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duhdumb89 · 8 months

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A Forbidden Happiness | Chapter 16

Jiang gui ren ran her hands over the silken collar of her brand-new Imperial Concubine's chaofu*. All the little pieces were dazzling. The embroidered jacket, the precious necklaces, the golden chaoguan!† She had toiled so many years for this, and it was finally happening. Was it bittersweet that His Majesty didn't personally promote her? Sure. But being part of a group promotion for The Empress Dowager's birthday celebration was better than no promotion at all. The notice of her promotion and her chaofu was delivered last week. However, she was still recovering and couldn't venture outside. Now, for the first time in a month and a half, she was leaving her rooms as the soon-to-be mistress of Xianfugong.

"Mistress," said Susu, "You're going to look so dashing when you wear this for your promotion ceremony. Not even Lian pin will be able to match you,"

Another bittersweet mouthful to swallow.

Lian pin would soon become Lian fei. She bore no children and made no merits, yet she somehow was going to be a Consort.

"His Majesty is set on respecting her family," replied Jiang gui ren, "At the very least, Xiang gui ren got nothing,"

"It's so embarrassing. Even Wang chang zai is getting a promotion!" Said Susu.

"The Empress Dowager is just showing her pity. His Majesty wouldn't dare to clean away the cobwebs between the legs of that old fish," said Jiang gui ren.

Their giggling was interrupted by a delivery of purple fabric. As a Noble Lady, purple was a color far above her station. Now, she would wear it as often as she could.

"Did Huan momo unpack all of my jewelry yet? And my good clothes?" Jiang gui ren asked, digging through the stacks of silks.

"Yes, I even convinced them to leave a few gold pieces. I tried to tell momo that you could wear kingfisher feathers, but Haun momo wouldn't listen," replied Susu.

"No matter," replied Jiang gui ren, "Once I have a son, I can send them all back home with some money. I asked Lou taiyi about my odds of having a child, and he said nothing should stop me from getting pregnant. I only have to suffer them for a bit longer,"

"You don't...." Susu dropped her voice, "You don't want to get rid of them sooner?"

Tsking, Jiang gui ren rolled her eyes, "Idiot, don't be so impatient,"

"Mistress," Yao gonggong said, coming into the bedroom, "His Majesty and Her Highness have invited you to share a meal with them and a few of the other mistresses to celebrate your promotion,"

"Shall I call Huan momo and Cui momo to help you dress?" He asked.

"Yes, quickly, quickly!"

–––

In all, The Empress Dowager had chosen 12 women to promote. The majority were first and second-class attendants. Beside Lian pin and Wang chang zai, there was Jiao gui ren and Cha chang zai. Jiang gui ren smiled as Zhang Wei led her to the chair on the other side of The Emperor. It should've been Lian pin's seat, as she was the most senior concubine at the table. The Emperor was gracious enough to let Huaguang come to the celebration. While it demonstrated how far above she was of the other women, it was so annoying. Huaguang was squirmy and fussy, crawling into His Majesty's lap and back to hers again. Whenever she tried to converse with His Majesty, Huaguang was pulled at her collar or made a mess at the table. Luckily, His Majesty appreciated Huaguang's vigor instead of finding it unkempt.

To make matters worse, Xiang gui ren arrived. An gui ren had done her duty and kept Jiang gui ren company, but Xiang gui ren still needed to visit her daily. It was awful to watch that whore gloat about how The Empress Dowager loved her gift and how happy it made His Majesty. Just looking at her was making her sicker. At least in a few days, Xiang gui ren would never be able to look down on her again.

The Empress ordered that Cha chang zai move one seat down so Jiang gui ren and Xiang gui ren could sit together.

"I'd like to propose a toast," said Xiang gui ren, "To my jiejie. No one is more deserving of becoming mistress of Xianfugong than you,"

It took everything in Jiang gui ren to keep her lips from curling in disgust. She raised her cup and sipped her wine.

"Xiang gui ren, I can't help but feel sorry for you," said Lian pin, "You and Jiang gui ren are two peas in a pod. You both should be called Your Highness by now,"

Lian pin covered her mirth with a polite cough. Jiang gui ren fumed. Lian pin had a lot of never comparing her to a prostitute like Xiang gui ren.

Xiang gui ren bowed her head, "Jiang jiejie is of noble blood and has given His Majesty a daughter. I can't compare,"

"Yes, jiejie," said Jiang gui ren, "I hear a few doctors have come by your Jingrengong. Is there good news on the way?"

Lian pin shifted in her seat, "...No. It was just a bit of sickness from the heat,"

Jiang gui ren frowned softly, "That's too bad. Jiejie is young and healthy. I"m sure you'll be able to give His Majesty a child soon. You can come to me for advice if it ever happens,"

"Enough," The Empress said, "If fate allows, a child will come. There's no use in talking like this,"

When Huaguang began to cry loudly in His Majesty's arms, Jiang gui ren pulled her over,only for her to squirm and cry even louder.

"What's gotten into you?" Jiang gui ren muttered.

Xiang gui ren leaned in close, "Oh, is she sleepy? Should her nursemaid take her back?"

"Not at all," said Jiang gui ren, "She's just being fussy,"

"You should let Xiang gui ren hold her for a moment then," said His Majesty, "The Empress says Huaguang behaves with her at the A Ge Sou,"

It rankled Jiang gui ren to be reminded that Xiang gui ren could spend more time with her daughter than she did, but she passed Huaguang over anyways. Amazingly, Huaguang did quiet down in Xiang gui ren's arms.

"Maybe I'll go to Xiang gui ren for advice when I get pregnant," said Lian pin.

Jiang gui ren glared at Huaguang lying quietly in Xiang gui ren's arms. It was obvious that the momos were turning her daughter into a brat.

"Are you tired? You can sleep in my arms," Xiang gui ren whispered to Huaguang.

With a roll of her eyes Jiang gui ren let Susu refill her wine. If that bitch wanted to play nursemaid, Jiang gui ren wouldn't stop her. She lifted her cup and leaned into The Emperor's side.

"A toast to Your Majesty,"

The Emperor locked eyes with her and smiled. Just as they touched the rims together, a chorus of gasps erupted around the table.

"Huifen!" The Emperor sprang to his feet and nearly knocked Jiang gui ren over in his haste.

Xiang gui ren moaning in pain, clutching her head. Her forehead was split open, and rivulets of blood were dripping through her fingers. Huaguang was screaming in Xu niang's arms, face red and blotchy. Xu niang looked frantic, bashing her head to the ground, begging for forgiveness.

His Majesty grabbed a handkerchief and pressed it to Xiang gui ren's face, "What happened?!" He asked.

"I don't know!" Said Lian pin, "Xiang gui ren was holding Fifth Princess when she suddenly grabbed a plate and...hit her!"

It was as if the blood was draining from Jiang gui ren now. How could a two-year-old child do so much damage? Was it a trick? She and her daughter were favored, but there wasn't enough favor to return from something like this. Jiang gui ren flinched as The Emperor kicked Xu niang to the ground, not caring that Huaguang was in her arms.

"You worthless thing! How have you been raising Fifth Princess?"

Xu niang cried, "I deserve to die, I deserve to die!"

Jiang gui ren threw herself at The Emperor's feet, "Your Majesty! Forgive Huaguang. She's just a child! She didn't mean it!"

That was a mistake. The Emperor turned his rage to her."

What sort of devious child have you raised, Jiang gui ren?" He hissed, "How could you birth this beast?"

"Your Majesty, please dissipate your anger," said The Empress, stepping between them, "Take Xiang gui ren into the side hall. I'll call for Hwang taiyi to stop the bleeding,"

The Emperor nodded before turning to Xu niang again, "Get that child out of my sight!"

Xu niang scooped up Huaguang and ran off.

The Emperor followed as Xiang gui ren's limp form was dragged away. Jiang gui ren stayed collapsed on the ground.

"You can all withdraw," The Empress said, "The mood's been spoiled,"

Susu helped Jiang gui ren to her feet as the other women exited the courtyard.

"Jiang gui ren," said The Empress, "Make yourself scarce,"

––––

An gui ren's spirits soared as Weiwei recounted the events at His Majesty's promotion meal.

"What about Jiang gui ren?" An gui ren asked.

"She's locked in her rooms," Weiwei replied, "There's no word if His Majesty will take back her promotion,"

An gui ren sighed. Jiang gui ren really did have all the luck. Her child damn near bludgeoned Xiang gui ren, and she was still becoming an Imperial Concubine. An gui ren didn't have much of an idea when she started to fuss with Huaguang. At best, the girl would embarrass Jiang gui ren and have her lose a bit of face. It seemed the scare tactics made Huaguang go above and beyond. It all meant nothing in end. Jiang gui ren was going to be a mistress, and An gui ren was not.

As she continued her stroll, An gui ren spotted a large group of servants clustered together, giggling and whispering.

"Has there been any good gossip lately, Weiwei?" She asked.

"Not that I've heard. We're still talking about Fifth Princess going crazy," replied Weiwei.

An gui ren hurried over to the group, watching their backs shift with laughter.

"How absurd!" Weiwei said.

The servants jumped and at the sight of An gui ren, dropped to their knees.

"An gui ren is here and you won't even acknowledge her! She should report you to The Emperor right now!" said Weiwei.

"We beg your forgiveness! Please have mercy on us!" A eunuch cried.

"I don't know," said An gui ren, "Is it really worth it to spare such useless things like you?"

The servants began to beg for lives with renewed fervor.

"Alright, alright. I'll forget about this if you tell me what's so interesting these days. What were you chatting about just now?"

The servants fell silent and glanced at one another. It was something juicy then. "I recognize every one of your uniforms. One word and you'll lose your heads," Said An gui ren.

A brave maid spoke up, "It was...A'Fen from the ice house just came from visiting her new baby sister and told us about the rumors in the capital about First Princess,"

"First Princess?" Said An gui ren, "What about her?" "I don't want to dirty your ears with this sort of talk," said the maid.

An gui ren rolled her eyes, "Spit it out already,"

"They're saying First Princess is...keeping company with the eunuchs here," said the maid.

"What?" Asked An gui ren, "How can anyone believe that?"

"Some palace eunuch from the palace was bragging about it in a brothel. Apparently First Princess' underwear and love tokens are hidden in a eunuch's room,"

"Which eunuch?"

The maid shook her head, "Nobody knows,"

An gui ren shook her head, "And this is all over the capital?"

"Even the gêgês are talking about it,"

"You're all dismissed," said An gui ren, "Don't you dare speak more of this,"

She tugged Weiwei down the road, "Hurry! We have to see His Majesty,"

Finding The Emperor was a struggle, and when she did, An gui ren waited outside his doors for almost an hour.

"An gui ren, His Majesty has no time to see you. Please, return to your palace," said Zhang Wei.

"Wei gonggong, this is important. Announce me, please," she begged.

When it looked like he wouldn't budge, she added, "It's about First Princess," An gui ren said.

Zhang Wei stared at her for a moment longer before sighing, "Fine then,"

The Emperor was sitting behind his desk, missives nearly covering the entire surface. An gui ren's heart began to race. It had been some time since she and His Majesty were alone like this. He hadn't flipped her tag in almost a year.

"This concubine wishes–"

"Speak quickly and withdraw. I don't have time for nonsense today," The Emperor said.An gui ren paused before quietly finishing her greeting. The Emperor was still in a bad mood because of Xiang gui ren's injury.

"Your Majesty, I have something to report,"

––––––––––––

*chaofu: Court attire for women of Imperial Concubine status and above †chaoguan: Hats worn by consorts have two tiers of dongzhu pearls and phoenixes topped by a cat eye stone

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guzhuangheaven · 3 years

Photo

Guzhuang Appreciation Month: favorite fashionistas

Legend of Ruyi + court attire (x)

#如懿传 #legend of ruyi #cdrama #perioddramaedit #cdramanet #cdramaedit #costumesource #gifshistorical #qing dynasty #guzhuangappreciation #gzh #ruyi's royal love in the palace #ruyi zhuan #wardrobe #ruyicostumes #chaofu

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shangyangjunzhu · 3 years

Photo

story of yanxi palace: empress fuca’s blue chaofu

requested by anonymous

#the story of yanxi palace #cdrama #cdramanet #story of yanxi palace #cdramaedit #cdramagifs #yanxi gong #dynasty: qing dynasty #costumes: all #costumes: the story of yanxi palace #fuca rongyin #chaofu #qin lan #stuff: the story of yanxi palace #stuff:mine #requests/dedications

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mydaylight · 3 years

Photo

Photo of Lady Hešeri, Princess Su, wife of Shanqi, Prince Su of the First Rank, in chaofu and chao guan (ca. 1900)

#qing dynasty #chaofu #found this photo in a new book about qing dynasty I bought #I didn't know princess consorts could wear chaofu as well #it's a pity the colour of the jifu isn't clearly discernible #in the picture #it's probably 香色 #also this is a really nice photo

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fouryearsofshades · 3 years

Video

youtube

#hanfu #ming dynasty #chaofu #minghuatang #video #english subtitle #blood #gun #in the first video #but i like the music #and lifting his leg part is cute

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fashionsfromhistory · 7 years

Photo

Man's formal court robe (chaofu)

Chinese

1870-1880 (Qing dynasty)

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

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beehunni62 · 2 years

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- Ethnic Differences in Court Dress During the Qianlong Period -

Many court palace dramas set in the Qing dynasty Qianlong reign period have detailed and beautiful costumes. One of my favorites being the 朝服 cháofu (court dress) and the 吉服 jífú (ceremonial dress)

guzhuangheaven made wonderful posts talking at length about both types of garments, their parts, uses, terminology, symbolism, etc… If you wish to learn more about them, please check the following two links:

Chaofu

Jifu

However, I recently discovered that in Qianlong’s court, at least as far as jifu is concerned, concubines of different ethnicities wore their respective ethnic fashions.

It all started with a painting from 1771-72 titled 《崇庆皇太后八旬万寿图》 or Longevity Image of Empress Dowager Chongqing’s Eightieth Birthday. Empress Dowager Chongqing is Qianlong’s mother.

《崇庆皇太后八旬万寿图》 or Longevity Image of Empress Dowager Chongqing’s Eightieth Birthday prior to conservation [source].

What fascinated me is not easily seen; a “blink or you’ll miss it” detail. On the Empress’ and Qianlong’s sides, are the rows of standing and sitting concubines who served the Emperor. We have concubines of different ethnicities such as Manchu, Han, Uyghur, and Mongolian. This painting offers us an invaluable opportunity to see the distinct ethnic court dresses worn during the Qianlong reign period.

Mongol Uyghur Han Manchu

We rarely see these these types of ethnic fashions in historical dramas. At most, we get concubines with a vague ethnicity wearing some beaded hair jewelry and a face veil, cue some belly dancing for extra effect.

Since the ethnic concubines are sitting behind the first row of concubines who are ranked 嫔 pín (concubine), 妃 fēi (consort), 贵妃 guìfēi (noble consort), and 皇贵妃 huáng guìfēi (imperial noble consort), they would be lower than concubines in rank. However, it is worth noting that the Uyghur woman is most likely the titular容妃 róng fēi (consort Rong) who would have obtained the rank of consort by the time this picture was painted in the early 1770s yet is not wearing the chaofu that the other consorts have. Other non-manchu concubines, upon attaining the rank of concubine or higher, would have to wear the chaofu that the Manchu ladies have. Two notable examples of this are Imperial Noble Consort Qinggong and Imperial Noble Consort Shujia who have Han and Korean ascendancy respectively.

- Uyghur -

It is not clear why consort Rong is not wearing the chaofu and why she is sitting behind; perhaps, she was demoted at that time or must sit behind because she does not have children (or is not Manchu).

It is entirely possible that the ethnic court dress that the Mongolian, Han, and Uyghur concubines are wearing in the pictures above are equivalent to the jifu.

Below is a another possible picture of consort Rong wearing bright red clothing (according to this study) next to two other Uyghur women (please, notice the two long braids coming down from underneath their hats). Consort Rong could have also been the one on the far right hand side. It is difficult to tell. However, what’s important is the clothing that they wear which is clearly distinct form the four other women’s.

The image above is an enlarged portion of a much bigger painting titled 《塞宴四事圖》 or Watching Four Performances at the Imperial Banquet in Northern China [source]. Qianlong period. Painted by Giuseppe Castiglione.

Another example of ethnic clothing worn alongside distinct headwear comes from the following painting:

The above image is a portion of a much bigger painting titled 《万国来朝图》 or Image of All Nations Coming to Court, painted in the Qianlong era and depicting the arrival of foreign envoys bearing tributes during New Year to the Qing court while wearing their respective ethnic clothing [source]. Anonymous painter.

It is unclear whether the woman wearing the distinct hat is once again consort Rong; it could be another Uyghur concubine but it’s worth noting how the dress style and pattern match in the two images above.

The dresses that the Uyghur women are wearing, including consort Rong in the longevity painting, seem to be a type of 比甲 bǐjiǎ from the Qianlong period (explanation of bijia and other Qing dynasty women’s fashion was provided by @ziseviolet , please click here to learn more).

- Mongolian -

The concubine that fascinated me the most in the painting is the Mongolian one since her court dress looks closely modeled after the chaofu of the first row of concubines. Please, notice the 披领 pīlǐng (Qing dynasty capelet) in the Mongolian court dress.

After doing exhaustive research, I came across a list of the names of some of the other concubines in the painting.

According to Baidu, she may be 新常在 xīn chángzài (first-class female attendant Xin). She was lated elevated to 贵人 guìrén (noble lady). She was Oirat Mongolian and died in 1774, 3 or 4 years the completion of the painting.

Her hat is distinct from her Manchu counterparts’. After doing some research on Oirat ethnic clothing, I came across this picture of a ceremonial Oirat hat.

Photo taken by Gary Todd on June 30, 2017 [source]. Mongolian Traditional Clothing and Jewelry Gallery, National Museum of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar.

Even though it’s not an exact match and is off by one or two centuries, it does show that Oirat people have a tendency to bejewel the black velvet bodies of their hats symbolizing a possible tradition.

If it is indeed true that she was a changzai during the time this painting was made, then this poses a few interesting questions. In the Qing Imperial Harem Ranking System, changzai were one of the lowest ranks. Thus, according to protocol, she should be wearing a jifu instead, but she is not.

At first, I thought that what she was wearing was her ethnic jifu equivalent, but upon close examination, one can clearly see the black fur lined and red piling, an element distinctively found in the Manchu chaofu. The overall aesthetic look of her court dress reminds me more of the Manchu chaofu than a jifu, although, the 团纹 tuán wén (circle pattern) on the sleeves are definitely more consistent with jifu (to see a more thorough explanation given by @guzhuangheaven on circle patterns, please click this link). Her court dress blends elements of both.

The jewelry she wears, especially the big square pendant, is a staple of Mongolian jewelry as well as the scarf attached to the back of her hat.

Left picture source [source]. Right picture source [source] If you look at the uncropped left image, you can see the shoulders extend in peaks, similar to regular chaofu piling.

Back to the topic of her rank, if she is, in fact, a changzai, then why is she sitting so close to the Emperor and Empress Dowager? There are other concubines, some with children, standing on the sides (please look at the full painting to analyze at this detail). It could be entirely possible that the children are those of the first row of concubines and that the lower ranked ones are taking care of them.

Furthermore, it’s plausible that those on the sides are all lower than changzai, if that is the case, then Qianlong had many 答应 dā yìng (lower rank than changzai) and/or many women ranking lower than the concubine rank.

The color that the Mongolian concubine has on her court garments is also distinct and begs the question, why is it turquoise? (or green as they probably would have considered that to be back then). That specific color I have seen in Mongolian clothing and jewelry but I am unsure as to the symbolism behind it. If anybody knows what that color or shade represents to Mongolians or Oirat people, please let me know. Perhaps the color was chosen because of her ethnic background or because of some other reason. Without another painting showcasing a similar court dress, records, contemporary descriptions, or surviving garments, then it’s impossible to arrive at any definitive conclusion.

The Turquoise-like color is seen in Mongolian traditional attire, ceremonial silk scarves, and jewelry:

The above images can be found online. Credit goes to their copyright holders.

You can also see that specific color being worn by the Han concubines in the same painting underneath their red outer layer. Not sure if there is a meaning behind the color itself but the chaofu/jifu worn by the Mongolian lady is dyed with it which is distinct from the black, yellow, golden, and deep blue we usually see in Qing dynasty court fashion. I have also seen that shade in other paintings of Han women from the Qing dynasty [source]. It could either be a symbolic color or one of the available shades of green produced naturally by accessible pigments of the time period.

- Han -

As far as the court dresses that the Han women are wearing, there isn’t much that I can add or say that much more knowledgeable professionals haven’t already stated.

The Han women seem to be wearing 鳳冠 fèngguān (phoenix crown) and a Qing dynasty style of dress popular with Han women which consists of a top with a pleaded skirt called 袄裙 ǎoqún (blouse and skirt). Although the following example of the modern replica does not contain the 马面裙 ma miàn qún (horse face skirt) that we see in the painting, the ratio of the length of the upper part compared to the lower part is similar, as well as the wide sleeves and round collar.

The Han women’s court attire also blends elements from the Manchu-introduced chaofu and late ming dynasty court dress. Please notice the 立水 lìshuǐ (loosely translated as vertical water) also known as 水脚 shuǐ jiǎo (water foot) at the bottom. A pattern that started in the late Ming dynasty and eventually grew into the iconic wave pattern we see in Qing dynasty chaofu.

Phoenix crown modern replica is a prop from the Chinese costume drama Ming Dynasty (2019) [source]. Qing dynasty modern aoqun replica courtesy of @潤熙陳 on Weibo [source]. Lishui wave pattern from a man’s dragon robe with peacock feather embroidery. Santa Barbara Museum of Art [source]. The pictures and painting are not an exact match, however, they are close enough to get an idea.

In another painting titled 《乾隆南巡圖（第六卷﹕大運河至蘇州)》 or The Qianlong Emperor's Southern Inspection Tour (Scroll Six: Entering Suzhou along the Grand Canal), there are figures that look like women kneeling to receive the emperor while wearing clothes resembling Qing dynasty Han fashion. You can faintly make out what seems to be phoenix crowns or some other type of tall head ornament. Of course, this may be a reach as the figures are too small and lack any serious detail to be considered Han or any other ethnicity. However, the belt and contrasting red sleeves with blue dress does make one wonder.

《乾隆南巡圖（第六卷﹕大運河至蘇州)》 or The Qianlong Emperor's Southern Inspection Tour (Scroll Six: Entering Suzhou along the Grand Canal) painted by Xu Yang et al. in 1770 [source]

-Theories-

Why then, are the concubines in the court of Qianlong dressed differently according to ethnicity (based on the longevity painting)?

I cannot give an exact reason. My cultural, historical, linguistic, and ethnic knowledge cannot hold a candle to that of actual experts. The following are mostly my own conjectures from research I personally did.

Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong were known to have had Han concubines. Non-bannermen (or bannermen) Manchu rarely married non-bannermen Han. However, a Manchu bannerman and a Han bannerman could get married. Han-ethnic concubines were all from bannermen families, thus, making the union legally possible and without nearly as much stigma. However, that still doesn’t answer the question as to why in Qianlong’s court these stark ethnic divisions existed in clothing. I tried to look for Kangxi and Yongzheng reign period court paintings with stark ethnic division of clothing for the concubines but couldn’t find anything remotely similar to what we see in the painting of Qianlong’s mother’s 80th birthday.

By the time of Qianlong’s reign, he noticed that Manchu women, both inside and outside the imperial court, were starting to adopt Han customs such as foot binding and wearing one earring on each ear (Aierken, 2019, p. 31). This greatly displeased Qianlong since he feared that, with the passing of time, the Manchu language, clothing, traditions, and culture would be replaced by that of the Han. Other ethnic groups that went to live in China progressively adopted Han cultural aspects in the past (Sinicization). This is not surprising since the Han were (and still are) the largest ethnic group in the region and world.

Due to the relatively low rank regular (non bannermen) Han people held in Qing society, Qianlong was probably worried that they would regain power through the adoption of Han customs by Manchu and other ethnic minorities.

As a result, he prohibited Manchu women from binding their feet and made his concubines, Manchu and Han bannermen, (as demonstrated by the portraits of Imperial Noble Consort Qinggong and Imperial Noble Consort Shujia) practice 一耳三钳 yī ěr sān qián (one ear, three pliers/earrings). The aim was to preserve Manchu tradition and to stop the encroachment of Han customs on the ruling class and people alike.

However, it is also important to note that, although Qianlong wanted to preserve Manchu tradition and culture above all others,

“The emperor had arranged for her [consort Rong] a Uyghur chef, and a Muslim palace with engravings of texts from the Quran, called Fangwai Guan. The emperor even built a mosque for her at the Summer Palace near Beijing.” [Wikipedia: Rong Fei]

There is no doubt that, the mandate of the three earrings and the ban on the bound feet had as much to do with preserving the Manchu culture as with the suppression of the Han’s seeing as how he did not mind, and went to great lengths, to ensure that his Muslim consort felt at home.

Thus, possible exaplanations as to why the concubines are wearing different court garments depending on their ethnicities, as probably mandated by Qianlong, include:

also preserve their respective cultures

ensure that the Han culture is not the only prevalent one among the minorities in the harem

serve as a division between the lower and higher ranking concubines (higher ranked would wear chaofu while lower ranked would wear ethnic clothing).

It was part of Qianlong’s publicity campaign to advertise an inclusive empire that could accommodate multiple ethnicities in an effort to quash rebellions and ethnic uprisings.

- Conclusion -

Whichever one of the above mentioned options it may be, it is clear that in Qianlong’s court, much attention was paid to ethnicity. It would be a pleasure to see more Chinese historical dramas set during Qianlong’s reign in his harem showcase and incorporate the wide ethnic differences in regalia.

Longevity Image of Empress Dowager Chongqing’s Eightieth Birthday provides invaluable knowledge in determining the clothing and rank of ethnic concubines and offers the opportunity to study ethnic minorities who tend to be neglected in costuming studies and dramas.

Huge thanks to @moononmyfloor, without them, I wouldn’t have been able to write this. They also supplied me with references, pictures, and ideas. Go and give them a follow!

Resources:

Links are in order of appearance throughout the post. Too lazy to format them correctly.

https://guzhuangheaven.tumblr.com/post/629214874414858241/womens-chaofu-%E6%9C%9D%E6%9C%8D-or-court-attire-in-the-qing/amp

https://guzhuangheaven.tumblr.com/post/180241464740/i-noticed-in-both-ruyi-and-yanxi-that-the-harem/amp

https://href.li/?http://www.sbksc.zcxn.com/html/xsydlhh/0516_1295.html

https://href.li/?https://www.dpm.org.cn/Uploads/File/2018/06/04/u5b1507a065193.pdf

https://href.li/?https://baike.baidu.hk/item/%E5%A1%9E%E5%AE%B4%E5%9B%9B%E4%BA%8B%E5%9C%96/23386830

https://new.shuge.org/view/wan_guo_lai_chao_tu/

https://fouryearsofshades.tumblr.com/post/639060575236849664/hello-so-before-i-ask-i-just-want-to-say-that/amp

https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%96%B0%E8%B4%B5%E4%BA%BA/22165062

https://href.li/?https://flickr.com/photos/101561334@N08/35579139831

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Chinese_harem_system#Sui

https://guzhuangheaven.tumblr.com/post/635397574388531200/embed

https://href.li/?https://local-moda.blogspot.com/2013/01/traditional-headdresses-of-mongolian.html?m=1

https://href.li/?https://mattsko.com/2019/09/19/mongolian-royalty/amp/

https://href.li/?https://nl.pinterest.com/pin/7036943141133006/

https://guzhuangheaven.tumblr.com/post/188166563110/when-watching-the-legend-of-zhen-huan-and-other

https://href.li/?https://card.weibo.com/article/m/show/id/2309404439672364335287

https://href.li/?https://mydramalist.com/photos/qPkLD_3

https://href.li/?https://m.weibo.cn/u/2732528775

https://href.li/?https://collections.sbma.net/objects/10853/mans-dragon-robe-with-peacock-feather-embroidery;jsessionid=EF72BB1DC4FBBBAB782C3926993F205E

https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.metmuseum.org%2Fart%2Fcollection%2Fsearch%2F41493&t=YzdiZDQ3M2ViNjllZDhkNDg1YTMzZGFlZDk1MTZmYzJiMjZjNTQ0NCxjYTcyODAwYzI4NGFmNzMyMzg4ZjliYmFmZjRmY2I3YmJhMzVmMzdl&ts=1641435481

https://href.li/?https://keep.lib.asu.edu/items/157194/view

https://href.li/?https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinicization

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Noble_Consort_Qinggong

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Noble_Consort_Shujia

https://href.li/?https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E4%B8%80%E8%80%B3%E4%B8%89%E9%92%B3/3490979

https://href.li/?https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rong_Fei

Acknowledgements:

I wouldn’t have been able to create this post without the help of other tumblr users and their posts:

@guzhuangheaven

@ziseviolet

@moononmyfloor

Thank you for reading.

~ hunni

#chinese fashion #qing dynasty #chinese history #asian culture #cultural dress #ethnic fashion #qianlong #chinese imperial fashion #historical fashion #1700s fashion

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hundredthousandtimes · 2 years

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I am writing a story using the legend of ruyi costumes as my empress characters clothing and I was wondering if you could make a post with Ruyi's Chaofu from episode 47 and her gold Dianzi from episode 48

Hi! The dianzi is already done, but I forgot to put the tag on the post: https://hundredthousandtimes.tumblr.com/post/701516022675554304/ruyis-second-wedding-dianzi-ruyis-royal-love

The chaofu will be posted in the next two days, I hope you like them.

#ask #answered asks #anon ask #request

0 notes

duhdumb89 · 5 months

Text

A Forbidden Happiness | Chapter 31

She was weighed down in silks, precious jewels, and furs, but Xiang gui ren–

Ah.

Xiang pin had never felt lighter.

"Lai Huifen," The female official cried out, "Has served His Majesty as an earnest and virtuous wife. On account of Her Highness The Empress' grace and Her Highness De gui fei's care, she is to be promoted to Imperial Concubine Xiang,"

Xiang pin accepted the Imperial rites from the official and smiled up at De gui fei. Her jiejie woke at the crack of dawn to help her into her very own Imperial Concubine chaofu. Now, she sat at The Empress' elbow, beaming right back at her. For the happy occasion, De gui fei wore a fuchsiaoutfitembroidered with golden chrysanthemums. The Empress sat at the head of the room in a bright red changyi peppered with yellow and white peonies, the white fox fur edging her waistcoat shining brilliantly. The only one dressed more festively than they were was Yikungong itself. Swaths of red and green fabric draped the pillars and windows. Fat bows of red silk dotted the room. The gold and yellow tables glowed.

Lai Huifen, an orphaned prostitute, had somehow become an Imperial Concubine. She could hardly believe it. As horrible as these last few months had been, Xiang pin chose to see this as an auspicious sign. The New Year would be different as an Imperial Concubine. Fewer people could look down on her and would think twice before trying to start trouble. With this promotion, everyone could see what a risk they were taking trying to attack her. His Majesty loved her enough to risk wagging tongues and promoted her anyway. She was no longer an easy target.

The ceremony came to an end with the deep bang of a gong. She and De gui fei took their leave and, arm in arm, began to walk back home.

"I had the Imperial Kitchen make us our own New Year's feast to celebrate," said De gui fei.

Xiang pin smiled, "Hmm, jiejie is so eager to fatten me up. Trying a new technique to steal His Majesty away from me?"

"Fatten?" Said De gui fei, "If this breeze blew any stronger, you'd fly away!"

"Aiyo! Jiejie is such a smooth talker, but I know the truth! Ah, but who can blame her when His Majesty speaks of her beautiful neck and elegant hands that copy scripture so delicately?"

The servants tried to stifle their laughter. Molan was doing a particularly terrible job of it.

Xiang pin pretended to swoon into Jiayi's arms, "How could she want to be away from His Majesty when he always speaks of her soft, clear voice that soothes even the King of Hell himself? How–"

De gui fei's ears and neck were as red as Yikungong's auspiciousdecorations.

"Stop–stop this nonsense at once! How dare you speak like this in public!"

"Eh? Nonsense? I would never! Hupo, don't you think His Majesty would say something like that about your mistress?"

Hupo nodded, her cheeks pink from mirth, "Of course! Her Highness is all that and more!"

"You! You! All of you are ungrateful!" De gui fei said. She pulled her arm away and walked ahead, "I'll have the servants throw the food away,"

Xiang pin tugged her back, laughing, "Jiejie, don't be mean!"

Their laughter stopped abruptly when a raised chair approached them from a distance. It was Shen huang gui fei.

"Wishing Your Highness peace," they greeted.

"Rise,"

"Xiang meimei," Shen huang gui fei said from her perch, "I hope my congratulations aren't too late,"

Xiang pin smiled, "A kind word from you is always right on time, Your Highness,"

Shen huang gui fei laughed, "You really have the bearing of an Imperial Concubine now. We should all be scared of you. Before we know it, we'll have to call you Xiang fei," her eyes cut to De gui fei, "Maybe even Xiang gui fei,"

Sly bitch.

Xiang pin laughed, "I'm not worthy. If someone like me stood next to De jiejie, wouldn't it cheapen the title?"

"Hmm, De meimei looks different today. I haven't seen you in that sort of thing for years. Did Huahuan have a hand in it?"

"It is fashionable, isn't it, jiejie?" Said Xiang pin, "De jiejie had it made for my promotion ceremony. It's the latest fashion in the capital,"

"It has been lively in Chengqiangong, hasn't it? I should thank you, Xiang meimei. I don't think De meimei has had a single friend since marrying in. Though, things will quiet down when you move into your own palace,"

Own palace?

As excited as Xiang pin was for her promotion, she never thought about the fact that as an Imperial Concubine, she was entitled to that. The thought of living away from De gui fei made a pit open in her stomach.

"I–"

"I thank Shen jiejie for her concern," De gui fei said, stopping Xiang pin's words, "I admit, I've grown used to meimei's company and will find myself out of sorts when she leaves,"

Then a smile that Xiang pin had never seen appeared on De gui fei's face, "Huabao was left in Mongolia all those months ago, and Shen jiejie is always so rosy and chipper. If you could instruct me on the best way to fill an empty palace, I would be grateful,"

The temperature cooled further as De gui fei and Shen huang gui fei locked eyes.

Shen huang gui fei eventually dipped her head.

"De meimei is too kind. When it comes to loneliness, wouldn't someone with a tag as pristine as yours be the expert? Well, the cold is getting to me. I'll be on my way,"

"Sending Your Highness of with respect,"

"Jiejie..." Xiang pin said, reaching out to touch De gui fei's arm, "I'm not leaving. I don't care about those silly rules, I–"

De gui fei shook her head, "Let's hurry back before the food gets cold,"

The rest of the walk back was somber, but at the sight of The Emperor's raised chair parked outside of Chengqiangong's corridor, raised her spirit.

"His Majesty is here!" Said Xiang pin, tugging De gui fei along.

The eunuch at the gates announced their arrival, and Zhang Wei came to meet them.

"Your Highnesses, His Majesty is waiting inside for you,"

De gui fei pulled her arm away, "I'll–"

"Let's go jiejie. We shouldn't keep His Majesty waiting," Xiang pin said, taking custody of De gui fei's arm again.

"Er–meimei, I think His Majesty only means to have a meal with you," said De gui fei.

"Aiya, how can I kick you out of your palace?" Said Xiang pin, ignoring De gui fei's whispered protests and walking inside, "His Majesty won't complain! He's having dinner with two beautiful women instead of just one!"

As eager as she was to greet The Emperor, Xiang pin was struck dumb when she walked inside. It looked better than Yikungong. Frankly, Yikungong couldn't hold a candle to the decorations in here! Every surface was bursting with red, green, and gold sashes, curtains, and flags. Auspicious poems and scrolls dotted the room. Lao zí* of all kinds hung from the ceiling. And right in the center was the largest portrait of herself that she'd ever seen! She sat in the center, donned in her chaofu, Yiqiang by her side and Thunder by her feet. Xiang pin turned to Jiayi.

"You! You! Are you a witch? When did this happen?"

Jiayi blushed, "De gui fei asked the moment you told her of your promotion, Your Highness. I've had plenty of time,"

"And look at all these knots," said Xiang pin, "there have to be hundreds! Jiejie, you didn't do this all by yourself, right? You only have two hands!"

"She did,"

His Majesty strolled towards them with a soft smile on his face. Xiang pin's knees didn't have the chance to hit the ground before His Majesty waived away the formalities and helped her upright again. He walked over to one of the knots and ran his thumb over one of the thick red cords.

"When it comes to lao zí, no one can rise above De gui fei," he said.

"Your Majesty exaggerates," De gui fei replied, "Anyone could do this with a bit of work,"

The Emperor shook his head and lifted up the golden knot hanging below the scent pouch tied to his waist.

"A dragon?" Xiang pin gasped, "Jiejie, made a dragon knot?"

"Almost 20 years ago,"

"It looks brand new," Xiang pin said, running her fingers over the pristine thread, "Jiejie–"

De gui fei couldn't stand any more of their praise because she quickly ushered them to the table filled with their small banquet. De gui fei stepped back to take the seat across from The Emperor but Xiang pin suddenly had an idea. She plopped herself down, leaving De gui fei to sit next to His Majesty.

Shen huang gui fei was right, His Majesty rarely flipped De gui fei's tag. But she planned on changing that. All the two needed was a push in the right direction.

After Jiayi filled her cup, Xiang pin raised it.

"I'd like to make a toast,"

De gui fei filled her and The Emperor's cups.

"I toast to His Majesty for giving me the honor of becoming an Imperial Concubine. I toast to jiejie; a woman so perfect she only comes second to The Empress. May your New Year be filled with health, longevity, and peace,"

The Emperor laughed, "Of course!" He said and drank.

De gui fei gaped at her for a moment before sipping her wine. Xiang pin kept polite conversation with The Emperor as they began their meal. She didn't personally place food on his plate or feed him from her own hand. What questions he asked, she managed to steer them back to De gui fei. When the meal was over, De gui fei looked flustered. By the way she was wringing her hands, Xiang pin knew De gui fei was going to try to make an escape.

"Your Majesty, jiejie has beaten me soundly in every weiqi† game we've played. Will you avenge me?" she asked with a pout.

"Always," He replied, "Prince Han isn't much of a challenge these days,"

"Lovely! I'll even play for you both,"

When her guzheng arrived, Xiang pin plucked out a sweet tune, glancing up occasionally. His Majesty and De gui fei moved the stone pieces across the board, gently grazing fingers. The sharp tang of betrayal curled Xiang pin's lips as she watched The Emperor give De gui fei a look that she'd privately claimed as her own.

Taking a deep breath, she continued her song. The pain surprised her. She wasn't ignorant of the fact that His Majesty spent his days and nights with women other than her. She was more than well aware that she occupied only the smallest piece of his heart. She just hadn't expected it to hurt so much to see him look that way at someone else. When the final note fled from her strings, Xiang pin stood.

"I won't take any more of jiejie's time. I'll take my leave,"

"You've had a long day," The Emperor said, "Rest well,"

She walked away carefully, ignoring the tickle in the back of her throat when His Majesty didn't walk away with her.

✺

Shen huang gui fei let the icy wind whip across her face as she stared at the eunuch scurrying out of the courtyard. His Majesty would be spending the night with De gui fei, he informed, so she need not wait on his arrival.

She curled her lips into an ugly smile.

"De gui fei, De gui fei," she said, "You should've stayed in the background where you belonged,"

✺

The Empress Dowager scrutinized the ring on her finger. A diamond the size of a quail's egg was nice, but not nice enough. She handed it to a maid.

"Bring me the pearl ring, the one with the jade band," she said.

Jerjer tucked another golden chai into her dianzi**, adding to the dazzling array, of jade, coral, amber, and pearls. It was the one time of year when the other dowagers still in the capital would see her again and she was determined to remind them of their place. Every year they had to suffer and bow their heads to the woman they used to think was nothing. So no, she couldn't just look good, she had to look amazing.

"Your Highness, the banquet will start soon," a eunuch said.

"The banquet starts when Her Highness arrives," replied Jerjer.

The Empress Dowager admired herself in the mirror for a few moments longer before sighing, "Let's not deprive them of my presence any longer,"

She stood and allowed Jerjer to wrap her in a golden cloak edged with black mink before walking to her raised chair. The cool air cleared her mind. So what if she took a chance on a maid who was too stupid to do what she was told? There would be many more before her and after her. That Xiang woman may have become an Imperial Concubine but it seemed that luck was still on The Empress Dowager's side. Xiang pin was barren. All that time in His Majesty's bed and not a single sign of a child.

Early that morning, the shamans came and danced to wash away the bad luck. Jerjer hand picked each maid and eunuch who set foot in Cininggong, ensuring that what happened to Huaguang would never happen again. The Empress Dowager could feel it in her bones.

This year would be her year.

Jerjer helped The Empress Dowager descend from the chair and the eunuchs announced her.

"Her Highness The Empress Dowager has arrived!"

The banquet hall doors opened and every single person dropped to their knees. They chorused their greetings to her, eager to curry favor with the most powerful woman in the world.

She slowed her strut to her place at the head of the hall when she noticed a woman standing defiantly in the crowd. The woman raised her head and a flash of fear sliced at The Empress Dowager so powerfully that it jellied her knees. It only took one weak step for The Empress Dowager to plummet to the ground. Pain lanced through her body, hot and white.

The room devolved into hysterics. Through the commotion, only one thought ran through The Empress Dowager's head.

Dowager Noble Consort Ling had come back to finish the job.

––––––––––– *The art of Chinese knotting † Strategy board game that originated in China **In the manchu language is literally translated as a "hat ring". this "hat ring" referred to the kind of hat supported by a circular iron wire in its rim. The base of a dianzi is usually made of thin rattan strips or wires wrapped with black silk, and woven into check or coin patterns, or other auspicious designs. gemstones and pearls are fixed onto the hat base in various auspicious patterns. dianzi is usually worn by noble women for special occasions, like weddings and birthday ceremonies, and traditional festivals.

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guzhuangheaven · 3 years

Photo

Guzhuang Appreciation Month: favorite fashionistas

the story of yanxi palace + court attire (x)

#the story of yanxi palace #延禧攻略 #yanxi palace princess adventures #延禧攻略番外金枝玉叶 #cdrama #perioddramaedit #cdramanet #cdramaedit #costumesource #gifshistorical #qing dynasty #guzhuangappreciation #gzh #yanxioutfits #yanxiprincess #wardrobe #chaofu #earrings #nail guards

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shangyangjunzhu · 3 years

Photo

empress of the ming: outfit appreciation

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mia-japanese-korean · 3 years

Photo

Xu You and Chao Fu [left of a pair of the Legends of Xu You, Chao Fu, and Bo Le], Soga Shōhaku, early 1760s, Minneapolis Institute of Art: Japanese and Korean Art

six-panels showing a landscape with two male figures and an ox; man in UL lies prone atop a rocky cliff with his right hand extended; man in center leads ox out of a wooden structure with a thatched roof; thick cloud cover present in first four panels Soga Shōhaku was celebrated in his own life for his unorthodox, peripatetic lifestyle and for the ease with which he could transform his painting style on a whim. But he was also a deeply studious painter who was fluent in a variety of classical Japanese and Chinese painting styles and had a vast knowledge of traditional painting subjects. In this pair of half-height folding screens, he combines illustrations of two stories about wise misfits from Chinese legend: a pair of insightful recluses, Xuyou and Chaofu, at right, and a famous judge of horses, Bole, at left. Shōhaku’s unconventional pictures, with their bold compositions, grotesque trees and pillars, and comically drunken old men, belie the serious philosophical underpinnings of the legends themselves, both of which appear in the Zhuangzi, a foundational Daoist text written in China in the 300s B.C.E. Size: 42 3/4 × 109 × 3/4 in. (108.59 × 276.86 × 1.91 cm) (outer frame) 36 1/2 × 103 in. (92.71 × 261.62 cm) (image) Medium: Ink on paper

https://collections.artsmia.org/art/123099/

#museumarchive #artsmia #sogashōhaku #minneapolisinstituteofart

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fouryearsofshades · 3 years

Note

Hello! This isn’t a hanfu question but i was wondering if you know what pre-qing/1600s Manchu/Jurchen women’s fashion looked like? or have any pics/sources? tried searching around but there seems to be no english sources covering this? thank you!

Hi!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the question. Sorry that it takes so long to reply.

The short answer regarding the question is, there really isn’t much materials on Manchu clothing before they entered the Shanhaiguan Pass (1644 AD). The Manchurians practiced cremation and only switched to burial in Qianglong period. Hence, there aren’t much artifacts before that. The Manchu clothing only started to be standardized under Nurhaci rule (1616-1626 AD). However, it is known that the Jurchen’s clothing was heavily influenced by other ethnic groups, as they obtained fabrics either by trades or other methods from the Han people and Joseonins.

The Manchu clothing designs, on the other hand, are heavily influenced by the Mongolians, as seen in Jurchen’s clothing that shared many elements with the Mongolians clothing. Manchu and Mongol clothings (the Khorchin Mongols especially) were rather similar even at the later period of Qing dynasty.

Figure 1:Comparison of the Khorchin and Manchu women robes.

Figure 2: The chaofu show clearly that it is not the usual round-collar robe that the Manchurian wear. The separate bottom tied it to the Mongolian robe Jisum (质孙服), while things similar to the ulhun (not sure if this is the correct word. shawl-collar 披肩领）and the waha cuff (horse’s hoof thing) also could be seen in some Yuan dynasty paintings as well.

Later in Hong Taiji period, the official uniform were designed with elements of Han (Ming dynasty) clothing. After the Manchurians entered the Shanhaiguan Pass and into area predominantly occupied by Han Chinese, they also incorporated many elements of Han Chinese, especially the auspicious motifs.

The Jurchens originally worn robes with the right lapel over the left lapel (zuoren), but based on my very little observation, I think by the time of Later Jin (i.e. before they officially called themselves Manhu and Qing dynasty), wearing the left lapel over the right lapel (youren) was rather common. They usually worn a round collar robe (sijigiyan ᠰᡳᠵᡳᡤᡳᠶᠠᠨ), often lied with fur. The characteristic cuff type is the waha ᠸᠠᡥᠠ (箭袖jianxiu or 马蹄袖 matixiu – sleeve shaped like horse’s hoof), which can be foled up. On top of the robe they could wear a jacket such as olbo ᠣᠯᠪᠣ （马褂）or a sleeves vest（坎肩）The robes could be accessorized with belt, small purses and scarf. In the Later Jin and early Qing-dynasty, the women and men robes were very similar. One could wear a skirt called huusihan (霍锡罕), but it was gone from the wardrobe relatively quickly after the Manchurians entered the Shanhaiguan Pass, and it seemed to be only remained as part of the chaofu.

Figure 4: Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang in Changfu常服. Apparently it was rather rare for women to wear this type of robe without a jacket.

They usualy worn with leather shoes lined with Carex meyeriana (乌拉草/靰鞡草) called hvwaitame sabu (strape shoes, but in Han Chinese it is referred as wula xie靰鞡鞋 – came from the name of the grass foyo orho). Boots came later.

Figure 4: hvwaitame sabu

Both men and women braided their hair (men shaved most of their hair). Men worn hats (many types). Women wear many ear rings. Men could wear one on each ear when young.

Reference:

记法国国家图书馆中一本很厉害的满文字典——服饰篇（一）,记法国国家图书馆中一本很厉害的满文字典——服饰篇（二） Some notes on some clothing terms in the Manchu language.

从满族传统服饰变迁看满族文化观_王忠欢 Talk generally about different types of Manchu clothing.

清代满蒙女子服装研究_赵琦 Comparison of the Khorchin and Manchu clothing.

清入关前朝服考_王业宏 Talking about early chaofu - with pictures.

清前期皇室及贵族服饰研究_刘菲 The most detail thesis of all, and talk about individual pieces, and lots of pictures as well.

I hope this answer some of your questions. There probably are much more info in printed books and other resources. I know next to nothing about Manchu clothing. If anyone have more info on this feels free to add on. Perhaps @audreydoeskaren would have more information. Thanks in advance.

#ask #reply #not hanfu #manchurian #reference #Jurchen #fouryearsofshades #sorry it gets too long and I just want to get this done #so not much pic #because I can't really date most of them #also there seemed to be not much drawing before the Manchu entered the pass #anon

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idealconservateur · 5 years

Photo

(via Men portraits : Portrait ofifciel de l''empereur Xianfeng Chaofu)

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audreydoeskaren · 3 years

Note

since you’re a greatly trusted and unbiased source, can you possibly explain what was “Goryeoyang” or looked like, and how that influenced the Ming, if at all? and possibly how did that manifest in the styles or clothing worn. so sorry if this ask is messy!

Umm I wouldn't call myself a trusted and unbiased source but thank you...? I'm not sure what you're referring to as "Goryeoyang" but I assume you mean Korean dress? If it is indeed about that well I do have something to say about it. Disclaimer, I know next to nothing about Korean historical fashion just the general gist of this relationship. For the most part, excluding the puffy skirt fad of the 1470s and 80s, Korean fashion had very limited influence on Ming Dynasty Chinese fashion, which drew more inspiration from Mongol clothing worn during the preceding Yuan Dynasty. Some “traditional” Korean garments nowadays look similar to Ming Dynasty Chinese clothing because Korean court dress from that time mostly originated in China.

Korean and Chinese fashion in the Ming Dynasty

Court dress

Prior to the Ming Dynasty, both China and Korea were under the rule of the Mongols in the Yuan Dynasty, and the court dress of both countries were heavily influenced by Mongol fashion. After the overthrow of the Yuan and the establishment of the Ming Dynasty in 1368, the first emperor of the Ming and his court decided to redesign court dress and uniforms of the officials to be "more Chinese" to symbolize that Chinese rule had been reinstalled. They allegedly referenced Tang and Song clothing styles but I highly doubt that since in practice Mongol influences were everywhere in Ming court dress and fashion.

Shortly after this, the Koreans rebelled against the Yuan as well and the Yi Dynasty was established. Having both just come out of Mongol rule, the two new dynasties really bonded and Korea agreed to become a tributary to the Ming, changing its name to Joseon. Though being a tributary sounds humiliating, in reality China and Korea seemed very close and friendly at this point. If you don't know how the tributary system worked, well neither do I but basically every once in a while the tributary country would send an entourage to Beijing, the Ming capital, to offer gifts and shit, then the Ming would give the tributary mission gifts in return as well. It was a symbolic gesture of vassalage, so to say. Because Korea was so obviously the Ming's favorite vassal and a kind of brother-in-arms in the struggle against the Mongols, the Ming court would gift the Korean tributary mission fabrics and ready made garments that were designed in the new "Chinese style". The entourage took these back to Korea, where they were then worn by royalty, aristocracy and palace staff. I believe the Ming did similar things for Vietnam and Ryukyu as well, but not to such an extent as they did with Korea. The Joseon court regarded these new styles of court dress as "more civilized" and, less Mongol, basically, and willingly adopted the new Chinese system of court dress (there were probably minor differences but the overall gist was the same in both countries).

Source

Hongwu, first emperor of the Ming in 朝服 chaofu, the most formal dress.

Source

King Taejo, the first king of Joseon in chaofu. The color is different because apparently the king of Korea had the same rank as a prince or duke in the Chinese system, and thus wasn’t gifted the emperor’s yellow robe. But you can see the gold brocade material with roundel motifs and style with a round collar were the same.

As a result, Chinese and Korean court dress were extremely similar in the early years of the Ming. This is not because Korea "stole" or “copied” Ming court dress or anything like some clueless nationalists on the internet like to argue. To "steal" or “copy” implies that it was taken without the owner's permission, whereas in this case the Ming was more than happy to gift Joseon fabrics and clothes and Joseon was more than happy to receive them; even though it was mostly China on the providing end and Korea on the receiving, it was a consensual exchange of clothing styles.

As the centuries progressed, however, Korean court dress slowly developed their own trends and aesthetics (notably the higher waistline), and deviated from court dress worn in the Ming court, which was in turn influenced by popular Chinese fashion outside of court (e.g. the use of standing collars for womenswear). After the fall of the Ming Dynasty, Joseon court dress evolved into a new direction completely unrelated to China whatsoever, since the Qing wasn't as keen on gifting Korea fabrics and garments and such. Joseon wasn’t the biggest fan of the Qing after being invaded and forced to cut ties with the Ming, so in the ensuing centuries of the Qing Dynasty the Joseon court more or less avoided adopting the new Qing style of Chinese court dress, and instead focused on preserving Ming styles that were deemed "more civilized and legitimate", to a certain extent. When I first started out in hanfu there was a lot of talk about how Korea preserved Ming court dress and bruh that's just not true. Just because they retained some Ming era characteristics doesn't mean modern hanbok is completely identical to Ming style hanfu, not to mention the changes Korean court dress had undergone in the Qing period... I think especially when it comes to women’s hairstyles, the Chinese and Korean court differed quite significantly.

Source

Late 19th/early 20th century Korean portrait showing the high waistline.

Source

1860s Chinese working class attire.

Popular fashion

Popular fashion was a completely different story than court dress, i.e. heavily regulated, ceremonial clothing worn by royalty, aristocracy, palace staff and officials. Fashion worn by civilians that was popular outside of court was more organic and changed a lot more quickly. In this regard, there were actually very few connections between Chinese and Korean popular fashion in the Ming. I'm not an expert on Korean historical clothing, but I've read that they had a couple garments that looked similar to Chinese dress but were actually unique and totally different. The only documented instance of Korean and Chinese popular fashion influencing each other was the late 15th century fad for puffy skirts I talked about in this post, where the trend for puffy skirts supported by crinolines was brought to China by the Korean tributary mission. Besides that, I don't think there was much interaction/overlap between Chinese and Korean civilian fashion.

Source

The fad in question.

Oh I just remembered something, a popular accessory in the Ming Dynasty in both China and Korea was the 网巾 wangjin or hairnet for men. It was allegedly first designed or at least adopted by Hongwu, the first emperor of the Ming, which then became a part of men’s undergarments for both court and casual dress. Needless to say it also spread into Korea and this accessory could be commonly seen in modern Korean period dramas set in the Joseon period.

If you need me to debunk the "Ming style hanfu plagiarized Korea" claim or vice versa, popular fashion in the early Ming developed based on Yuan Dynasty fashion, so, nothing to do with Korea, and Korean civilians have always been doing their own thing. Also, to the people who use the puffy skirt fad to argue that all Ming fashion was Korean in origin, honey your internalized Orientalism is showing. Neither Chinese nor Korean historical fashion were insular systems consisting of individual garments that didn't change over time, Chinese people thought this Korean trend was fun and participated in it for like twenty years and then moved on. Because China and Korea were next door neighbors, it’s inevitable that some of our historical costumes would look similar, in comparison to, say, China vs. Germany in the same time period. That doesn’t mean Chinese and Korean historical dress were the same in any given period.

#hanfu #chinese fashion #korean fashion #ming dynasty #historic fashion

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