The Collected Illustrations of the Three Powers

Clothing, Volume Three

Page Eleven


Mud-skates original: 橇 qiao; shoes or sled-like devices used for traversing marshy or muddy terrain	Formal Shoes original: 履 lü	Daoist Robe original: 道衣 daoyi	Neck Guard and Body Armor original: 頓項身甲 dunxiang shenjia	Horse Armor original: 馬甲 majia
Wooden Clogs original: 屐 ji; typically raised on "teeth" to keep the wearer above mud and water	Monk's Robe original: 僧衣 sengyi	Helmet and Shoulder Guards original: 頭鍪掩膊 toumou yanbo	Illustration of Armor for Soldiers from Yue original: 粵兵盔甲圖; Yue refers to the southern coastal regions of Guangdong and Guangxi

This section provides a visual inventory of specialized functional clothing.

1. Footwear: The inclusion of Qiao (mud-skates) and Ji (clogs) alongside formal Lü (shoes) shows the encyclopedia's interest in practical, environment-specific gear.

2. Religious Attire: The Daoyi and Sengyi represent the standard vestments for China’s two primary institutional religions, Daoism and Buddhism, which often sat outside the strict Confucian sumptuary laws governing secular officials.

3. Military Hardware: The armor described is typical of the Ming Dynasty "brigandine" or plated styles.

The Toumou (helmet) often featured a Dunxiang (a protective neck curtain of fabric or mail).
The mention of Yue (Southern) soldiers is significant; the Ming military frequently contended with piracy and tribal unrest in the south, leading to the documentation of regional armor variations designed for humid, tropical climates.
Majia (Horse Armor) indicates the continued importance of heavy cavalry protections, even as gunpowder began to change the nature of the battlefield.