Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms: Clothing

Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms original: 三才圖會 Sancai Tuhui.

Clothing, Section Two

Page Thirty-one

Face Flowers

original: 面花 Mianhua. These were delicate floral ornaments applied to the face as beauty marks. During the Ming dynasty, they were often crafted from gold leaf, kingfisher feathers, or colored silk. They were typically worn on the temples or cheeks to complement formal ceremonial dress.

Wide-Spread Hair Ornaments

original: 兩博髻 Liangboji. Literally "two wide-spread buns," this term refers to the large, wing-like ornaments that flared out from the sides of a woman's formal hairstyle. These were usually attached to the diji (hair frame) and were heavily decorated with floral or phoenix motifs to indicate the wearer's high social status.

The Full Crown

original: 滿冠 Manguan. The "Full Crown" was a crescent-shaped decorative piece made of gold filigree or precious metals. It was designed to sit atop or around the back of the hair bun frame, "filling" the crown with intricate patterns and gemstones to create a shimmering, opulent effect.

Diji (底髻): The structural base or hair-net, often made of wire or horsehair, onto which all these ornaments were pinned.