Abstract
Most of the existing studies on Gui-Yi, which is a kind of ancient women’s dress of China, are barely about the interpretation of Xian (ie. a long ribbon made of silk) and Shao (ie. a hanging fabric of cloth, shaped like a swallow tail, tied to the waist) of Gui-Yi, on whose origin, development and evolution of the shape and structure there are few discussions. Based upon summarizing the literature, this paper points out that Gui-Yi in Han Dynasty was originated from a relic of San-di (ie. three kinds of ceremonial dress worn by queens in The Rites of Zhou Dynasty-a classical book in ancient China on the bureaucratic establishment system of Zhou Dynasty and the system of states in Warring States Period). In the paper, Gui-Yi is divided into two kinds according to images in archaeological studies, namely, the ‘Gui-Yi in one-piece system’ (‘one-piece system’ is Chinese robe) and ‘Gui-Yi in separate system’ (‘separate system’ is a kind of suit that consists of blouses and skirts). The former was popular in Han Dynasty, and the latter was popular in Wei &Jin Southern and Northern Dynasties. The change of the shape and structure of Gui-Yi conforms to the historical trend that the ‘Gui-Yi in one-piece system’ entered a recession in the late Eastern Han Dynasty and the ‘Gui-Yi in separate system’ became a popular mainstream in Wei &Jin Southern and Northern Dynasties. In addition, the paper points out female images wearing Gui-Yi in Gu Kaizhi's paintings influenced the expression of Gui-Yi image of Wei & Jin Southern and Northern Dynasties, and Gui-Yi were gradually brought into immortal statues during painters’ artistic processing of that time.
Highlights
Most of existing studies on Gui-Yi, which is a kind of ancient women’s dress of China, are barely about the interpretation of Xian and Shao
The others point out that Xian and Shao originated in Han Dynasty, handed down to Wei and Jin Dynasties; the lower hem of the dress is cut into a triangle, overlapping with layer on layer, the upper is wide and the lower is narrow, which is called Shao, and Xian refers to the long ribbon extending from the wrap skirt, When women walk, the sharp corners of their clothes are flying like swallows, which is described as ‘beautiful ribbon and gorgeous pendant flying.’
Most scholars believe that Gui-Yi originated in Han Dynasty and prevailed in Wei &Jin Southern and Northern Dynasties, and its leading features are characterized by being decorated with Xian and Shao
Summary
Most of existing studies on Gui-Yi, which is a kind of ancient women’s dress of China, are barely about the interpretation of Xian and Shao. Some scholars think that ancient Chinese women put some linked trinkets, in a triangular shape, on the lower hem of their dress during the period of Wei &Jin, which is called Shao; at the waist under wrap skirt of Shen-yi The others point out that Xian and Shao originated in Han Dynasty, handed down to Wei and Jin Dynasties; the lower hem of the dress is cut into a triangle, overlapping with layer on layer, the upper is wide and the lower is narrow, which is called Shao, and Xian refers to the long ribbon extending from the wrap skirt, When women walk, the sharp corners of their clothes are flying like swallows, which is described as ‘beautiful ribbon and gorgeous pendant flying.’. Combined with historical documents and archaeological images, this paper tries doing a brief textual research and discussing several questions about Gui-Yi on the base of previous studies
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