ba tầm

A ''nón Ba tầm'' is a traditional Vietnamese flat palm hat. It should be distinguished from other traditional Vietnamese headwear, such as the conical ''nón lá'' and the coiled turban (''khăn vấn''). The ''nón ba tầm'' is traditionally worn by Vietnamese women as an accessory to elegant garments, in contrast to the more practical clothing associated with farm work.

The hats traditionally worn by shamans featured silver ornaments hanging from silk strings attached around the brim.

Origin of the hat

According to documents from the French at the end of the nineteenth century, ''ba tầm'' was translated into French as ''Le chapeau de trois tầm'' (literally "the hat of three ''tầm''"). A ''tầm'' (尋) was an ancient unit of measurement used in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, equivalent to an arm span. According to ''Vũ Trung Tùy Bút'', the ''ba tầm'' hat is a combination of the styles of the ''dậu'', ''mền giải'', and ''viên cơ'' hats. The hat has been mentioned in literature since the 18th century, but its origin may be much older.
* Nón mền giải (also referred to as ''Ngoan Xác lạp'' 黿殼笠 and ''Tam Giang lạp'' 三江笠) was worn by the elderly during the Revival Lê dynasty but eventually fell out of fashion.
* Nón vỏ bứa (Also referred to as ''Toan Bì lạp'', 酸皮笠) was worn by the poor. It is a simplified version of the ''nón mền giải'', made smaller in size. During the Nguyễn dynasty, it was referred to in literature as ''Thủy Thủ Lạp'' (水手笠).
* Nón dậu (''Cổ châu lạp'', 古洲笠) was worn by elderly relatives of mandarins, middle-class men and women, scholars, and commoners in the capital. The hat had a pointed top, a flat rim, and a few beams of ''thao'' thread, a type of silk.
* Viên cơ lạp (圓箕笠) originated in Hoan Châu province (modern-day Nghệ An province). During the Revival Lê dynasty, it was worn by soldiers during the Arrogant Soldiers Rebellion (''Loạn Kiêu Binh''). This hat featured a long design resembling a winnowing basket (''nia''). During the Nguyễn dynasty, it was redesigned as a smaller hat, similar to the ''nón thúng'' but with a square bevel. A smaller version of the ''nón Ba tầm'', called a ''nón Nghệ'' (referred to in French as ''Le chapeau de Nghệ-an''), was typically worn by women.
* Nón thúng (''Chapeau en forme de panier'') was worn by both men and women. It featured a broader, bronze-tapered design compared to the ''nón Nghệ''.

Construction of the hat

''Ba tầm'' hats are covered with palm leaves or ''gồi'' leaves and are shaped like a parasol or mushroom. They have a flat top, with a cone diameter of about 70–80 cm and a brim that is 10–12 cm high or more. The inside of the hat is reinforced with a funnel-shaped rim called a ''khua'' or ''khùa'' (摳) to help secure it on the user's head. Additionally, colorful ''thao'' threads are often tied to the brim of the hat as a decorative charm.

The term ''nón quai'' thao is often used to refer to a ''nón ba tầm''. This association stems from an improved design by writer Kim Lân and his son, making the hat more compact and suitable for artistic performances. This modified version was later adopted by female ''Quan họ'' singers, which contributed to its increased popularity.

Gallery

File:BARROW(1806) p347 SCENE IN A CONCHIN CHINESE OPERA.jpg, Men and women wearing Nghệ hats at a nhà trò (performing arts centre) in Quảng Nam, 1793
File:A voyage to Cochinchina, in the years 1792 and 1793. To which is annexed an account of a journey made in the years 1801 and 1802, to the residence of the chief of the Booshuana nation (1806) (14745624366).jpg, Men and women wearing Nghệ hats at a beach in Danang, 1793
File:JeanDupuis.JPG, Woman wearing Nghệ hats during explorer Jean Dupuis' voyage.
File:Execution of pirate chief.jpg, Women wearing nón Ba tầm watch the execution of a pirate chief by the Hoàn Kiếm Lake, 1886
File:L.Girod-Dix Ans de Haut-Tonkin-1899-couple tonkinois.jpg, Sketch of a Tonkinese wearing nón Ba tầm, 1899


File:Tonkin woman 2.jpg, A Tonkin girl wearing nón Ba tầm.
File:Hocquard2.jpeg, A Tonkinese girl wearing nón Ba tầm, photographed by Charles-Édouard Hocquard in Hanoi, 1885
File:Tonkin woman 3.jpg, Vương Thị Phượng wears a nón Ba tầm in photo taken in the early 20th century.
File:Viet1919.jpg, Two farmers Tonkin wearing thúng hats, 1919
File:Montagnards THOS Gouv gén.jpg, Tày woman wearing a thúng hat, 1931
File:PQ 2022, Thăng Long cổ trấn (sân gạch Bát Tràng) (4).jpg, A girl wearing Áo ngũ thân and a ''Lòng chảo'' hat in Thăng Long Cổ trấn


File:Nón quai thao.jpg, Picture of nón quai thao.
File:Bộ trang phục quan họ 2.jpg, Nón quai thao with traditional male and female dresses for Quan họ.
File:Liền chị quan họ - Hội Lim, Bắc Ninh.JPG, A Quan họ female artist holding a nón quai thao at Lim festival, 2010
File:Quan Ho-Ensemble.JPG, A Quan họ ensemble holding quai thao hats duiring a performance at Đô temple, 2014
File:Vietnamese Dancers.jpg, Dancers perform with quai thao hats.

See also

* List of hat styles
* Nón lá
* Đinh Tự
* Phốc Đầu
* Vietnamese clothing

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Non Ba Tam
Vietnamese headgear
Vietnamese words and phrases
Hats