unique design and the rich culture behind it.

According to a report by Chinese consulting agency iiMedia Research, the number of hanfu enthusiasts in the country will have surged from 2.04 million in 2018 to 6.89 million by the end of this year, with over 70 percent of the fans being Generation Z-ers aged between 16 and 24.

The ongoing hanfu craze is certainly palpable. If you walk into parks and tourist spots in cities like Xi'an, Hangzhou and Nanjing, chances are you will come across people dressed in hanfu taking selfies.