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卷四十一 志第二十一: 地理四

Volume 41 Treatises 21: Geography 4

Chapter 45 of 舊唐書 · Old Book of Tang
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Chapter 45
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1
輿
Treatise 25 — Carriages and Vestments
2
沿輿 簿 輿 輿 輿
Long ago the Yellow Emperor devised chariots and dress as a protective screen; the remote past was austere, and ranks of ceremonial precedence had not yet been fixed. The sovereigns of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, however, did not simply inherit one another's customs: each revised the calendar and altered ritual colors. Chariots were divided into carriage and palanquin grades; dress into fur robe and ceremonial cap. Dyed patterns, brocade ornament, hua-chong emblems and animal symbols, dragon and fire motifs in distinct forms—all this is how the ritual canon took shape. Once King Yi of Zhou had enfeebled the throne, the feudal lords began to act without restraint. They stripped the forests of kong and hui plumage and still could not meet their extravagance; They drained the legendary jades of Sui and He and still could not glut their appetite for display. Leather caps and buskins were no longer enough—courtiers wanted pearl slippers and yu-guan headdresses instead. After Qin destroyed the Warring States and sifted the former ritual code, it instituted the guard train, the golden-root carriage, the great escort, and the state escort—thousands of chariots and myriads of horsemen, unlike anything in the Canon of Shun or the Offices of Zhou. Han inherited the system, naming it the imperial carriage with three teams; no age matched the magnificence of its guard and escort. The Eastern Han emperors were erudite and antiquarian; Emperor Ming first had scholars study the Quetai commentaries and, following the Offices of Zhou on the five chariots and six caps and the reckoning of mountain-dragon and flame motifs, drafted statutory dress. The garments were designed, but in the end the project was shelved and never carried out. In practice the throne rode only the golden-root carriage. Court dress meant the dragon robe; the crown meant the sky-reaching cap. Afterward emperors mostly wore robes and everyday dress. Details appear in the earlier treatise. The fur robe and sacrificial cap, however, were never consistently observed. Northern Wei and Northern Qi produced outlandish carriages and dress; only after Sui reunified the empire were the old forms gradually revived.
3
Sui statute divided carriages into four grades: full canopy, open canopy, light carriage, and palanquin. Initially fifth rank and above rode a partial-canopy carriage; when officials judged it unseemly, that type was abolished and the full-canopy carriage used instead. Third rank and above took the open-canopy carriage with green side panels. First rank used the light carriage with oiled canopy and vermilion netting. The palanquin grade alone required an imperial edict before one might ride it. Bridle toggles: first rank and above nine beads; fourth rank seven; fifth rank five.
4
Dress was organized into four categories: everyday, public, court, and sacrificial.
5
Everyday dress comprised the flat kerchief, ox-horn hairpin, purple jacket, white robe and boots, and raised belt. From fifth rank upward, gold and jade inlays appeared and rhinoceros horn served as the pin—this was everyday dress, worn by all military officers. Sixth rank and below wore scarlet jackets. On grand halberd guard duty, fifth rank and above and personal attendants added double-breasted panels with serpent braid; meritorious attendants omitted the double panels.
6
鹿
Public dress was the bian cap, vermilion coat with plain skirt, leather belt, and black leather shoes. Bian caps were usually black lacquered gauze with ivory pin guides. Fifth rank and above might use deer fetal for the cap and rhinoceros horn for the guide. Jade finials were added by rank: nine for first, eight for second, seven for third, six for fourth. Third rank and above also wore sash tassels and leather pouches behind the belt, plus one jade pendant. Pouches: second rank and above gold stitching; third rank and above silver; fifth rank and above colored thread—standard for civil officials in the palace or at their yamen.
7
殿
Imperial princes wore the far-travel cap with three ridges, gold cicada finial, rhinoceros guide, and white brush. The Three Preceptors and Three Dukes, the Heir Apparent's tutors, Secretariat and Chancellery, Nine Courts, Four Directorates, the Heir Apparent's Three Courts, prefectures and counties, passes and markets, princely literary institutes, enfeoffed and successor kings, dukes and marquises—all wore the advancement cap. Third rank and above: three beams; fifth rank and above: two beams, with rhinoceros guide. Ninth rank and above: one beam, with ox-horn guide. Gate, Secretariat, and Palace departments; guard offices; Harem Directorate; Heir Apparent's aides, inner quarters, and guard rates; inner gates; princely commandants; frontier commanders of the ninth rank and above; honorary officials down to first rank—all wore the military kerchief. The Palace Attendant and Director of the Secretariat added the marten cicada and purple sash. Honorary officials carried the white brush. The Censorate and the Corrections Directorate. The Secretariat Gate director and below wore the Gaoshan cap. All wore crimson gauze outer coats, white gauze linings, black collar and trim, white silk skirts, crimson knee covers, leather belts with gold hooks, square heart and curved collar, sash, jade-inlaid gold sword (or gold plaque alone), dark mountain jade pendant, sash, socks, and black shoes. This constituted court dress. Court dress included jade pendant and xuan-vermilion sash bearing two jade rings. Third rank and above wore the green sash; fourth and fifth the blue. Second rank and below dropped the jade rings; sixth rank and below dropped sword, pendant, and sash. Eighth rank and below removed the white brush, inner coat, curved collar, and knee covers, keeping only black shoes. Fifth rank added sash tassels and pouches. The xuan-vermilion sash used four colors: red, scarlet, light red, and dark red. Ground vermilion with xuan weave, length one zhang eight chi, two hundred forty strands, width nine cun. The green sash used green, purple, yellow, and vermilion-red. Green ground, same length and strand count, nine cun wide. The purple sash used purple, yellow, red, and scarlet. Purple ground, length one zhang six chi, one hundred eighty strands, eight cun wide. The blue sash used white, blue, and red. Blue ground, length one zhang four chi, one hundred forty strands, seven cun wide.
8
Sacrificial dress was black coat, vermilion skirt, and tasselled cap; sash, pendant, and sword followed court-dress rules. Emblem patches descended by rank from seventh downward, two grades at a time; sixth rank and below wore none.
9
All officials carried tablets—fifth rank and above horn or ivory, sixth rank and below bamboo or wood.
10
Throughout the realm, officials' regalia was orderly; attendants swept the roads, and carriage and dress matched rank. Noble and humble, scholar and commoner, stood clearly apart. When Prince Tong of Yue took the throne at Luoyang, he ordered the system suspended. Thereafter observance faded until the state fell.
11
輿 簿
Tang assigned the throne eight riding chariots: jade, gold, ivory, leather, and wood palanquins—the five palanquins—plus plough-root, secure, and four-views carriages. Beyond them stood the south-pointing, mile-drum, egret, luan-banner, evil-averting, xuan, leopard-tail, sheep, and yellow-axe carriages; leopard-tail and yellow-axe were added after Zhenguan. In Tianbao 1 the yellow-axe carriage was renamed the gold-axe carriage. Twelve follow chariots formed the ceremonial train. On imperial progresses they were split fore and aft within the guard array. In full ceremonial deployment they stood left and right within the guard.
12
輿
The jade palanquin was green, jade-mounted at every extremity. It had a double frame, azure dragon left and white tiger right, golden phoenix wings, painted mythical beasts, and a yellow canopy with left pennon. A golden phoenix sat before the yoke; twelve tassels hung on the crossbar—eight on secondary palanquins and the plough-root carriage. Two bells on the yoke, dragon shafts, dust screens, green canopy with yellow lining, embroidery, Boshan mirrors, feather standards, and vermilion double-tooth wheel rims. To the left, a twelve-tassel banner painted with ascending dragons, dragging on the ground. To the right, a halberd rack four chi by three, bearing fu pattern. The banner head was a golden dragon clutching knotted cords and bell tassels. Azure dragon teams drew it, with golden bits, five rows of pheasant-tail shaft plumes, carved tin, and twelve bridle clusters. Xi ornaments were carved gold on the horses' foreheads. Bridle and saddle used five-color ornament. Jiu means a full wrap; one circuit of the bridle counts as one jiu. It was used for sacrifices and when receiving the empress.
13
The gold palanquin was red with gold extremities, otherwise like the jade palanquin, drawn by red horses—for archery rites, post-sacrifice return, and the drinking ceremony.
14
The ivory palanquin was yellow with ivory extremities, otherwise like the jade palanquin, drawn by yellow horses—for road travel.
15
The leather palanquin was white, leather-covered, otherwise like the jade palanquin, drawn by white horses—for tours and warfare.
16
The wood palanquin was black lacquer, otherwise like the jade palanquin, drawn by black horses—for the hunt.
17
Canopies, banner colors, and bridle clusters followed each palanquin's hue; lining was always yellow. Carved tin ornaments were identical on all five.
18
The plough-root carriage was green with a triple canopy, otherwise like the jade palanquin, used for the sacred ploughing rite.
19
輿
The secure carriage was gold-trimmed with curved walls, eight crossbar tassels, purple oil and vermilion lining, open canopy, vermilion net and bridle, shell network, red horses—for personal imperial visits.
20
The four-views carriage followed the calf-carriage form with gold trim. Eight crossbar tassels, green oil and vermilion lining, open canopy, vermilion net—for tomb visits and condolence missions.
21
輿簿
From Gaozong onward the throne disliked palanquins; at major rites the emperor traveled by litter instead. After Empress Zetian it became routine. Xuanzong judged the litter unritual and abolished it too. In Kaiyuan 11 winter, before the southern suburb rite, he rode the palanquin out and returned on horseback. After that, for progresses and suburban rites, near or far, he always rode within the guard. The five palanquins and waist-litters were displayed only in the guard array.
22
The empress had six carriage grades: heavy di, pressed di, di carriage, secure carriage, four-views, and golden-root.
23
The heavy-di carriage was green with gold extremities, vermilion-painted wheels and golden-root teeth, its box trimmed with heavy-di feathers, green oil and vermilion lining, open canopy, purple embroidered curtains and net bands, eight crossbar tassels, carved tin, twelve bridle clusters, golden bits and pheasant-tail plumes, drawn by azure dragons—for investiture, collateral sacrifice, or temple offerings. The pressed-di carriage was red with gold extremities, vermilion wheel teeth, secondary-di feather trim, purple oil and vermilion lining, red brocade curtains and net bands—otherwise matching the heavy-di carriage. It was drawn by red horses and used for mulberry-picking rites. The di carriage was yellow with gold extremities, di-feather side panels, yellow oil and vermilion lining, white-and-red brocade curtains—otherwise like the heavy-di. Yellow horses drew it for the homeward visit to parents. Bridle-cluster colors always matched the carriage body. The empress's secure carriage was red with gold trim and a purple open canopy lined in vermilion. Four horses drew it for imperial visits and condolence missions. The four-views carriage was vermilion with purple-oil open canopy and painted net bands. It was used for tomb visits and condolence missions. The golden-root carriage was vermilion with purple open canopy, painted net bands, and vermilion silk net. It served for everyday travel.
24
The crown prince had three grades: gold palanquin, light carriage, and four-views carriage.
25
鹿
The gold palanquin was red with gold extremities, double rails, beast-painted box, yellow canopy, recumbent-deer yoke, dragon shafts, golden phoenix, dust screen, vermilion canopy with yellow lining, nine-tassel banner left and halberd rack right, golden-dragon banner head. Four red horses drew it, with eight crossbar tassels, two yoke bells, golden bits, five pheasant-tail rows, carved tin, and nine bridle clusters. It was used for collateral sacrifice, the great winter audience, and consort investiture. The light carriage had gold extremities, purple canopy with vermilion lining, and one horse. It served for routine dress days, audiences with palace officials, and road travel. The four-views carriage had gold extremities, purple oil and vermilion lining, open canopy, vermilion net, and one horse. It was used for condolence missions.
26
Below the throne, princes and first-rank military officers used ivory-decorated palanquins. Second and third ranks used leather palanquins. Fourth rank: wood palanquin. Fifth rank: light carriage.
27
(
Ivory palanquins bore ivory extremities, vermilion wheel rims, eight crossbar tassels, and a left banner with ascending and descending dragons. To the right, a halberd rack. Leather palanquins used leather extremities and a left plain-silk pennon; otherwise like the ivory palanquin. Wood palanquins were lacquered; otherwise like leather palanquins. Light carriages had curved walls and green open canopies. All palanquins used vermilion body, canopy, and banners. Banner tassels and bridle clusters descended by rank: nine/eight/seven/six.
28
Inner court ladies rode pressed-di, consorts the di carriage, talented ladies and below the secure carriage—each with two horses. Outer consorts, princesses, and princesses consort used the pressed-di carriage with two horses. Other first-rank women used white-bronze calf carriages with green canopy, vermilion oil lining, vermilion net, and ox teams. Second rank and below dropped oil finish and net; fourth rank used a green partial canopy.
29
From Tang times onward, palanquins for the Three Dukes and below were built and stored by the Imperial Stud. They were lent for investiture edicts, spring and autumn tomb visits, weddings, and funerals. Afterward everyone simply rode horses instead.
30
Tang assigned twelve imperial dress grades: great-fur, dragon, pheasant, feather, embroidery, and dark caps; sky-reaching, military, black kerchief, white gauze, flat kerchief, and white headcloth caps.
31
鹿
The great-fur cap had no tassels, eight cun by one chi six; black fur coat with vermilion lining set the standard dimensions. Gold trim and jade pin guide; cord tassel matching the sash color. The fur was black lamb fleece with black collar and trim. The skirt was vermilion; the white gauze inner coat had black collar and green trim. The leather belt used jade fittings, and the great belt had a vermilion lining, dark-blue exterior, vermilion upper edge, green lower edge, cord knots, and a lacquered knee cover matching the skirt. Deer-hoof jade sword mount and fire-pearl plaque. White jade double pendant; dark six-color great double sash two zhang four chi long, five hundred strands, one chi wide. A smaller double sash two chi one cun long, half the strand count, bearing three jade rings. Vermilion socks and red shoes. Worn for sacrifices to Heaven and Earth.
32
The dragon cap bore gold ornament, twelve white pearl tassels, matching cord tassel, yellow ear plugs, and jade pin guide. The black coat and vermilion skirt carried the full twelve emblems: eight on the coat and four on the skirt. The collar and cuffs bore ascending dragons woven into the cloth, with each emblem arranged by grade and row. The white gauze lining had a fu-pattern collar and green trim, and its fu figure was embroidered with dragon, mountain, and fire; otherwise it followed the preceding form. Belt, great belt, sword, pendant, and sash matched the great-fur set. Shoes received additional gold ornament. Worn for major sacrifices, temple rites, dispatching generals, victory returns, accession, capping, empress investiture, and New Year audiences.
33
The pheasant-cap robe carried seven emblems, three on the coat and four on the skirt; otherwise it matched the dragon cap. Worn when returning to preside over the chief sacrifice.
34
The feather-cap robe carried five emblems, three on the coat and two on the skirt; otherwise it followed the pheasant cap. Worn for sacrifices to seas and mountains.
35
The embroidered-cap robe had powdered rice on the coat and axe and fu figures on the skirt; otherwise it matched the feather cap and was used for the soil and grain altars.
36
The dark-cap robe had no coat emblem and one embroidered axe emblem on the skirt; otherwise it followed the embroidered cap. Worn for the wax rite to the hundred spirits and for sunrise and sunset audiences.
37
The sky-reaching cap bore golden Boshan and twelve cicada finials with pearl and kingfisher, black kerchief, emerald tassel, jade or rhinoceros guide. It had crimson gauze lining, a white gauze inner coat, woven decoration on collar and cuffs, vermilion trim, and a white skirt and jacket. Crimson gauze knee cover, white imitation belt, square heart and curved collar. Belt, pendant, sword, sash, socks, and shoes matched the caps above. Before capping, double boy's topknots, open black kerchief, and double jade guides with gems. Worn after sacrifices, at solstice and first-of-month audiences, hall bows to nobles, and grand assemblies. The military cap had a gold cicada and flat kerchief, otherwise matching the preceding dress; it was used for drills, campaigns, hunts, archery, war rites, and guard musters. Cap dress used a coarse-hide cap with twelve white-jade bead ornaments, plus jade pin guide, crimson gauze coat, plain skirt, leather belt, paired white jade pendants, pouch, small sash, white socks, and black shoes. Worn for first-of-month audiences. Black kerchief, white gauze coat, white skirt and jacket, leather belt, plain socks, black shoes. Worn for tomb visits. The white gauze cap was in fact black gauze. White skirt and jacket, meaning skirt and shirt, with white socks and black leather shoes. Worn for court sessions, trials, feasts, and receiving guests. The flat kerchief was adorned with gold and jewels, with jade guide, pin, and cap patterns; it was worn with purple or white pleated robe, white trousers, jade fittings, and a pearl-and-jewel narrow belt. Worn when riding. White headcloth for a great minister's funeral.
38
便
Taizong created the Yishan cap, worn at first- and fifteenth-day audiences with everyday dress. With military jacket and trousers it paired with the flat kerchief. The rule was written into statute. Everyday dress was ochre-yellow robe, folded headcloth, nine-ring belt, and six-harmony boots—Wei and Zhou military wear. After Zhenguan only New Year, solstice audiences, and great sacrifices required full dress.
39
輿 輿 便 便
In Xianqing 1, ninth month, Grand Mentor Zhangsun Wuji and the ritual officials submitted a memorial. According to the Clothing Statute drafted at the beginning of Wude, when the Son of Heaven sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, he wears the great-fur cap, without tassels. Your servants Wuji, Zhining, Jingzong, and the others respectfully note that the Jiaotesheng says, "When Zhou first made the suburban sacrifice, it used the day of the solstice." "He wore the gun robe to image Heaven and put on a cap with twelve strings of pendants, taking this as the number of Heaven." Yet these two ritual passages both discuss the Zhou suburban sacrifice, while the gun robe and the great-fur robe are in fact different matters. According to the Yueling, "In the first month of winter, the Son of Heaven first wears fur." This clearly uses it to guard against cold, and in principle it does not suit hot weather. If at the Awakening of Insects he prays for grain, or at the winter solstice repays Heaven, wearing fur while conducting the rite returns to a generally acceptable meaning. But as for greeting the qi in the last month of summer, and making the rain sacrifice when the Dragon appears, when blazing heat is just at its height, how could it be worn? Respectfully examining successive ages, they only wore the figured gun robe, which agrees with the meaning and intent of the Jiaotesheng. According to Zhou Qian’s Treatise on Carriages and Dress, in the second year of Yongping under Emperor Ming of Han, the regulations adopted the Zhouguan and Liji and first established the dress for sacrificing to Heaven and Earth, with the Son of Heaven fully equipped with twelve figures. Shen Yue’s Song shu treatise says, "When Wei and Jin sacrificed to Heaven at the suburb, they also all wore the gun robe." Again, Wang Zhishen’s Song ji says, "Emperor Ming’s regulations said to use the great cap with pure jade pendants, dark upper garment, and yellow skirt to sacrifice to Heaven and Earth at the suburb." For Later Wei, Zhou, and Qi down to the Sui house, when their ritual statutes are checked, the sacrificial dress is all the same. This is therefore the common canon of the hundred kings, unobstructed by heat or cold, and it also has no contradiction with the ritual classics. We now request that precedent be taken as model: for suburban sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, all should wear the gun cap; the great-fur robe should be stopped, and the ritual statutes should be revised accordingly. Again, checking the New Rites, when the emperor sacrifices to the altars of soil and grain, he wears the embroidered cap, with four strings and three figures. When sacrificing to the sun and moon, he wears the dark cap, with three strings, and a garment without figures. We respectfully note: the text of the statute makes these the dress of fourth and fifth ranks. Thus, while the three dukes, making the secondary offering, all wear gun robes, and the high ministers and ministers assisting the sacrifice wear cui and bian caps, the emperor’s number of figures is the same as that of grandees. The ruler has few and the ministers many; this is especially unacceptable. According to the Zhou li, "When sacrificing to Vast Heaven, the High Thearch, he wears the great-fur robe and cap; for the Five Thearchs it is likewise. When presenting offerings to former kings, he wears the gun cap; to former dukes, the bian cap; for the four distant prospects, mountains, and rivers, the cui cap; for the altars of soil and grain and the five sacrifices, the chi cap; and for the various minor sacrifices, the dark cap." It also says, "The dress of dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, barons, high ministers, ministers, and grandees, from the gun cap downward, is all like the king’s dress." Therefore the Sanli yizong consequently has two explanations. One says that on days when dukes, ministers, and grandees assist at sacrifice, the dress they wear is one grade below the king’s. Another says that it is entirely the same as the king’s. Seeking a balanced judgment, neither is wholly acceptable. Names and ranks differ, and rites also have different numbers. The Son of Heaven takes twelve as his measure, its meaning lying in modeling Heaven. How could four strings and three figures instead become imperial dress? If the caps of the various ministers assisting at sacrifice were the same as the king’s, then noble and base would have no distinction, and ruler and ministers would not be differentiated. If they are one grade below the king, then when the king wears the dark cap, the ministers next wear the jue cap; this both lowers the Son of Heaven and diminishes the dukes and ministers. This passage of the Zhou li has long not been put into practice. It is like setting up impersonators and assistants in sacrifices, a ruler or parent bowing to minister or son, establishing officials for overturning nests and setting stone traps, and abolishing pupils while creating the office of Guo Master: these were applied only in the Zhou age, and the matters do not circulate in practice. Therefore from Han and Wei downward to the Sui, the inherited old practice used only the gun cap. Now the New Rites, when the emperor personally sacrifices to the sun and moon, still have him wear the dress of the fifth rank. When applied in actual affairs, this is extremely unstable and unsuitable. We request that the precedents of successive ages be followed, and that the gun cap be used for all sacrifices.
40
The emperor approved the memorial.
41
輿
Wuji submitted again: "When the emperor mourns ministers and five-degree kin, ritual requires plain dress. The statute now prescribes a cloud-white headcloth, which conflicts with ritual; the two cannot stand together. The white headcloth is a recent invention, not ancient practice; though it is in the code, it should not be used. We request that this be changed to follow plain dress, in order to accord with the ritual text." The emperor approved. After that the throne ceased wearing caps from the pheasant grade down; the white headcloth was abandoned, though the unrevised statute remained.
42
便
Kaiyuan 11 winter, before the southern suburb rite, Zhang Yue memorialized: "Statute requires the great-fur cap for Heaven sacrifice, following the Zhou li for simplicity. Gaozong wore it at the southern suburb in Yonghui 2. Mingqing ritual revision switched to the dragon cap, following the suburban canon for ornament. Empress Zetian and her successors used the dragon cap. If ancient regulations are followed, then the great-fur cap should be used; if convenience for the time is followed, then the gun cap is best." Both caps were made; the emperor judged the great-fur cap too plain and tassel-less for all seasons, and set it aside. New Year audiences used dragon and sky-reaching caps; great sacrifices used the dragon cap per the suburban canon. Other garments listed in statute were no longer worn. In year 17, homage at the five tombs required only plain dress. First- and fifteenth-day audiences wore everyday dress; the Virtue-Nourishing cap was retired as well.
43
The Wude Statute listed five Crown Prince vestments: dragon cap, full dress with far-wandering three-ridge cap, court dress with far-wandering cap, black gauze cap, and plain kerchief cap. From the Zhenguan era onward, cap dress and the Advancing Virtue cap were added.
44
The dragon cap bore nine white pearl tassels, a cord tassel matching the sash, green ear plugs, and a rhinoceros-horn pin guide. The black coat and vermilion skirt bore nine woven emblems, five on the coat and four on the skirt. White gauze lining, fu collar, and green trim at cuffs, borders, and hem. The leather belt had gold fittings; the great belt was plain with vermilion lining and red-green edging. The fu figure matched the skirt color and carried the fire and mountain emblems. A jade-fitted sword with gold and gem ornament. Jade sword chape. The pendants were paired fine jade. The vermilion double great sash used four colors and 320 strands; the small double sash used the same colors, half the strands, and two jade rings. Vermilion socks and red shoes, with gold ornament on the shoes. Worn when attending the emperor at sacrifices, visiting temples, receiving the capping, or taking a consort.
45
鹿
Full dress used a far-wandering three-ridge cap with nine gold cicada ornaments, pearls and kingfisher feathers, black cap undercap, kingfisher hair tassel, and rhinoceros-horn pin guide. Crimson gauze robe over white gauze lining, black collar and trim, white skirt and blouse, white imitation belt, square heart and curved collar, and crimson gauze knee cover. Belt, sword, pendant, sash, socks, and shoes matched the dragon-cap set. Later the set switched to white socks and black shoes. Before capping, he wore double single topknots, an open-top black cap undercap, and double jade pin guides with gem ornament. Worn after temple visits, on New Year's Day, the winter solstice, first-of-month audiences, and at the school sacrifice. Court dress used the same far-wandering cap and pin guide as above, with crimson gauze coat, white skirt and jacket, gold-fitted belt, false belt, square-heart pendant, sash, long pouch in the great-sash colors, white socks, and black shoes. Worn for fifth-day everyday dress and New Year and winter solstice audiences. Plain kerchief cap, purple riding robe, white trousers, and a gem-thread raised-ridge belt. Worn for horseback riding. Cap dress used a deerskin cap with rhinoceros-horn pin guide, cord tassel, nine jade ornaments, crimson coat, plain skirt, belt, pouch, small sash, paired pendants, white socks, and black shoes. Also worn on first- and fifteenth-day audiences and when conducting state affairs. The Advancing Virtue cap bore nine studs with gold ornament and was worn with everyday dress and white silk skirt and blouse. With trousers and riding robe, it was paired with the plain kerchief cap.
46
After Yonghui, only dragon cap, full dress, and court dress remained in use. Horseback riding required the Advancing Virtue cap; everything else was abolished. Banquet and everyday dress used the same purple coat and robe as the princes.
47
耀
Kaiyuan 26, when Suzong was invested as Crown Prince, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices protocol prescribed a crimson gauze robe. The Crown Prince judged the name identical to the emperor's and memorialized that he dared not accept it, asking for a substitute. Xuanzong ordered a full deliberation by the officials. Pei Yaoqing, Xiao Song, and others replied: "The Vestments Statute defines the Crown Prince's full dress—far-wandering three-ridge cap with nine gold cicada ornaments, pearls and kingfisher feathers, black cap undercap, hair tassel, rhinoceros-horn pin guide, crimson gauze robe, white gauze lining, black trim, white skirt and blouse, square heart and curved collar, crimson knee cover, belt, sword, pendant, and sash—for temple visits, New Year, winter solstice, first-of-month audiences, and the school sacrifice. The crimson gauze robe is only one component of the full ensemble, no different from skirt and blouse, sword, or pendant. Rank distinctions belong chiefly to the cap—its name, form, pearl tassels, and emblem count on the skirt. Other garments need not differ item by item. Some garments are shared across ranks under the same name; weighty rites require full dress, lighter ones permit simplification. Out of deepest reverence the Crown Prince dares not accept the name; the garments need not be cut back, but the title must change. We hope that the protocol being drafted will not call it the crimson gauze robe, but only call it full dress; then noble and lowly will have distinctions, and humility will shine forth and complete virtue." Their report was accepted; the emperor by handwritten decree renamed it Vermilion Bright dress and ordered its use.
48
The Wude Statute defined ten grades of ministerial dress: dragon, pheasant, feather, embroidered, and dark caps, noble cap, far-wandering and advancing worth caps, military cap, and unicorn cap.
49
The gun cap had nine hanging strings of green pearls, with woven cords as the cap-strings; their color matched its sash, and the strings and cords below all followed this. It had green floss earplugs and a hairpin guide. It had a green upper garment and a vermilion skirt, with nine emblematic figures on the dress: five on the upper garment, namely dragon, mountain, ornate creature, fire, and ritual vessel, making five grades. Four figures were on the skirt: water plants, white grain, axe-head, and fu-pattern. All were embroidered in crimson and placed only on one side of the garment; the lower grades all followed this. It had a white gauze inner robe and a fu-pattern collar; from the embroidered cap downward, the inner robe had a green collar, green cuffs, and green-bordered skirt. It had a leather belt and hook-buckle. For the great belt, ranks three and above used a plain belt with vermilion lining, all edged on the outside, with green above. For the fifth-rank belt, the hanging part was edged, with dark and yellow on the outside. The knots all used green cords. As for the fu knee-cover, all such covers followed the color of the skirt. From the cui cap upward, there were the two figures mountain and fire; the embroidered cap had one mountain figure, and the dark cap had no figures. It included sword, pendant, sash, vermilion socks, and red shoes, and was worn by the first rank. The bian cap had seven strings and a dress with seven figures: three on the upper garment, ornate creature, fire, and ritual vessel; and four on the skirt, water plants, white grain, axe-head, and fu-pattern. The rest was like the gun cap, and it was worn by the second rank. The cui cap had five strings and a dress with five figures: three on the upper garment, ritual vessel, water plants, and white grain; and two on the skirt, axe-head and fu-pattern. The rest was like the bian cap, and it was worn by the third rank. The embroidered cap had four strings and a dress with three figures: one on the upper garment, white grain; and two on the skirt, axe-head and fu-pattern. The rest was all like the cui cap, and it was worn by the fourth rank.
53
The dark cap had an unmarked coat and a skirt with one carved fu emblem; otherwise like the embroidered cap—worn by fifth rank.
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The jue cap was wine-colored and had no pendants or emblems. The outfit used green and vermilion garments, white gauze lining, leather and plain-silk belts with embroidered bordered ends and green knots, jue knee cover, socks, and red shoes for ninth rank and above. Cap dress was worn for assisting at sacrifice, personal bride-welcome, and private family rites; the noble cap followed the same rule. All ceremonial caps were gauze; their garments were pongee. The noble cap was pongee; its garments were thick silk.
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The far-wandering three-ridge cap had a black under-cap and green cord; all civil officials used green cords unless otherwise noted. All princes wore it; imperial princes added the gold cicada ornament. The advancing worth cap had three ridges from third rank up, two from fifth rank up, and one from ninth rank up. It was worn by Three Excellencies, the Crown Prince's tutors, nobles of five ranks, central secretariats and directorates, Crown Prince's household, princely staff, state officials, and ninth-rank officials in prefectures, counties, passes, and river shrines. The military cap and flat kerchief could add marten-and-cicada ornaments for attendants and Secretariat directors, with the side matching their place of attendance. It was standard for military and guard-related officials of ninth rank and above. Princely aides of ninth rank and above followed the same rule. The law cap, also called the unicorn cap, had iron posts topped with two pearls shaped like a unicorn. Censorate officials of ninth rank and above wore it. The Lofty Mountain cap was worn by Inner Service attendants and princes' gate stewards. The Repelling Wrong cap was worn by pavilion chiefs and gate servants. Those not yet capped wore double child topknots and open-top kerchief caps. From fifth rank up, double jade pin guides bore gold ornament; from third rank up, gem ornament was added; sixth rank and below had none.
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Court dress, or complete dress, included the cap and kerchief, crimson gauze coat, white gauze lining with black trim, white skirt and jacket, leather belt with hook and clasp, false belt, curved collar and square-heart pendant, crimson knee cover, socks, shoes, sword, pendant, and sash. Ranks one through five wore it for assisting at sacrifice, court banquets, and major memorial presentations. From seventh rank up, sword, pendant, and sash were omitted; otherwise the dress was the same. Public dress, or following-office dress, comprised cap and kerchief, crimson gauze coat, white skirt and jacket, leather belt with hook and clasp, false belt, square-heart pendant, socks, shoes, sash, and pouch. Ranks one through five wore it for audiences with the Crown Prince and other official business. From sixth rank down, sash and pouch were omitted; otherwise the dress was the same. All pendant sashes were double. Imperial princes wore a vermilion-red sash in four colors—red, yellow, light blue, and dark blue. Pure vermilion ground with vermilion-pattern weave. One zhang eight chi long, two hundred forty strands, nine cun wide. First rank wore a green sash in four colors—purple, yellow, and red. Pure green ground, one zhang eight chi long, two hundred forty strands, nine cun wide. Second and third ranks wore a purple sash in three colors—purple, yellow, and red. Pure purple ground. One zhang six chi long, one hundred eighty strands, eight cun wide. Fourth rank wore a green sash in three colors—green, white, and red. Pure green ground. One zhang four chi long, one hundred forty strands, seven cun wide. Fifth rank wore a black sash in two colors—green and dark blue. Pure dark blue ground. The sash was one zhang two chi long, one hundred strands, and six cun wide. Princes and dukes downward also had a smaller double sash in the same colors with half the strands; full first rank used two jade rings, with lower ranks differing. Sash wearers also wore matching fen sashes six chi four cun long and two chi four cun wide. Pouches were gold-threaded from second rank up, gold-and-silver openwork for third rank, silver openwork for fourth, and colored openwork for fifth. First rank wore mountain dark jade; ranks two through five wore water azure jade.
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Civil officials of seventh rank and above in court dress pinned the white brush; military officers and nobles did not. All footwear was black unless another color was specified; court shoes had double leather soles and ordinary shoes single leather soles. Meritorious nobles and title-holders in substantive office wore their rank dress, with scattered officials and title generals treated like office-holders; others followed their active office dress. Retired officials and those who left office properly wore their former rank's simplified dress when summoned. The flat-kerchief outfit used pin, guide, and cap support; purple riding robe for fifth rank and above, scarlet for sixth and below, with white trousers and raised-ridge belt. Higher ranks had gold-and-jade inlay, lower ranks raised gold ornament. Boots were worn by military and guard officers on grand guard duty. Civil officials on horseback wore the same dress minus the double-crotch garter snake. Adjunct-rank prefectural aides wore military cap and plain kerchief cap. State officials wore the advancing worth one-ridge cap with black cap undercap and pin guide. Their dress followed regular rank; outside-hierarchy officials followed the corresponding outside-hierarchy rule when attending court. When visiting the prefect, aides wore plain kerchief with black cap and state officials black cap undercap, all in white gauze coat and black leather shoes.
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Outside-hierarchy field officials of third rank and above wore black under-cap and scarlet public dress cut like the crimson gauze coat, with square-heart pendant, belt fittings, false belt, socks, and black shoes. From ninth rank up, officials wore crimson gou robes cut like public dress, with narrow straight sleeves; square-heart pendant and false belt were omitted, otherwise matching crimson public dress. Officials outside field offices—including ushers, diviners, medical assistants, invocators, eulogists, ritual directors, record keepers, academy instructors, palace ushers, crown prince household staff, princely attendants, and princess ushers—followed field-office dress by rank. Commoners and outsiders in miscellaneous posts without official rank wore plain kerchief cap, scarlet coat, and wide-leg trousers. Court assembly clerks wore this dress. Ceremonial ushers wore military cap and crimson court dress. Acolytes wore cap undercap and gōu robes. Outsiders whose sons of rank held miscellaneous posts wore plain kerchief cap, scarlet coat, and wide-leg trousers. Court assembly clerks wore this dress. They wore black cap undercap and pin guide, deep garments with green cuffs and collar, leather belt, and black leather shoes. Before capping, they wore double youth topknots and open-top black cap undercap, without leather belt. Directorate, Imperial University, and Four Gates students wore this dress at audiences. Calligraphy, arithmetic, and local students wore black gauze cap, white skirt and blouse, and green collar. Field officials used their rank dress for presenting memorials or receiving edicts; if they had no court dress, they wore this instead. For other official business and first court appearance, they wore court dress. State great rectifiers wore advancing worth one-ridge cap and crimson gauze court dress; those with substantive rank dressed accordingly at court. Prefectural and county clerks, village and ward heads, mountain-and-river invocators, and acolytes wore cap undercap and crimson gōu robes. Chief food officers of the imperial kitchens wore plain kerchief cap, scarlet riding robe, wide-leg trousers, and purple attached gōu. Kitchen stewards and food suppliers wore plain kerchief with green cap and blue cloth trousers. Goat-cart attendants wore plain kerchief with five-braid topknot, blue riding robe and trousers, and blue ear slippers. Clepsydra attendants and water-clock boys wore total-angle topknot with blue riding robe and trousers.
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On wuyin day in the ninth month of the second year of Longshuo, vice director of the Ministry of Rites Sun Maodao reported, "The nine-figure robes of the ministers and the cap-robes of ruler and ministers differ in their number of figures, yet all are ornamented with dragons and called gun; noble and lowly are confused with one another. We hope that on the ministers’ nine-figure garments, clouds and qilin will replace dragons, mountains will be raised to the top, and the caps will accordingly be revised." Debate at the time remained unsettled. During Yifeng, Erudite Su Zhiji again petitioned for separate ritual rules governing miǎn robes for dukes, ministers, and lower ranks. The throne ordered the relevant offices to deliberate in detail. Chongwen Hall academician and collator Yang Jiong replied:
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In antiquity Fuxi the Great Bright looked up to read the heavens and down to read the patterns of earth, invented writing and tallies, and written records were born. Then came the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan—reverent and quick as a youth, wise in maturity—who draped his robes and brought order to the realm. Thereafter dynasties cycled through the Five Phases and rulers changed surnames. As states were organized, domains founded, and capitals established, ritual form alternated twice and the calendar was changed three times. Changing the calendar meant the Xia began the year in yin, the Shang in chou, and the Zhou in zi. Linking days to months, months to seasons, and seasons to years was the calendar tradition handed down by the Three Dynasties. Changing ceremonial colors meant the Xia favored black, the Shang white, and the Zhou red. The emblems of mountain, dragon, pheasant, ritual vessel, water plant, fire, grain, axe, and opposing chevrons were likewise traditions legible across a hundred generations. We respectfully note that the Yu shu says, "I wish to observe the images of the ancients: sun, moon, stars, mountains, dragons, and ornate creatures are made as paintings; ritual vessels, water plants, fire, white grain, axe-heads, and fu-patterns are embroidered." From this it follows that the tradition is exceedingly ancient.
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Sun, moon, and stars represent bright light shining upon the earth. Mountains scatter clouds and rain, symbolizing how the sage king's bounty reaches the people. Dragons transform without fixed form, symbolizing the sage king's teaching in response to circumstance. The pheasant emblem is the pheasant itself, its five-colored plumage symbolizing the sage king's union of civil and martial virtue. The ritual vessel emblem is the martial lizard, whose fierce strength subdues chaos and symbolizes the sage king's divine martial power. Water plants rise and fall with the water, symbolizing the sage king's responsiveness to each age. Fire smelts and cooks, symbolizing the sage king's ever-renewing supreme virtue. Grain sustains human life, symbolizing what the sage king provides for all living things. The axe cuts and decides, symbolizing the sage king's decisive judgment in affairs of state. Opposing chevrons show two forms back to back, symbolizing how minister and ruler aid each other through assent and dissent. Under the Zhou, sun, moon, and stars adorned banners; dragons were set upon mountains and fire upon ritual vessels—and thus dragon robes were established for sacrifice to former kings. The nine patterns follow the number of yang. Dragon as the first pattern: "dragon robe" means "rolled robe"; the dragon's divine strangeness, responding to change while hidden or revealed, expresses the sage king's deep wisdom and divine transformation. They also established pheasant miǎn for sacrifice to former lords. The pheasant's upright and resolute will expresses that lords possess worthy talent and uphold integrity. They also established feather miǎn for sacrifice to the Four Sacred Peaks. The Four Sacred Peaks are the spirits of mountains and rivers. The martial lizard dwells in mountain forests, making clear its emblematic meaning. They established fine-silk miǎn for sacrifice at the altars of soil and grain. Soil and grain are the spirits of earth and harvest. Ground grain is formed from them, symbolizing their sustaining power. They also established dark miǎn for lesser rites. The hundred spirits take different forms and cannot all be depicted; only the opposing chevrons' back-to-back form is taken as their emblem. Because the Duke of Zhou was abundantly talented, when culture was settled he fixed ritual, and when achievement was complete he composed music. Because Confucius was nearly sage, he followed the Xia calendar and wore Zhou miǎn. The ritual garments of former kings issued from this; and the realm's fullest accomplishment was thereby complete.
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輿
As for the present memorial saying, "Please make a Daming cap with twelve figures for the imperial carriage to wear," Sun, moon, and stars already adorn imperial banners; and dragon, martial emblem, mountain, and fire do not exceed ancient precedent. Yet cloud, qilin, and phoenix bear the names of the Four Auspicious Beings; the dark tortoise bears the chart; cloud has a recorded office; water has an omen of responsive virtue—these express separate auspicious signs and do not exceed comparable emblems. When the sovereign receives Heaven's mandate, Heaven and Earth unite in issuing tokens—jade disks and pearls joined above, silver, gold, and purple jade below. Not even the whitewashed walls of the Southern Palace could depict all their forms; nor could all the ink of the Eastern Pavilion record their names and substance. They certainly cannot all be displayed on ritual garments. Cloud is the qi that follows the dragon; water is what water plants grow from—they need no separate emblem categories. This is exceedingly unreasonable.
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Again: "Luan miǎn with eight patterns for the Three Dukes." The luan is an omen of great peace, not the virtue of the Three Dukes. The hawk eagle is a fierce bird suited to the office of discerning auspicious punishment. The bear is a fierce beast suited to honoring military officers' strength. They also call water plants mere water grasses with no symbolic model, citing Zhang Heng’s rhapsody, "Stalks invert like eggplants in the caisson ceiling, and river blossoms spread in close array." They call these lotus flowers, taking their patterned brilliance. Eggplant is lotus; substituting lotus for water plants alters antiquity to follow the present, showing ignorance both of plant names and of emblematic meaning. This too is exceedingly unreasonable.
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Again: "Feather miǎn with six patterns for third rank." This is the name of the king's robe for sacrificing to the Four Sacred Peaks. Third rank would wear the king's feather miǎn, yet the Three Dukes may not share the king's dragon robe name. This not only inverts proper dress but contradicts itself. This too is exceedingly unreasonable.
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Again: "Axe miǎn with four patterns for fifth rank." Antiquity knows no such name; and in present practice it is not a leading pattern. This too is exceedingly unreasonable.
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If ritual follows custom alone, Qin precedents of decree and edict could still suit the present. If meaning follows the times, Han precedents of proclamation on departure and clearance on entry could still be practiced in later ages. Why then alter the Duke of Zhou's established standards and Confucius's ritual norms!
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For this reason Su Zhiji's request was finally shelved.
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In the seventh month of Jinglong 2, as the Crown Prince was to perform the school sacrifice at the Directorate in person, officials drafted ritual notes ordering accompanying ministers to ride horses in full cap and garments. Left Vice Director Liu Zixuan submitted a memorial:
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In antiquity officials from grand master upward rode in carriages, with horses as outriders. From Wei and Jin through Sui, court officials again drove ox carts—a fact abundantly recorded in dynastic histories. Consider Li Guang on the northern campaign, removing his saddle to rest; Ma Yuan on the southern campaign, leaning on his saddle and glancing about. Saddled horses belonged to the military sphere—the mount of martial dress, valued above all for ease and practical habit. In the Jiangzuo courts, a man who had risen to Gentleman of the Masters of Writing and then rode a horse lightly or casually would be impeached by the censor. After Yan Yanzhi left office, he took to riding through the lanes of the city, and his contemporaries called him eccentric and unrestrained. In such cases one rode in a dedicated carriage, leaning on the handrail while donning court robes on the right side; when riding a single horse in the saddle, one ought to wear informal dress. Look to recent antiquity, and the proof is unmistakable.
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沿 輿 退 使
Since our dynasty received Heaven's mandate, custom has changed with the times. For tours of imperial tombs and the investiture of princes and dukes, one wore full ceremonial dress with cap and shoes and rode in the imperial carriage. When gentlemen and commoners went to fetch a bride in formal cap and garments, they sometimes used a box carriage for the journey. For all other business, carriages fell out of use; high and low alike traveled by saddle and horse alone. Your subject humbly observes that recently, whenever the imperial carriage set out and the ceremonial escort took the road, the attendant ministers on either side all rode horses in court dress. Cap and shoes are meant for going out in a carriage; to ride in a carriage, dismount, and yet leave cap and shoes unchanged is to grasp only half the rule and miss the other half. Why is this so? Loose robes and broad sashes, leather shoes and tall caps were never meant for horseback; they are dress for riding in a carriage. If one must wear socks to mount the stirrup yet go barefoot in the saddle, one not only abandons the ancient way but also shocks present custom; seek a middle course, and there is no acceptable path forward or back. Moreover, long skirts and wide sleeves billow like wings; tinkling pendants and trailing ribbons flash and clash as men gallop through wind and dust, passing among banners and halberds. Should a horse bolt, riders are thrown headlong; shoes are left unrecovered beside the following carriage, and entangled outriders pile up along the cleared road. Such scenes invite the mockery of passersby and diminish ceremonial dignity.
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便 殿
Those who argue the point now say the Secretariat holds a painting of Emperor Wu of Liang's southern suburban sacrifice showing many men in cap and garments on horseback—that is a recent precedent, and one cannot claim there is no textual basis for it. Your subject finds that this painting was the work of later hands, not something composed in its own day. Consider how many ancient and modern paintings survive today: in Zhang Sengyou's painting of the officials bidding farewell to the Two Shu, soldiers wear straw sandals; in Yan Liben's painting of Wang Zhaojun entering the Xiongnu, women wear veiled caps. Straw sandals belong to river country, not to the capital; veiled caps were invented in the Sui, not fashioned in Han palaces. Surely those who argue the point cannot cite these two paintings as established historical fact! On this reasoning, the painting of Liang Wu's southern suburban sacrifice stands on the same footing. Tradition also holds that righteousness follows custom, and ritual honors human feeling. Yin chariots and Zhou caps did not follow one pattern; Qin caps and Han pendants were adopted and set aside without fixed rule. Moreover, our dynasty's Way surpasses the kings of old and its merit towers over ten thousand ages; when a practice proves inconvenient, we may rely on flexible adaptation. As for riding horses in cap and ceremonial garments, your subject respectfully submits that the practice ought to be simplified and abolished. Your subject has held this dissent for a long time, but days have allowed no leisure, and there has been no opportunity to press the point. Now that Your Highness is to visit the Directorate in person, bearing arms and cap, all who would ride horses in cap and garments dread the journey. Your subject therefore ventures these rash words to set forth his humble view.
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The Crown Prince issued a handwritten order for public promulgation, and it was incorporated into statute as a permanent rule.
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殿 便 便
Banquet dress was essentially the ancient informal dress; today it is also called ordinary dress. In Jiangnan people wore headcloths, brown garments, skirts, and short jackets; in the Northern courts dress mixed in military and barbarian styles. By Northern Qi there were long caps, short boots, combined trousers and padded jackets in scarlet, purple, black, and yellow, each man dressing as he pleased. Even for audiences with the sovereign and for going in and out of ministry halls, these were worn for all occasions except the New Year's grand assembly. The emperors of the Gao house commonly wore scarlet robes. In the Sui, emperors and high ministers mostly wore yellow patterned damask robes, black gauze caps, nine-ring belts, and black leather six-panel boots. The ordinary dress of officials was the same as that of commoners: all wore yellow robes when entering and leaving the palace halls. The Son of Heaven's court dress was the same, except that his belt bore thirteen rings as a mark of distinction—presumably for convenience. The black gauze cap gradually fell out of use, and high and low alike wore the folded-up kerchief, a style created in the Jiande era of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou. The Duke of Jin, Yuwen Hu, first ordered robes to be given added lower flaps. In the first year of Daye, Emperor Yang issued an edict ordering Minister of Personnel Niu Hong, Minister of Works Yuwen Kai, Vice Director of the Secretariat Yu Shiji, Attendant Xu Shanxin, Ritual Officer Yuan Lang, and others to take ancient rules as their model and devise caps and garments. From the Son of Heaven down to clerks, regulated dress was graded by rank. At first officials of fifth rank and above were permitted to wear scarlet and purple. After this military affairs grew pressing and the imperial carriage often traveled on tour; officials who accompanied him, though wearing trousers and short coats, found them inconvenient in camp. In the sixth year another edict ordered that civil and military officials accompanying the emperor on distant journeys should all wear martial dress, with grades of nobility and common rank distinguished by a mixture of five colors. Fifth rank and above universally wore purple robes; sixth rank and below wore scarlet and green together. Clerks wore blue, commoners white, butchers and merchants black, and soldiers yellow.
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At the beginning of Wude, following Sui precedent, the Son of Heaven's banquet dress—also called ordinary dress—consisted only of yellow robes and tunics. Later red-yellow came into use, and gentlemen and commoners were forbidden to use red-yellow in clothing or ornaments. An edict of the eighth month of the fourth year read: "Third rank and above shall wear large-grade coarse silk damask and gauze in purple, ornamented with jade. Fifth rank and above shall wear small-grade coarse silk damask and gauze in vermilion, ornamented with gold. Sixth rank and above shall wear silk cloth, mixed small damask, crossed weave, and double piping in yellow. Sixth and seventh ranks shall be ornamented with silver. Eighth and ninth ranks with copper-stone ornaments. Those outside the regular ranks and commoners shall wear coarse silk, silk gauze, and cloth, universally in yellow. Their ornaments shall use copper and iron." Fifth rank and above shall carry ivory tablets. For third rank and below the front was beveled and the rear straight; for fifth rank and above the front was beveled and the rear curved. Since the Tang began, all tablets were uniformly round above and square below, with no distinction by rank. Sixth rank and below carried tablets of bamboo or wood, beveled above and square below. The folded-up kerchief and black leather six-panel boots were worn alike by high and low. In the fourth year of Zhenguan another regulation was issued: third rank and above wore purple; fifth rank and below wore scarlet; sixth and seventh ranks wore green; eighth and ninth ranks wore blue; belts were of copper-stone. Women followed their husbands' colors. Despite the regulation, yellow dress was still permitted generally. An edict of the eighth month of the fifth year ordered seventh rank and above to wear tortoise-shell double-giant ten-flower damask in green. Ninth rank and above wore silk cloth and mixed small damask in blue. In the eleventh month purple robes were bestowed on the guard generals, with brocade at collar and sleeves. In the fifth month of the eighth year, Emperor Taizong first wore the Yishan cap, and nobles wore the Jinde cap.
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使 鹿
In the second year of Longshuo, Vice Director of the Ministry of Rites Sun Maodao submitted a memorial: "Under the old regulation sixth and seventh ranks wore green and eighth and ninth ranks wore blue. Deep blue is too close to purple and is not fitting dress for the lower ranks. I respectfully request that eighth and ninth ranks be changed to jade-green. At places of court attendance, they may also wear yellow." The request was granted. In the first year of Zongzhang, yellow dress was altogether forbidden. In the eighth month of the first year of Shangyuan another regulation was issued: "First rank and below shall carry hand towels and abacus bags, and shall also wear knives and whetstones; military officers who wish to carry them are permitted to do so. Civil and military officials of third rank and above wore purple with jade and gold belts. Fourth rank wore deep scarlet and fifth rank light scarlet, both with gold belts. Sixth rank wore deep green and seventh rank light green, both with silver belts. Eighth rank wore deep blue and ninth rank light blue, both with copper-stone belts. Commoners shall all have copper and iron belts." An edict of the day jiayin in the seventh month of the first year of Wenming read: "Banners and flags shall all follow golden color, ornamented with purple and painted with mixed patterns. Those of eighth rank and below who had formerly worn blue were all changed to jade-green. Capital civil officials of fifth rank and above, sixth rank and below, and seventh-rank pure officials entering court daily wore trousers and short coats as ordinary dress. The chief officials of the various prefectures and counties, when in their public offices, shall also follow this." In Jingyun another regulation ordered that, following Shangyuan precedent, first rank and below should carry hand towels and abacus bags, while knives, whetstones, and the like need not be worn. Military officers of fifth rank and above wore the seven accoutrements of bow case and archer's thumb ring. The seven items were the sword, knife, whetstone, qibi zhen, yuejue, needle case, and fire-stone pouch. By the beginning of Kaiyuan the requirement was abolished again. In the second month of the second year of Tianshou under Empress Zetian, assembly envoys and prefects were granted embroidered robes, each bearing an eight-character inscription embroidered on the back. In the fourth month of the third year of Changshou an edict bestowed on frontier governors robes inscribed in gold and silver characters. In the fifth month of the first year of Yanzai, Empress Zetian issued from the palace scarlet and purple single-gauze tunics with inscribed collar and back, bestowing them on civil and military officials of third rank and above. Generals of the Left and Right Gate Guards were ornamented with paired lions; the Left and Right Guards with qilin; the Left and Right Martial Might Guards with paired tigers; the Left and Right Leopard Bow Guards with leopards; the Left and Right Eagle Banner Guards with eagles; the Left and Right Jade Seal Guards with paired falcons; the Left and Right Golden Guards with paired zhi; princes with coiled dragons and deer; chancellors with phoenix pool; and Masters of Writing with paired geese.
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Since Wude kerchiefs had appeared; among civil officials of note, the flat-top small style was favored. In Empress Zetian's reign high ministers were granted from within high-crowned kerchiefs, called the style of the Wu princes. In the third month of the fourth year of Jinglong under Emperor Zhongzong, at an inner banquet kerchiefs of the palace pattern were bestowed on chancellors and those below them. Since Kaiyuan civil officials and gentlemen had largely taken to purple and black official silk gauze for headcloths and flat-top kerchiefs, emulating one another as refined fashion. In the tenth month of the nineteenth year of Kaiyuan, Emperor Xuanzong bestowed gauze headcloths and official-pattern kerchiefs on palace attendants and bureau chiefs, and these are still worn today.
77
In the fifth month of the tenth year of Tianbao the banners, flags, ranks, and accoutrements of the guards were changed, scarlet being used first and red-yellow throughout, in accord with the virtue of earth.
78
In the ninth month of the first year of Wude, Emperor Gaozu changed the silver hare tally to the silver fish tally. In the fifth month of the second year of Yonghui, Emperor Gaozong granted personal fish tallies to Grand Preceptors of the State and to capital civil and military officeholders of fourth and fifth rank. In the fifth month of the third year of Xianheng, officials of fifth rank and above were granted new fish pouches, all ornamented with silver. Officials of third rank and above were each granted gold-mounted knives and a set of whetstones. In the first month of the second year of Chuigong, military governors and prefects throughout the provinces were permitted to wear fish pouches on the same terms as capital officials. In the ninth month of the first year of Tianshou, all fish tallies worn by officials within and outside the court were changed to tortoise form. In the tenth month of the first year of Jiushi, tortoise pouches for active-duty officials of third rank and above were to be ornamented with gold, those of fourth rank with silver, and those of fifth rank with bronze. The upper, shou, lower, and travel grades of tortoise tally were all supplied by the government. In the second month of the first year of Shelong, officials within and outside the court of fifth rank and above resumed wearing fish pouches as before. In the sixth month, commandery princes and heir princes were specially permitted to wear gold fish pouches. In the eighth month of the third year of Jinglong, honorary grand mentors were ordered to wear fish tallies. The practice of honorary officeholders wearing fish tallies began at this time. Since Wude only regular appointees holding substantive posts had worn fish pouches; supernumerary, acting, probationary, and supervisory appointees appeared only after Empress Zetian and Emperor Zhongzong, and none of them wore fish tallies. Even regular appointees permitted to wear fish pouches had to remove them as soon as they left office or retired. By the ninth year of Kaiyuan, Zhang Jiazhen, serving as Director of the Secretariat, memorialized that retired officials be permitted to wear fish tallies for life as a mark of honor. Those who left office on proper grounds were also permitted to keep wearing fish pouches. Thereafter imperial grace decrees granting scarlet and purple rewards routinely included fish pouches as well, a combination called insignia dress; as a result, many more people wore fish pouches and scarlet or purple robes.
79
便
According to Liang regulations, kuzhe was military dress; in recent times it had been worn for campaigning, but now at solemn assembly rites civil and military officials all wore it. When the emperor personally went to war, the trousers were tied fast and not left hanging loose. Palace officials wore purple kuzhe, outside officials scarlet kuzhe, and shoes were made of leather. Those wearing caps and vermilion dress wore red shoes with purple robes and black shoes with black robes. Only kuzhe dress was worn with boots. Boots were foreign footwear, chosen for convenience in action and adopted for military dress.
80
輿 使
Under the old regulations, the cushions and curtains of the imperial carriage, bed, and couch were all ornamented in purple. In the sixth year of Tianbao, Wei Tao, serving as Director of Ceremonies and Grand Minister of Ceremonies, memorialized that the ornamentation follow the color of the imperial robe and use red-yellow instead. The request was approved.
81
The Wude Code prescribed three grades of empress's dress: huiyi, juyi, and dianchai liyi.
82
輿
The hui robe had head ornaments of twelve floral trees and two broad side-locks. The robe was woven in deep blue-green, patterned with the form of hui and di pheasants on a plain ground, in five colors and twelve grades. It had a plain gauze inner robe and fu-pattern collar; the silk-gauze cuffs and borders, both cuffs and borders, all used vermilion. The knee-cover followed the skirt color, used bluish-purple for its edging, and used di pheasants as figures in three grades. The great belt followed the robe color, with vermilion lining, edged on the outside, vermilion brocade above and green brocade below, with knots of green cord. It had a green outer robe, leather belt, green socks and shoes, with the shoes ornamented in gold, paired white jade pendants, and paired great sashes of dark cords; the figures, colors, and dimensions matched those of the imperial carriage. It was worn for investiture, assisting at sacrifice, court assemblies, and other major state occasions. The ju robe was made of yellow gauze. Its knee-cover, great belt, robe, leather belt, and shoes followed the robe color. The rest was the same as the hui robe, except that it had no pheasants; it was worn when personally performing the silkworm rite. The dianchai ritual robe had twelve dian ornaments, and the dress generally used mixed colors. Its construction was the same as the preceding, except that it had no pheasants, pendants, or sashes; the shoes were removed and slippers added. It was worn when banqueting and receiving guests. For the crown prince consort’s dress, the head ornaments had nine floral trees, with the small flowers corresponding in number to the large flowers, and also two broad side-locks. The yu-di robe was woven in blue-green, patterned with the form of yao-di pheasants, on a blue-green ground, in five colors and nine grades. It had a plain gauze inner robe and fu-pattern collar; the silk-gauze cuffs and borders, both cuffs and borders, all used vermilion. The knee-cover followed the skirt color, used bluish-purple for its collar-edge, and used yao-di pheasants as figures in two grades. The great belt followed the robe color, with vermilion lining, edged on the outside, vermilion brocade above and green brocade below, with green cord. It used a green outer robe, leather belt, green socks and shoes, with the shoes ornamented in gold, yu-jade pendants, and paired scarlet great sashes; the figures, colors, and dimensions matched those of the crown prince.
83
It was worn for investiture, assisting at sacrifice, court assemblies, and other major state occasions. The ju robe was made of yellow gauze; its knee-cover, great belt, and robe leather-belt followed the robe color. The rest was the same as the yu-di robe, except that it had no pheasants; it was worn when accompanying the silkworm rite. The dianchai ritual robe had nine dian ornaments, and the dress generally used mixed colors. Its construction was the same as the preceding, except that it had no pheasants, pendants, or sashes; the shoes were removed and slippers added. It was worn when banqueting and receiving guests. Titled ladies inside and outside the palace wore flower hairpins and two broad side-locks, ornamented with jeweled dian. Their di robes were made of blue-green gauze and embroidered with pheasants, arranged in sequence on the upper garment and skirt, layered downward from nine grades. First rank had nine floral dian trees, with jeweled dian matching the number of flowers, and the lower ranks followed this; the di figures had nine grades.
84
仿
Second rank had eight tree-flowers and eight grades of di pattern. Third rank had seven tree-flowers and seven grades of di pattern. Fourth rank had six tree-flowers and six grades of di pattern. Fifth rank had five tree-flowers and five grades of di pattern. All wore plain gauze inner robes and fu collars; vermilion cuffs and borders were also generally made of silk gauze. The knee cover matched the color of the skirt, with dark red collar and border, patterned embroidery, and paired pheasants as two emblems; from first rank down the rule was the same. The great belt matched the color of the robe, scarlet on the outside, with vermilion brocade above and green brocade below, and fasteners of green cord. They also wore green outer robes, leather belts, green socks and shoes, pendants, and sashes. Inside titled ladies wore it for investiture, the silkworm rite, and court assemblies; Outside titled ladies also followed this rule at marriage, investiture, the silkworm rite, and great court assemblies. Dianchai liyi was generally made in mixed colors; its design matched the above except that it lacked pheasant emblem and pendant sash. Shoes were removed and replaced with slippers. First rank had nine dian ornaments, second rank eight, third rank seven, fourth rank six, and fifth rank five. Inside titled ladies wore it for ordinary audiences; outside titled ladies wore it for court attendance, farewell audiences, and ceremonial gatherings. The ceremonial dress of the Six Bureaus, Treasure Grove attendants, palace women, selected women, and female officials was generally made in mixed colors; its design matched the above except that it had no head ornaments. Those of seventh rank and above wore it for major occasions; for ordinary palace service they wore official dress. Official dress omitted the inner robe, knee cover, and great belt. Those of ninth rank and above wore official dress for both major occasions and ordinary palace service. The Eastern Palace followed the same rule. Female clerks wore half-sleeved skirts and jackets. All princesses and princes' consorts wore the same pendants and sashes; county princesses of princes and inside titled ladies followed their respective ranks. Outside titled ladies of fifth rank and above all followed the rank of their husband or son; even those granted separate fief titles not through husband or son also followed their rank. Women's banquet dress was regulated by code according to their husbands' colors: higher ranks could include lower ones, but lower ranks could not usurp higher ones. Outside the public court, however, custom grew extravagant and paid little heed to the regulations; brocades and embroidery followed whatever fashion people favored. From the palace quarters down to commoners, people copied one another in turn until noble and common were scarcely distinguishable.
85
仿 使 仿
During Wude and Zhenguan, palace women who rode horses mostly wore mili veils, following the old Qi and Sui custom; though the practice came from frontier peoples, it covered the whole body so that passersby on the road could not gaze upon them. Princely and ducal households followed the same practice. After Yonghui everyone used weimao hats, with trailing skirts reaching the neck, and dress gradually became more revealing. An edict was soon issued forbidding the practice; it briefly ceased, but then resumed as before. In the second year of Xianheng another edict declared: "The households of officials all belong to the gentry; on public roads, how can there be no screening at all? Recently many have worn weimao hats and abandoned mili veils, not even riding in carriages but instead sitting separately in sedan chairs. People copied one another until the practice soaked into custom, becoming excessively careless and deeply at odds with proper ceremonial bearing. An order for gradual reform had already been issued, yet I hear the practice has still not ceased. Moreover, when titled ladies attended court, some drove at speed in carriages; once they entered the forbidden gate, this impaired solemn respect. All of these run counter to ritual form and in principle must be prohibited; from now on, do not allow them to be so again." After Empress Zetian's reign, weimao hats became widespread and mili veils gradually fell out of use. When Emperor Zhongzong ascended the throne, palace restrictions were relaxed, and among women in public and private life the mili-veil rule was no longer observed. At the beginning of Kaiyuan, palace women who rode in the imperial retinue all wore foreign hats, made up beautifully with faces exposed and no longer screened. Gentry and common households copied the fashion again, and the weimao rule fell completely out of use. Soon women were riding with hair exposed, and some wore men's clothes, boots, and jackets; by then noble and common, inside and outside the court, had become one undifferentiated fashion.
86
輿
Xi carts were used by the Khitan beyond the frontier and gradually reached the capital during Kaiyuan and Tianbao. Doulong carrying frames were used by women of Ba and Shu; from Qianyuan onward frontier generals often wore their honors at court, and doulong frames were easy to carry; in the capital, xi carts and doulong frames replaced carriages and sedan chairs.
87
便
Since Wude women had worn shoes, and the regulations governing them were strict; there were also thread boots. Since Kaiyuan women had generally worn thread shoes, chosen for lightness and convenience; only attendants wore shoes. Bondservants and menials all wore lanshan tunics. The Music Bureau favored foreign tunes, nobles at imperial banquets served foreign food, and gentlemen and women vied in wearing foreign dress; the Fan-Yang rebellion had its omen in these favored fashions long before.
88
In the first year of Taiji, Tang Shao, Director of the Left Department, submitted a memorial saying:
89
耀
I have heard that for princes and dukes down to common officials, objects for funeral rites and spirit vessels are fully prescribed in the primary code, with regulations differing according to rank. Confucius said that spirit vessels represent objects but are not meant for use; using straw effigies is good, but making figurines is unkind. The commentary says that figurines are those with faces and moving parts, resembling living people. To bury with such objects is nearly akin to human sacrifice; that is why it is called unkind. Recently princes, dukes, and officials have competed in lavish burial, with figurines, images, and horses carved and ornamented as if alive, merely to dazzle passersby rather than from sincere ritual intent. They incited and admired one another, ruined families and exhausted fortunes, and the custom spread until it reached gentry and commoners alike. Without prohibition, extravagance will increase daily. I ask that from princes and dukes down, burial spirit vessels all follow the code and regulations, be displayed only at the tomb site, and not be carried along public roads.
90
使 簿
Moreover, the ceremony by which gentry and commoners receive the bride is fully provided in the marriage rites, for inheriting the ancestral temple and serving parents-in-law; the wedding ought to be set for evening, with an audience the next morning. Formerly among the vulgar and lowly there was sometimes wedding road-blocking, in which people demanded wine and food as sport and amusement. Recently this fashion has grown stronger, reaching even princes and dukes; they perform music on a grand scale, gather large followings, block and crowd the roads, delay for long periods, and solicit gifts, often exceeding ten thousand in value. Thus wedding road-blocking gifts exceed betrothal wealth, and noisy singing and dancing do nothing to foster solemn feeling. This damages moral teaching, truly harms proper custom, and violates the ritual canon; restraint must be imposed. I ask that wedding road-blocking by marriage households be entirely forbidden. Violators with hereditary privilege should, according to the precedent for offenses against moral teaching, be entered in the register; those without privilege should receive sixty strokes of the rod, and each should still be punished for the underlying offense.
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