[9]: 81 Mei Lanfang is also credited for having invented guzhuangbanxiang (Chinese: 古装扮相; pinyin: gǔzhuāngbànxiāng; lit.

[10]: 213 This form of guzhuang emerged in 1915 when new Chinese opera costumes had to be created for a new category of female role which had also been developed by Mei Lanfang.

[13] The first film produced in China was Dingjun Mountain in 1905 which depicted extracted scenes from a Beijing opera play performed by Tan Xinpei.

[14]: 290  The Tianyi Film Company was a major studio which specialized in Chinese genres at that time; its succeeding company, the Shaw Brothers Studio in Hong Kong continued to produce indigenous Chinese genres, such as Huangmei opera films and guzhuang epics.

[12] However, by definition the term gu (Chinese: 古; pinyin: gǔ), which literally means "ancient", does not refer to films and dramas which are set in the Republic of China as the Republican period is a symbol of modernity and the end of tradition.

[12][4]: 189  Guzhuangpian also typically depict adaptations of traditional Chinese folktales, plays, and popular novels.

[14]: 292 [16]: 41 [14]: 292 The shenguaipian (Chinese: 神怪片) genre, which often depicts Xian-immortals and demons, was also developed in the 20th century and was also a derivatives of the guzhuangpian.

[5][24][13] Some guzhuang are based on different existing historical clothing worn in different dynasties, and/or inspired by Chinese opera costumes, and murals (e.g. Dunhuang frescoes); they would sometimes have features, or have attire, added, removed, simplified, to create a desired visual impact or to meet the production needs.

[3] Examples of movies and dramas which uses guzhuang are: The cave of the Silken Web (1927), Luoyang bridge (1928),[12] Dragon Inn (1967), a Chinese Ghost Story (1987),[25]: 82  The Swordsman (1990), Swordsman II (1992) and The East Is Red (1993), Ashes of Time (1994),[6]: 66  Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004), Curse of the golden flower (2006),[26] The Empress of China (2014),[27] The Journey of Flower (2015),[2] The Princess Weiyoung (2016), Eternal Love (2017),[2] Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace (2018), The Untamed (2019),[2][note 4] Mulan (2020 Film),[28] and Word of Honour (2021), etc.

[30]: 289  Examples of guzhuang depicted in manhua can be found in Chang an Fantastic Night (长安幻夜) by Han Lu,[30]: 291  You Yuan Jing Meng (游园惊梦) by Xia Da (released in 2008),[30]: 288  Chang Ge Xing by Xia Da, Gu Fang Bu Zi Shang (孤芳不自賞) by Feng Nong, etc.

Guzhuang can also be found in manhwa, such as Bride of the Water God by Yun Mi-kyung, and in the Chinese-theme Japanese manga, such as Saiunkoku Monogatari by Yura Kairi.

'Wei Jin style') Hanfu is a relatively modern design which was influenced by Chinese movies and television drama series and does not exist in history.

[note 5][5][32] Guzhuang found in Xianxia television drama have also left a deep impact on Chinese audience.

[34] While basing himself on the clothing of the Qing dynasty, Ye Jintian, however, did not fully respected the historical accuracy of the dress and instead mixed several elements together from similar eras in his costume design.