(), also called (), refers to a
traditional Chinese ornament which uses long
pheasant
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 Eurasia ...
tail feather appendages to decorate some headdress in ,
Chinese opera costume
Costume is the distinctive style of dress or cosmetic of an individual or group that reflects class, gender, profession, ethnicity, nationality, activity or epoch. In short costume is a cultural visual of the people.
The term also was tradition ...
s.
In Chinese opera, the not only decorative purpose but are also used express thoughts, feelings, and the drama plot.
They are typically used on the helmets of warriors,
where a pair of pheasant feathers extensions are the indicators that the character is a warrior figure; the length of the feathers, on the other hand, is an indicator of the warrior's rank.
The are generally about five or six feet long.
Most of the time, are used to represent handsome military commanders.
Origins
It is suggested that the use of originated from the (), a form of used by the military officials since the ancient times.
Similar headgear decorated with pairs of worn the military can be seen in paintings dating to the
Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last orthodox dynasty of China ruled by the Han peo ...
.
During the
Warring States period
The Warring States period () was an era in ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded with the Qin wars of conquest ...
,
King Wuling of Zhao
King Wuling of Zhao () (died 295 BCE, reigned 325 BCE – 299 BCE) reigned in the State of Zhao during the Warring States period of Chinese history. His reign was famous for one important event: the reforms consisting of "Wearing the Hu (styled) A ...
adopted the policy and a -style which looks similar to the conical hat of the
Scythian
The Scythians or Scyths, and sometimes also referred to as the Classical Scythians and the Pontic Scythians, were an ancient Eastern
* : "In modern scholarship the name 'Sakas' is reserved for the ancient tribes of northern and eastern Centra ...
was adopted.
King Wuling's -style was less pointy than the actual
Scythian hat and he decorated his hat with a
marten tail to denote his noble status.
The King of Qin later give the -style of King Wuling to his servant as an insult to King Wuling after the latter had destroyed the regime of the Zhao state.
King Huiwen of Zhao
King Huiwen of Zhao () (born 310 BCE - died 266 BCE, reigned 298 BCE – 266 BCE) reigned in the State of Zhao during the Warring States period of Chinese history. During his reign, the Zhao state reached its apogee, with famous administrators and ...
later wore the same -style as his father, King Wuling; and therefore this type of was named ().
Many years later, the evolved into the military cap called .
By the
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 ...
, a decorated with
pheasant
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 Eurasia ...
feathers became known as ()
and was used by the military officials of the Han dynasty.
The was first worn in the state of Zhao to distinguish military officers during the Warring States period.
The was possibly itself derived from the -style adopted by King Wuling through policy.
The snow pheasant () was a symbolism of martial valour and courage due to its association with the snow pheasant which would fight its opponent until death.
Skills and manipulation
The skills required to manipulate the two pheasant feathers are known as . These skills include shaking and swinging; sometimes the are shaken with one hand but sometimes two hands are used.
The skills of are used by many roles; however, they are especially used in the role.
When combined the movements of the head and body of the actor, the movement of the express the feelings and dispositions of the character, which include the expression of surprise, hatred, happiness, and frivolity.
See also
*
Chinese opera
*
* – Chinese opera costume
*
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 ...
*
Guzhuang
Gallery
File:Chinese Actresses 1880.JPG, Chinese actresses in Malaysia, 1880
File:Chinese Opera at Lincoln Center (186927714).jpg
Notes
References
{{Types of Han Chinese clothing
Chinese traditional clothing
Performing arts
Costume design