Tongtianguanfu (Chinese: 通天冠服) is a form of court attire in hanfu which was worn by the emperor during the Song dynasty on very important occasions, such as grand court sessions and during major title-granting ceremonies. The attire traces its origin from the Han dynasty.[1][2]: 91 It was also worn in the Jin dynasty emperors when the apparel system of the Song dynasty was imitated and formed their own carriages and apparel system,[3] and in the Ming dynasty.[4] The tongtianguanfu was composed of a red outer robe, a white inner robe, a bixi, and a guan called tongtianguan, and a neck accessory called fangxin quling.[1]
Terminology
The term tongtian means "direct links with heaven".[5]
Composition and construction
The tongtianguanfu is composed of:
The gauze outer robe (paofu), called jiangshapao (Chinese: 绛纱袍).[6] It was crimson in colour with patterns of clouds and dragons embroidery which was gold and red in colours.[1] There were black borders stitched to the collar, sleeves, lapels and hems of the crimson outer robe.[1]
The crimson outer robe was worn with a red gauze skirt and a crimson bixi (Chinese: 蔽膝, knee cover) was fastened around the waist of its wearer.[1][6] The inner garment was a white robe (Chinese: 白纱中单).[6][1]
The high crown was called tongtianguan (Chinese: 通天冠; lit. 'a hat accessing the sky'[3]), which was also known as chengtianguan (lit. 'a hat bearing the sky').[3] The tongtianguan was exclusively worn by the Emperor during some grand ceremonies.[3] The high crown was originally nine cun tall and tilting towards the back to form a "rolling shape" made by metal beams, with a "mountain"-shape and zhantong (展筒) on the front,[7] and pinned on the hair with hairpins made of jade or rhinoceros horn.[1] By the Jin dynasty, the tongtianguan added a golden mountain-shaped plaque ornament ("dāng", 珰) on the front,[8] and by the Tang dynasty, tongtianguan of the Emperor had 24 beams.[2]: 91
A pendant-like ornament called fangxin quling (Chinese: 方心曲领; lit. 'bent collar with a square center') was hung around the neck.[1][6] The fangxin quling was a notable feature in the ceremonial court attire of the Song and Ming dynasties.[9] It was made out of silk and was cut into a circle (which hung around the neck and shoulder areas) and a square (either solid or open square) which would fall over the cross-collared lapels of the paofu.[9] The shape of the circle and square symbolized the Heaven and earth respectively.[9]
A belt with ribbons was also tied to the waist.[1]
As footwear, the Emperor would have worn white stockings and black shoes.[1][6]
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