The Ceremonial Crown of Emperor Yao

For the sacrifices to the spirits of the Four Directions, the Mountains, and the Rivers These "Four Directions" (Siwang) refer to ritual orientations toward the horizons, acknowledging the breadth of the Emperor's domain., Emperor Yao wears the Ceremonial Crown Mian (冕): a flat-topped crown with hanging beads, the most formal headwear in ancient China..

The upper robe original: "Yi" (衣) is decorated with twelve symbolic motifs Zhang (章): sacred emblems—such as dragons, fire, and stars—that represent the virtues and cosmic responsibilities of the ruler., and the lower skirt original: "Chang" (裳) features two symbolic motifs.

The crown is adorned with a total of fourteen hanging tassels Liu (旒): strings of multi-colored jade beads. arranged across the front and the back. The use of fourteen tassels is a specific ritual variation noted in the Sancai Tuhui; traditionally, the imperial standard was twelve, representing the twelve months of the year.