Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms: Military Equipment

The Feathered Standard    The Yak-Tail Banner    The Plumed Flag

The Feathered Standard Original: Yǔ (羽). This refers to a ritual object or banner decorated with bird plumage, often used in dance and processions.
This standard is distinguished by clusters of feathers arranged in tiers. Historically, these were used by dancers in the "Six Small Dances" Original: Liùwǔ (六舞); ancient ritual dances performed at the Zhou court. and functioned as a visual marker of rank within a procession.

The Yak-Tail Banner Original: Máo (旄). A pole topped with the tail of a yak or a "wild ox."
As seen in the central illustration, this banner features an ornate head—often shaped like a mythical creature—from which bells and decorative ornaments are suspended. The Máo served as a vital signaling device; in a military context, its movement directed the rhythm and direction of the troops.

The Plumed Flag Original: Jīng (旌). A flag that combines silk pennants with feathered ornaments.
The Jīng is the most complex of the three, featuring an ornate head with multiple hanging silk pennants Original: Yóu (旒); the streamers or "fringes" of a flag.. According to the Rites of Zhou, the addition of feathers to a standard transformed it into a Jīng, making it a symbol of high-ranking authority often seen flanking the royal carriage.