[note 2][2][3] The upper garment yi, the ku which evolved from the jingyi which existed since the neolithic period, and the chang (Chinese: 裳; lit.

[3] When the ku is combined with the yi upper garment and the chang, the complete attire in the Hanfu-system is formed.

[2] The adoption of the hedangku used in the Hufu of Northern nomadic people through the adoption of the Hufuqishe policy by King Wuling of Zhao during the Warring States period eventually made the hedangku-style trousers popular among the ancestors of the Han Chinese and the Chinese ethnic minorities in the South.

'lower garments') could be used as a general term to refer to both the ku and the skirt called chang (Chinese: 裳; lit.

[10]: 15  In the Spring and Autumn period and Han dynasty, trousers without crotches were called ku (Chinese: 絝; pinyin: kù).

[1][3] The term ku (Chinese: 袴) can also be found in the ancient texts, such as in the Western Han dynasty text called Fang Yan 《方言 》by Yang Xiong, and in the chapter Xiaoerya《小爾雅》of the kongcongzi (Chinese: 孔叢子) dating from the Eastern Han to Three Kingdoms period.

[1] The Warring States period marks the beginning of the history of hedangku through the Hufuqishe policy adopted by King Wuling of Zhao.

Through the Hufuqishe policy, the Hufu-style hedangku with loose rise was introduced in Central China and first adopted and used by the military troops before eventually being used by the general populations in the succeeding dynasties.

[3] Since the rear and the rise of the ku trousers were both opened, a skirt continued to be worn to hide the genitals.

[3][15] Compared to the kun, the ku was more acceptable in the Han tradition and became an important form of garment attire item in Hanfu.

[3] According to the Biography of Queen Shangguan in the History of the Han dynasty, the qiongku was exclusively designed for the imperial concubines who were then forced to wear it; the reason behind it was to help queen Shangguan to monopolize the favour of Emperor Zhao Di and to produce an heir; the use of qiongku would therefore prevent Emperor Zhao Di from having sexual activities with other imperial concubines.

[14]: 312 [16]: 435  In the Jin dynasty, clothing did not change much and trousers were worn by servants and people with low status.

[3] By binding the trousers below the knees, the dakouku would facilitate movements,[16]: 435  including when horseback riding or when men were on duty.

[14]: 319  In fact, while the dakouku was designed under the influence of the ancient Hufu-style hedangku, it was a Chinese innovation and was not a form of Hufu.

[14]: 322  When the dakouku was matched with a tight knee-length upper garment, it formed the kuzhefu,[3] which then became both the military and official attire in both the north and south of China at those times.

[3] The jingyi-style ku remains popular among minority ethnicities, such as the Hani and the Miao women; they are now referred as jiaotong.