The Collected Illustrations of the Three Powers

Clothing, Volume Three


Bobin		Diagram: Zhanshuai Mourning Dress	Diagram: Qishuai Mourning Dress	Pattern for Bundled Silk		Fei
Finger Ring	Bracelet	Diagram: Dagong Mourning Dress	Diagram: Xiaogong Mourning Dress	Diagram: Hand-binding Cloth	Eye-closing Cloth		Shoes
	Xiapei	Diagram: Sima Mourning Dress	Diagram: the Spirit Cloth	Diagram: Face-covering	Diagram: Bamboo Burial Mat
					Long Hairpin

The items listed here represent two distinct categories: female adornments and the "Five Grades of Mourning" (Wufu).

1. Female Adornments:

Bobin (博鬢) are the wing-like, flared hair ornaments extending from the sides of a formal crown, typical of Ming Dynasty empresses and noblewomen.
The Xiapei (霞帔), or "Cloud Scarf," was a long, ceremonial stole weighted with a silver or gold pendant, indicating the wearer's rank.

2. Mourning Rites:
The diagrams for Zhanshuai (Deepest Mourning), Qishuai (Even Mourning), Dagong (Greater Mourning), Xiaogong (Lesser Mourning), and Sima (Fine Hemp Mourning) illustrate the five levels of ritual dress. These garments varied in fabric coarseness and duration of wear based on the closeness of the relationship to the deceased. For instance, the Zhanshuai was made of the coarsest unhemmed hemp and worn for three years for a parent.

3. Burial Preparations:
Items like the "Eye-closing cloth" (瞑目巾), "Hand-binding cloth" (握手帛), and "Face-covering" (覆臉) were textiles used to prepare the body for the coffin, ensuring the deceased was presented with dignity according to ritual law. The Fei (屝) refers to coarse sandals made of grass or straw, typically worn by mourners.