Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms

Clothing: Volume Two

Page Seventy-Three

original: "中單" (Zhōngdān). This is a white inner garment worn beneath the ceremonial robe. It serves as a crisp, clean foundation for the complex layers of ritual dress.

Ceremonial Inner Robe (中單, Zhōngdān): A straight-collared, wide-sleeved robe made of white silk. In the Ming dynasty system, the collar, cuffs, and hem were often bordered in red or green silk to provide a visible contrast where the layers met.

The illustration highlights the "cross-collar" (jiaoling) style characteristic of Han Chinese clothing. For the Crown Prince, the collar of the inner robe was specifically decorated with the "fu" (discernment) pattern—an embroidered black and white motif resembling two "back-to-back" shapes—which would be visible just above the neckline of the outer robe.

original: "蔽膝" (Bìxī). Literally "cover knees," this is a decorative apron-like panel that hangs from the waist over the front of the ceremonial skirt.

Ceremonial Knee-Cover (蔽膝, Bìxī): A rectangular piece of fabric, usually the same color as the lower skirt (red for the Crown Prince), that tapers slightly at the top. It is one of the most ancient components of Chinese formal attire, originating from primitive leather aprons.

As seen in the woodblock print, the Crown Prince’s knee-cover is lavishly decorated. It features a "Rising Dragon" (升龍, shēnglóng) amidst auspicious clouds and a flaming pearl. At the base, the "Sacred Mountain" (山, shān) motif appears above stylized waves, representing stability and the breadth of the realm. This piece was attached to the "Great Belt" (dàdài) and hung precisely in the center of the wearer's front.