(; ), also known as (), is generic term which refers to a type of traditional Chinese decorative piece of fabric, which acts as a
knee
In humans and other primates, the knee joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two joints: one between the femur and tibia (tibiofemoral joint), and one between the femur and patella (patellofemoral joint). It is the largest joint in the hu ...
covering, in .
The originated in
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
where it originated from the primitive clothing of the ancient; since then, it continued to be worn by both men and women,
and eventually became part of the Chinese ceremonial attire.
The was later introduced in Korea during
Goryeo
Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
and
Joseon
Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
by the Ming dynasty, along with many garments for royalties.
History
The originated from primitive clothing back when animal hides were used to cover the abdomen and the genitals.
During the
Shang dynasty
The Shang dynasty (), also known as the Yin dynasty (), was a Chinese royal dynasty founded by Tang of Shang (Cheng Tang) that ruled in the Yellow River valley in the second millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and ...
, the basic style of
clothing
Clothing (also known as clothes, apparel, and attire) are items worn on the body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin sheets of materials and natural ...
for men and women consisted of and .
Among many other types of female clothing items, the was listed in tomb inventories dating from 361 AD.
In the
Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
, the became part of the official clothing.
Construction and design
The is a length of fabric which is typically long enough to reach the kneel-level and cover the front legs when attached to the waist of its wearer.
Usage
Male clothing attire
A red was worn as part of the which was worn by the Chinese emperors.
A crimson was worn as part of the .
File:HanZhaoDiLiuFuling.jpg, Emperor Zhao of Han
Emperor Zhao of Han (Liu Fuling 劉弗陵; 94 BC – 5 June 74 BC) was the emperor of the Western Han dynasty from 87 to 74 BC.
Emperor Zhao was the youngest son of Emperor Wu of Han. By the time he was born, Emperor Wu was already 62. Prince Fu ...
with a red .
File:Jin Wu Di.jpg, Emperor Wu of Jin dynasty wearing with a red .
File:Wanli-Emperor.jpg, Wanli Emperor
The Wanli Emperor (; 4 September 1563 – 18 August 1620), personal name Zhu Yijun (), was the 14th Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigned from 1572 to 1620. "Wanli", the era name of his reign, literally means "ten thousand calendars". He was the ...
wearing a red as part of the , Ming dynasty.
File:Song Xuanzu (1).jpg, Emperor Xuanzu of Song wearing with a crimson .
Female clothing attire
A was also worn with the worn by Chinese empresses; the worn in the hanged in front of the garment and had the same colour as the bottom colour as the
lower skirt.
Gallery
File:Imperial Encyclopaedia - Ceremonial Usages - pic389 - 中單蔽膝.svg
File:Imperial Encyclopaedia - Ceremonial Usages - pic371 - 蔽膝.png
File:Imperial Encyclopaedia - Ceremonial Usages - pic349 - 中單蔽膝.svg
File:Imperial Encyclopaedia - Ceremonial Usages - pic363 - 蔽膝.png
See also
*
Hanfu
''Hanfu'' () is the traditional styles of clothing worn by the Han Chinese. There are several representative styles of ''hanfu'', such as the (an upper-body garment with a long outer skirt), the (an upper-body garment with a long underskirt ...
*
List of Hanfu
A list of Hanfu, the historical clothing of the Han Chinese, in category of different clothing style. This page also addresses provides a list of garments. Informal wear
Types include tops and bottoms, long skirt, and one-piece robes that wrap a ...
*
Mianfu
Mianfu () is a kind of Chinese clothing in hanfu; it was worn by emperors, kings, and princes, and in some instances by the nobles in historical China from the Shang to the Ming dynasty. The mianfu is the highest level of formal dress worn by Ch ...
References
Chinese traditional clothing
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