Based on the perspective of "understanding antiquity through antiquity," this book adopts the method of etymological analysis of ancient Chinese characters, aiming to provide more reasonable explanations for the origin and cultural connotations of Huaxia costumes during the pre-Qin period. On one hand, it enables readers to truly perceive the living context of "clothing" among the ancient people through the etymology of clothing-related ancient Chinese characters, putting forward several innovative viewpoints. On the other hand, it verifies or falsifies certain perspectives through a three-dimensional confirmation approach integrating etymological analysis of clothing-related ancient Chinese characters, textual records, and archaeological relics.

The book is divided into four parts and six chapters. Firstly, starting with the origin and culture of Chinese costumes, it confirms the viewpoint that Chinese costumes originated from the needs related to labor. Subsequently, it systematically and in-depth explores the specific origins and cultural implications of costumes from three dimensions: headwear, main garments (formal wear, daily wear, and military uniforms), and footwear. Adopting a stance that integrates the ancient people's Whiggish perspective with the modern anti-Whiggish perspective, the book pursues the benchmarks and focuses for studying the origin and culture of Huaxia costumes in the pre-Qin period, restoring the essence of Huaxia costume art and culture.