Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms

original: 三才圖會 (Sāncái Túhuì). The "Three Realms" or "Three Powers" refers to the traditional Chinese triad of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, signifying the encyclopedia's aim to cover all knowledge.

Continued Collection by Wang Siyi, courtesy name Yunming, of Yunjian

Wang Siyi was the son of the encyclopedia’s primary compiler, Wang Qi. Yunjian is a literary name for the region of Songjiang, near modern Shanghai.

Rituals, Volume Five

Illustration of the Crown Prince's Capping Ceremony
capping ceremony: (guān, 冠) The traditional Confucian rite of passage for elite males, marking their transition from childhood to adulthood, usually occurring between ages 15 and 20.

Illustration of the Capping Ceremony for Ranked Officials

Illustration of the Capping Ceremony for Scholars and Commoners

Illustration of the Emperor Dispatching Envoys to Recruit an Empress
original: 天子納后遣使圖 (Tiānzǐ nà hòu qiǎn shǐ tú). This depicts the formal beginning of the imperial wedding process, where the "Son of Heaven" sends officials to represent him.

Illustration of the Betrothal Gift Ceremony for the Empress
nàcǎi: (納采) The formal presentation of gifts from the groom's family to the bride's family, the first of the "Six Rites" of traditional marriage.

Illustration of Receiving the Patent of Investiture
original: 受冊圖 (Shòu cè tú). This refers to the formal ceremony where the Empress or a high-ranking official receives the "冊" (cè), a document or plaque of appointment made of precious materials like jade or gold.