The Sparrow-Cap (Bianjue)

The design is similar to that of the ritual crown Mian (冕): The most formal crown worn by the Emperor and high officials, distinguished by a flat rectangular board atop the head., but it is without the beaded pendants Liu (旒): The strings of jade or pearl beads hanging from the front and back of a crown; their absence indicates a slightly lower level of formality than the Emperor’s full sacrificial regalia.. The Rites of Zhou original: "周禮" (Zhou Li); an ancient text detailing the bureaucracy and ceremonies of the Zhou Dynasty. mentions the Bian cap; the Book of Rites original: "禮記" (Li Ji); a foundational collection of texts on social forms and religious ceremonies. mentions the Sparrow-Cap Juebian (爵弁): A ritual cap named for its dark, reddish-brown color, which was said to resemble the plumage of a sparrow (jue).. These two terms refer to one and the same thing.

The woodcut illustration depicts a figure dressed for a solemn ceremony. He wears the Sparrow-Cap, which sits high on the head without the hanging beads seen on imperial crowns. In his hands, he holds a ritual tablet Hu (笏): A narrow tablet made of jade, ivory, or bamboo. It was held by officials during formal audiences to denote rank and to provide a surface for writing notes or reminders of the proceedings..