(; ), also called known as () and (), is the historical Chinese attire worn by the empresses of the
Song dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
and by the empresses and crown princesses (wife of crown prince) 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 also had different names based on its colour, such as , , and .
It is a formal wear meant only for ceremonial purposes. It is a form of (), and is embroidered with long-tail
pheasants
Pheasants ( ) are birds of several genera within the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations, the pheasant genera native range is restricted to Eurasi ...
( or ) and circular flowers (). It is worn with known as () which is typically characterized by the absence of dangling string of pearls by the sides. It was first recorded as in the
Zhou dynasty
The Zhou dynasty ( ; Old Chinese ( B&S): *''tiw'') was a royal dynasty of China that followed the Shang dynasty. Having lasted 789 years, the Zhou dynasty was the longest dynastic regime in Chinese history. The military control of China by th ...
.
Terminology and forms
The has been worn by empresses and other royal noblewomen (differs according to different dynasties) since the
Zhou dynasty
The Zhou dynasty ( ; Old Chinese ( B&S): *''tiw'') was a royal dynasty of China that followed the Shang dynasty. Having lasted 789 years, the Zhou dynasty was the longest dynastic regime in Chinese history. The military control of China by th ...
.
[历代皇后最典型的翟衣](_blank)
, XICI.net, Retrieved 2009-12-08 Since the Zhou dynasty, the continued to be worn in the
Northern and Southern dynasties
The Northern and Southern dynasties () was a period of political division in the history of China that lasted from 420 to 589, following the tumultuous era of the Sixteen Kingdoms and the Eastern Jin dynasty. It is sometimes considered as ...
, Sui, Tang, Song, Ming dynasties
under various names: in
Zhou and
Song dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
,
and in
Han Dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...
.
also has several forms, such as () which was dyed in indigo (), () which was dyed in red, and () which was dyed in black; they were all form of ritual clothing which was worn by royal women during ceremonies.
Cultural significance and symbolism
The follows the traditional Confucian standard system for dressing, which is embodied in its form through the system. The garment known as is itself the most orthodox style of clothing in traditional Chinese
Confucianism
Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or ...
; its usage of the
concept of five colours, and the use of -pheasant bird pattern.
Pheasant pattern
![Pair of huachong bird motif from diyi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Pair_of_huachong_bird_motif_from_diyi.png)
The -bird pattern forms part of the
Twelve Ornaments
The Twelve Ornaments () are a group of ancient Chinese symbols and designs that are considered highly auspicious. They were employed in the decoration of textile fabrics in ancient China, which signified authority and power, and were embroidered ...
and is referred as ().
The pattern of paired pheasant on the is called .
The -bird pattern is symbolism for "brilliance"; and the bird itself is a type of divine birds of five colours which represents the Empress' virtue. These five colours (i.e. blue, red, black, yellow, white) also correspond to the five elements; and thus, the usage of -bird pattern aligns with the traditional colour concept in Confucianism.
Small circular flowers
![Xiaolunhua motif from diyi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Xiaolunhua_motif_from_diyi.png)
The small circular flowers known as (), also known as (), which originated from the Buddhism's Rotating King and from the era of the
Maurya dynasty
The Maurya Empire, or the Mauryan Empire, was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in the Indian subcontinent based in Magadha, having been founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE, and existing in loose-knit fashion until 1 ...
.
They are placed between each pair of -bird pattern on the robe.
The little flowers looks like a small wheel-shaped flower.
system
The use of for women does not only represent its wearer's noble status but also represents the standard of being faithful to her spouse undo death.
The was the most appropriate ceremonial clothing style of clothing for the Empress due to its symbolic meaning: it represented the ''harmony between Heaven, earth, and space''.
The consists of an upper garment and a lower garment which represents the concept of ''Heaven and Earth'' (); the upper garment is made of 4 panels of fabric representing the four seasons, and the lower garment is made of 12 panels of fabric which represents the time of the year.
The wide cuff sleeves are round-shaped to symbolize the sky and the Confucian's scholars' deep knowledge and integration while the right-angled collar is square shaped to represents the earth warning Confucians that they should have integrity and kindness; together, the sleeves and the right-angled collar represents ''space'' as the circle and the square of the world.
The back of the is composed of two fabrics which are vertically sewed together and the large waist belt represents the privileged classes and is a symbolism for uprightness and honesty; it also meant fairness held by those with power.
History
Zhou dynasty
The ''huiyi'' is an ancient system which was first recorded in the
Zhou dynasty
The Zhou dynasty ( ; Old Chinese ( B&S): *''tiw'') was a royal dynasty of China that followed the Shang dynasty. Having lasted 789 years, the Zhou dynasty was the longest dynastic regime in Chinese history. The military control of China by th ...
(c. 1046 BC – 256 BC).
It was first recorded and codified in the
Rites of Zhou
The ''Rites of Zhou'' (), originally known as "Officers of Zhou" () is a work on bureaucracy and organizational theory. It was renamed by Liu Xin to differentiate it from a chapter in the ''Book of History'' by the same name. To replace a lost ...
().
Huiyi was the highest of the empresses' six occasional clothing ().
The ''huiyi'' in Zhou dynasty was worn by the Empress as ceremonial clothing to pay respect during the ancestral shrine sacrifice which was the most important sacrificial event in which they could participate in.
Following the Zhou dynasty, the subsequent dynasties perceived the ''huiyi'' as the highest form of ceremonial clothing.
According to the Zhou dynasty rites, there were two types of black and blue clothing; however, there is currently no proof that the huiyi in the Zhou dynasty was black in colour.
Sui and Tang dynasty
The ''huiyi'' in
Sui and
Tang dynasties was also blue in colour.
Song dynasty
In the
Song dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
, the ''huiyi'' was the highest form of ceremonial clothing worn by the Empress; it was worn on important ceremonial occasions such as wedding, coronations, when holding court, and during ancestral shrine sacrifices.
The Huiyi was made out of dark blue ''zhicheng'' (a kind of woven fabric).
When empress wears the huiyi, she also needs to wear a
phoenix crown
(), also known as phoenix coronet or phoenix hat, is a type of (a type of Chinese traditional headgear) for women in . It was worn mainly by noblewomen for ceremonies or official occasions. It is also traditional headgear for brides and could be ...
, a blue inner garment and a dark blue
bixi
Bixi, or Bi Xi (), is a figure from Chinese mythology. One of the 9 sons of the dragon, 9 sons of the Dragon King, he is depicted as a Chinese dragon, dragon with the shell of a turtle. Stone Chinese sculpture, sculptures of Bixi have been used ...
, with blue socks and shoes, along with a pair of
jade pendants and other jade ornaments.
The early Song dynasty ''sanlitu'' () shows illustration of the ''huiyi'' as being a form of ''
shenyi
(; ; yr: ''sim.ui''), also called Deep garment in English, means "wrapping the body deep within the clothes" or "to wrap the body deep within cloth". The is an iconic form of robe in , which was recorded in and advocated in Zhu Xi's 《朱 ...
'' (), being deep blue and is decorated with ''di'' bird patterns.
In the ''Records of Chariots and Horses and Clothes'' written in the
Yuan dynasty
The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fifth ...
, the Song dynasty ''huiyi'' is described as being dark blue in colour and there are 12 lines of ''di'' birds which stand together in pair.
There is a ''
bixi
Bixi, or Bi Xi (), is a figure from Chinese mythology. One of the 9 sons of the dragon, 9 sons of the Dragon King, he is depicted as a Chinese dragon, dragon with the shell of a turtle. Stone Chinese sculpture, sculptures of Bixi have been used ...
'' (a knee covering) which hangs in the central region of the front skirt; the colour of ''bixi'' has the same colour as the bottom of the lower skirt.
''Di'' bird patterns can decorate the black, red collar edge in 3 lines.
There is also a belt which is divided into a large belt made of silk (which is dark blue in with red lining with the upper surface part made of red brocade while the lower part made of green brocade) and narrow leather belt (which is cyan in colour decorated with white jade in pairs) is on top of the large silk belt.
The socks are dark blue in colour; the shoes are also dark blue but decorated with gold ornaments.
The literature which describes the Song dynasty ''huiyi'' however does not always provide details (e.g. variations) which can be found in the Song dynasty court painting and some discrepancies can be found between the text and the paintings.
From the several court portrait paintings of the Song dynasty, it is found that the ''huiyi'' was cross-collar closing to the right, with large and wide sleeves, and with cloud and
dragons
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
patterns ornamenting the collar, sleeves and placket, with a belt worn around the waist; and while all the huiyi were depicted as being deep blue in colour, they differed in shades of dark blue showing variation.
Instead of being in three lines as described in the Yuan dynasty's records, in the Song paintings, the di bird pattern which decorates the belts is denser.
File:B Song Dynasty 1 Empress of Shenzong.JPG, Empress of Shenzong
File:Sitting Portrait of Song Dynasty Empress Xiang.jpg, Empress Xiang
File:B Song Dynasty D Empress of GuangZong.JPG, Empress of GuangZong
File:B Song Dynasty D Empress of QinZong.JPG, Empress of Qinzong
File:Empress of Zhenzong of Song.jpg, Empress of Zhenzong
File:B Song Dynasty D Empress of HuiZong.JPG, Empress of Huizong
File:Seated Portrait of Ningzong's Empress.jpg, Empress of Ningzong.
File:ImperatriceSongQinzong.jpg, Empress of Qinzong
File:Empress of Renzong of Song.jpg, Empress of Renzong
File:B Song Dynasty D Empress of GaoZong.JPG, Empress of Gaozong.
Ming dynasty
![Empress Xiaoduanxian (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Empress_Xiaoduanxian_%28cropped%29.jpg)
The Huiyi was also the ceremonial dress of the empress 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 ...
.
In the Ming dynasty, the huiyi was composed of the
phoenix crown
(), also known as phoenix coronet or phoenix hat, is a type of (a type of Chinese traditional headgear) for women in . It was worn mainly by noblewomen for ceremonies or official occasions. It is also traditional headgear for brides and could be ...
, the
xiapei
Xiapei (), also known as hapi () in Korea, is a type of Chinese clothing accessory in either the form of a long scarf, a neckband, or in the shape of waistcoat depending on the time period. It was also referred as xiapeizhui () when it was ornamen ...
, an overdress and long-sleeved blouse.
In the Ming dynasty, there are however different kinds of phoenix crowns depending on the ranks of its wearer: the one for the empresses is decorated with 9 dragons and 4 phoenixes, and the ones for the imperial concubines had 9 multicoloured pheasants and 4 phoenixes, and the other for the
titled women was called a coloured coronet, which was not decorated with dragons or phoenixes but with pearls, feathers of
wild fowls and flower hairpins.
The quedi is dyed in red instead of blue.
File:China's Ming Dynasty Empress XiaoHe.JPG, Empress Xiaohe
File:China's Ming Dynasty Empress XiaoKe.jpg, Empress Xiaoke
File:China's Ming Dynasty Empress Xiaoding.jpg, Empress Xiaoding
File:China's Ming Dynasty Empress Xiaoduan.jpg, Empress Xiaoduan
File:Chinese Ming Dynasty Empress Xiaoduan.JPG, Empress xiaoduan wearing quedi.
Qing dynasty
File:Imperial Encyclopaedia - Ceremonial Usages - pic335 - 褘衣.svg, Illustration of a woman wearing ''huiyi'' (褘衣) from the Chinese encyclopedia ''Gujin Tushu Jicheng
The ''Gujin Tushu Jicheng'' (), also known as the ''Imperial Encyclopaedia'', is a vast encyclopedic work written in China during the reigns of the Qing dynasty emperors Kangxi and Yongzheng. It was begun in 1700 and completed in 1725. The work w ...
,'' between 1700 and 1725 AD.
File:Imperial Encyclopaedia - Ceremonial Usages - pic358 - 褘衣.png, Illustration of ''huiyi'' (褘衣) from the Chinese encyclopedia ''Gujin Tushu Jicheng
The ''Gujin Tushu Jicheng'' (), also known as the ''Imperial Encyclopaedia'', is a vast encyclopedic work written in China during the reigns of the Qing dynasty emperors Kangxi and Yongzheng. It was begun in 1700 and completed in 1725. The work w ...
,'' between 1700 and 1725 AD.
Modern Restoration
File:O1CN01uFtm4Y1PMoGTx1jIP !!0-item pic.jpg, Side view of diyi
File:O1CN01xyUpF61PMoGvRfGTX !!1115331827 - 50981532102.jpg, Rear view of diyi
File:Ming Dynasty empress attire.jpg, Restoration of Ming dynasty empress ''diyi''
File:Chinese Princess dress (Quedi).jpg, Quedi, red coloured diyi
Influences and derivatives
Japan
In
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, the features of the
Tang dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...
-style was found as a textile within the formal attire of the
Heian Japanese empresses.
Korea
![Incheon_International_Airport_(summer_2013)_11](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Incheon_International_Airport_%28summer_2013%29_11.JPG)
Korean queens started to wear the ''jeokui'' () in 1370 AD under the final years of
Gongmin of Goryeo
Gongmin of Goryeo (23 May 1330 – 27 October 1374), also known by his Mongolian language, Mongolian name, Bayan Temür., was 31st ruler of Goryeo from 1351 to 1374. He was the second son of Chungsuk of Goryeo, King Chungsuk.
Biography
Early ...
,
when Goryeo adopted the official ceremonial attire of the Ming dynasty.
In the
Joseon dynasty
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 ...
, the official dress worn by queens was wearing the ''jeokui'' which was adopted from 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 ...
's diyi.
The jeokui was a ceremonial robe which was worn by the Joseon queens on the most formal occasions.
It was worn together with ''jeokgwan'' () in the late Goryeo and early Joseon,
hapi (),
pyeseul ().
According to the
Annals of Joseon, from 1403 to the first half of the 17th century the Ming Dynasty sent a letter, which confers the queen with a title along with the following items: jeokgwan, a vest called
baeja
Baeja (; ) is a type of traditional Korean vest which is worn over the jeogori by both men and women. It is generally sleeveless; however some baeja may have short sleeves. It was worn during the Joseon period and continues to be worn in present ...
(), and a
hapi.
However, the jeokui sent by the Ming dynasty did not correspond to those worn by the Ming empresses as Joseon was considered to be ranked two ranks lower than Ming.
Instead the jeokui which was bestowed corresponded to the Ming women's whose husband held the highest government official posts.
The jeokdui worn by the queen and crown princess was originally made of red silk; it then became blue in 1897 when the Joseon king and queen were elevated to the status of emperor and empress.
In early Joseon, from the reign of
King Munjong to the reign of
King Seonjo
Seonjo of Joseon (26 November 1552 – 16 March 1608) was the fourteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea from 1567 to 1608. He was known for encouraging Confucianism and renovating state affairs at the beginning of his reign. However, politi ...
, the queen wore a plain red ceremonial robe with wide sleeves (''daehong daesam''; , also referred as ''daesam'' for short).
The daesam is believed to be similar in form to the Ming dynasty's
daxiushan
(), also referred as (), (), (), is a form of , a traditional Chinese upper garment, with broad sleeves in . It was most popular during the Tang dynasty, particularly among the members of royalty. The was mainly worn for special ceremonial oc ...
, which was worn by the titled court women of the first rank.
The daesam was another garment which was bestowed by the Ming dynasty from the reign of King Munjong of early Joseon to the 36th year of King Seonjo's reign in 1603; it continued to be worn even after the fall of the Ming dynasty.
![Korean motif pair of pheasants (Joseon or Korean Empire)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Korean_motif_pair_of_pheasants_%28Joseon_or_Korean_Empire%29.png)
Following the fall of the Ming dynasty, Joseon established their own jeogui system.
In the late Joseon, the daesam was modified to feature pheasant heads and a rank badge.
In the Korea Empire, the blue jeokui was established for the Korea Empress.
An example of the ''jeokui'' worn by the Korean empresses in
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 ...
can be seen in th
Cultural Heritage Administration website The xiaolunhua (小輪花) motif are known as ihwa motif in Korea.
The Korean ihwa motif were likely designed in 1750 when Joseon established their own jeokui system, and may have used ''The Collected Statutes of the Ming Dynasty'' (大明會典) as reference.
By the Korea Empire, the ihwa motif was revised and became one of the primary emblem of the Korean empire.
The jeokgwan was the Chinese crown decorated with pheasant motifs; it was worn by the queens and princesses of the Ming dynasty.
The jeokgwan originated from the ''bonggwan'' () which was worn from by the Chinese empresses.
The jeokgwan was bestowed to
Princess Noguk in late Goryeo by
Empress Ma of Ming;
it continued to bestowed in Joseon until the early 17th century.
It stopped being bestowed after the fall of the Ming dynasty.
In the late Joseon, the jeokgwan was changed into a big wig, called daesu which consisted with a
gache
The () is a traditional Korean wig worn by women. Historically, were expensive accessories worn only by women of high social standing, alongside . They were decorated with silk objects, gold, jewels, silver, coral, jade, and other expensive ...
and
binyeo
A (Hangul: ; ) is a Korean traditional hairpin for fixing ladies' chignons. Its main purpose is to pin the chignon in place, but it also serves as ornamentation, and it has different usages or names according to its material or shape. Therefore, ...
, following extensive reforms.
The daesu was then worn until the end of Joseon.
2 variations of the diyi had been developed in Korea during the
Joseon Dynasty
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 ...
, and later in the
Korean Empire
The Korean Empire () was a Korean monarchical state proclaimed in October 1897 by Emperor Gojong of the Joseon dynasty. The empire stood until Japan's annexation of Korea in August 1910.
During the Korean Empire, Emperor Gojong oversaw the Gwa ...
. The developments were as follows:
* During the Joseon Dynasty, the diyi was known as "''Chijeok-ui''" () or ''jeokui'', and is characterized as a predominant red outfit with a similarity to the ''
wonsam
The ''wonsam'' is a female ceremonial topcoat in ''hanbok''. It was worn by queens, high-ranking court ladies, and royalty during the Joseon dynasty of Korea (1392–1910). It is also called 'daeui' (大衣, big clothing), 'daesu' (大袖, wide s ...
''.
* During the Korean Empire, the ''chijeok-ui'' was later changed into the (original) blue with red trim similar to its Chinese model.
Diyi were worn by:
* Princesses Consort on their marriage to the Crown Prince and on major ceremonies ().
* Queens Consort on their coronation ceremony and on major ceremonies ().
* The King's subsequent Queens Consort on their marriage to the King.
*It was also worn by the queens and princesses when they visited the Royal Ancestors Shrine and when they were receiving morning visits from their retainers.
File:Korean royal costume for queen-Jeogui and daesu-03.jpg, Restoration of Korean queen's jeogui and daesu
File:Korea-Seoul-Royal wedding ceremony 1334-06.JPG, Chijeok-ui (赤翟衣)
Vietnam
According to the book, ''Weaving a realm'' published by th
Vietnam Center the diyi (; 翟衣) was known as Huy Địch (褘翟) in Vietnam and was recorded in the "''Random Record of Great Changes".'' According to the Vietnam Center, the diyi might have historically been worn by the Vietnamese empress in Vietnam due to the existence of this sole record so far:
“…Follow Eastern Zhōu’s rites to honor the new Consort Dowager’s coronation, in order to display the utmost appreciation of her services and to perfect the great ceremony. As for Địch Y dress, the shining glories stay in the fine-grained texture, and this shall be continuously succeeded. The imperial cemetery and bureaucracy, could glow even in the most remote and darkest of places! ()"
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 ...
*
Shenyi
(; ; yr: ''sim.ui''), also called Deep garment in English, means "wrapping the body deep within the clothes" or "to wrap the body deep within cloth". The is an iconic form of robe in , which was recorded in and advocated in Zhu Xi's 《朱 ...
*
Chinese auspicious ornaments in textile and clothing
Chinese auspicious ornaments in textile and clothing refers to any form of Chinese auspicious ornaments, which are used to decorate various forms of Chinese textile and clothing (including and ), fashion accessories, and footwear in China since ...
Notes and references
{{Types of Han Chinese clothing
Chinese traditional clothing