Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms: Rituals, Volume Five

Page Two

Diagram of the Crown Prince’s Capping Ceremony The diagram for a Prince’s capping ceremony is the same

The "Capping Ceremony" (Guanli) was the traditional Confucian rite of passage for males, typically occurring at age twenty, signifying their transition to adulthood and their eligibility to participate in state affairs. For a Crown Prince, this was a major state event of high political significance.

The Imperial Throne is placed at the north end of the hall facing south, the traditional position of authority. The "Waiting Area" is where the Prince remains before the ritual begins.

The central location where the Prince is formally presented with three successive ceremonial hats, each more prestigious than the last.

Used for the "Libation" (Li) portion of the ceremony, where the Prince is offered ritual wine to signify his new status.

The ceremonial garments for the various stages of the capping are laid out here for the transition.

The location where the Emperor's formal edict regarding the capping is read aloud.

The "Guest" (Bin) was usually a high-ranking official or elder chosen to perform the actual capping, assisted by a "贊" (Zan).

The civil and military bureaucracy would be arrayed in rows to witness the ceremony and offer their formal obeisance.

Guānlǐ (冠禮): The Capping Ceremony. This involved three separate "cappings": the first with a black cloth cap (representing the right to manage household affairs), the second with a leather cap (military/administrative service), and the third with a sacrificial cap (the right to participate in ancestral rites).

Sāncái Túhuì (三才圖會): Literally the "Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms" (Heaven, Earth, and Humanity). This massive Ming Dynasty encyclopedia (c. 1609) sought to document all known knowledge through text and diagrams.