Zhang Ruying’s Notes: From《中国妆束：大唐女儿行》Accessories (Sui Dynasty, Li Jingxun 李静训)
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- About《中国妆束：大唐女儿行》
- Sui Dynasty: The Early Deceased Golden Branch and Jade Leaf
- Li Jingxun (李静训)
- Restoration Basis of the Image
Introduction
Hello, I’m 张儒英 Zhang Ruying, and I have a deep passion for traditional Chinese fashion.
Recently, I had the opportunity to read a book about traditional Chinese attire, especially for the Tang dynasty (618-907), written in Chinese, titled《中国妆束：大唐女儿行》by 左丘萌 and 末春. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and to better understand parts of it, I translated sections that I found challenging. I also made notes (written in English) along the way to help deepen my understanding.
Now, I’m thrilled to share these notes with you! I aim to help us all gain a deeper appreciation for the elegance and historical significance of traditional Chinese attire, which is so rich in history and beauty.
All the information in these notes comes from the book 《中国妆束：大唐女儿行》.
About《中国妆束：大唐女儿行》
《中国妆束：大唐女儿行》(Zhōng Guó Zhuāng Shù: Dà Táng Nǚ’ér Xíng) by 左丘萌 (Zuǒ Qiūméng) and 末春 (Mò Chūn) attempts to reinterpret the true fashion of women’s makeup and attire during the Tang dynasty, based on archaeological findings of Tang artifacts.
It contrasts these findings with historical records and unearthed documents to reframe how the Tang people themselves might have viewed fashion in their time.
The book covers from the Sui dynasty to the Five Dynasties, and is divided into four sections: Qi Luo 绮罗 (clothing), Lin Lang 琳琅 (accessories), Fen Dai 粉黛 (makeup), and Ji Huan 髻鬟 (hairstyles).
Each section carefully examines and details the names, styles, and combinations of different makeup and attire from that period.
The book selects well-known historical figures, such as Yang Guifei, Wu Zetian, Shangguan Wan’er, Nie Yinniang, Princess Tongchang, and others, based on existing archaeological findings, makes informed speculations to restore the possible makeup and attire of these figures. The book reconstructs their clothing, accessories, hairstyles, makeup, and scenes, all supported by historical sources.
And now, we begin a new chapter, Lin Lang 琳琅 (Accessories), and today we will explore the accessories of the Sui dynasty.
隋：早夭的金枝玉叶
Sui Dynasty: The Early Deceased Golden Branch and Jade Leaf
Li Jingxun (李静训 ; Lǐ Jìngxùn)
In 1957, the Archaeological Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences excavated a Sui tomb outside the Yuxiang Gate in the Western City Wall of Xi’an, Shaanxi Province. The tomb was not very large, but the items found were very rich, especially the various beautiful pieces of jewelry. From the tomb inscription, it was known that the tomb’s owner was Li Jingxun, a princess from a noble family originating from the Northern Zhou and the Sui dynasties.
Li Jingxun, with the courtesy name Xiaohai (小孩 ; xiǎo hái), had a very distinguished family background.
On her father’s side, her great-grandfather Li Xian (李贤 ; Lǐ Xián) and grandfather Li Chong (李崇 ; Lǐ Chóng) were famous officials and generals in the Northern Zhou dynasty. After the Sui dynasty was established, Li Chong held the position of Shangzhuguo (a high-ranking government official) and continued in this role until the third year of the Kaihuang era (583), when he was killed in battle, sacrificing his life for the country. Li Chong’s son, Li Min (李敏 ; Lǐ Mǐn), was later adopted by Emperor Wen of the Sui, Yang Jian, and raised in the imperial palace.
On her mother’s side, her maternal grandmother, Yang Lihua (杨丽华 ; Yáng Lìhuá), was the eldest daughter of Yang Jian (杨坚 ; Yáng Jiān), a high-ranking official of the Northern Zhou dynasty, and the Dugu family (独孤氏 ; Dúgū shì). Yang Lihua married Prince Yuwen Yun (宇文赟 ; Yǔwén Yūn), the crown prince of the Northern Zhou dynasty. Later, Yuwen Yun ascended the throne as Emperor Xuan of Zhou, and Yang Lihua became Empress. After Emperor Xuan’s premature death, Yang Lihua, still only twenty years old, was honored as the Dowager Empress. Shortly thereafter, Yang Jian declared himself emperor and renamed the country Sui. Yang Lihua then took the title of Princess Leping (乐平公主 ; Lè Píng Gōngzhǔ).
Yang Lihua and Emperor Xuan had only one daughter, Yuwen Eying (宇文娥英 ; Yǔwén Éyīng). In the early Kaihuang era, Yang Lihua personally chose a match for her beloved daughter. At the time, many handsome young nobles gathered at the palace to be selected, but it was Li Min—handsome, skilled at horseback riding and archery, and talented in singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments—who was chosen by Yang Lihua. When Yuwen Eying married, the wedding was held with great splendor, akin to that of a royal princess. Yang Lihua even used her esteemed status to help her daughter’s sole husband secure a high-ranking position as “Zhu Guo”.
Li Jingxun (李静训 ; Lǐ Jìngxùn) was the fourth daughter of Li Min. Since her childhood, she was raised by her grandmother, Yang Lihua, in the palace. However, despite having a prestigious family and the affection of her grandmother, Li Jingxun’s life was tragically short-lived.
In the sixth month of the fourth year of the Daye era during Emperor Yang of Sui’s reign (608), while the imperial family was vacationing at the Fenyuan Palace (located in Ningwu County, Shanxi Province), the unfortunate Li Jingxun fell ill and passed away in the palace at a very young age, only nine years old.
With profound sorrow, the family ordered that her body be returned to the capital, and in the twelfth month of the same year, she was buried in Daxing City (Chang’an, the capital of the Tang dynasty), within the Wanshan Ni Temple, which had previously been used for empresses and concubines of the previous dynasties.
Although Li Jingxun never held an official title during her lifetime, her funeral was conducted with extraordinary ceremony: on her head, she wore a flower crown as a symbol of her noble status as a princess; around her neck, she wore a gold necklace adorned with foreign gemstones; and both of her hands were adorned with gold bracelets and rings, surrounded by various precious and rare items. After her burial, a large pavilion was constructed over her tomb, with a tower of treasures built for prayers and worship.
Although the death of Li Jingxun was tragic, she outlived the worst fate of her family.
In the second year after her death, in the fifth year of Daye (609), her beloved grandmother, Yang Lihua, passed away. In the tenth year of Daye (614), her father, Li Min, who had been caught in the suspicions of Emperor Yang of Sui, was executed, and a few months later, her mother, Yuwen Eying, was poisoned and died. Ten years after Li Jingxun’s death, the once-powerful Sui dynasty collapsed and vanished.
The various pieces of jewelry found in Li Jingxun’s tomb allow us to understand the details of the adornments worn by a noble princess of the imperial family at that time. These artifacts were later moved and preserved in the Chinese History Museum (now the National Museum of China).
Restoration Basis of the Image
During the archaeological excavation, the relative positions of the jewelry worn by Li Jingxun were well-preserved. A gold-silver ring shaped like a tree flower with a gemstone was found placed at the center of her head, while around her neck, there was a gold necklace decorated with gemstones. Additionally, three crystal hairpins and three jade hairpins were found, along with a wooden comb, although the exact positions of these items are not known.
金镶宝珠项链 (jīn xiāng bǎo zhū xiàng liàn)
Gold Necklace with Diamond Gemstones
This necklace is made of a gold chain linking twenty-eight spherical gold beads. Each gold bead consists of twelve small gold rings soldered together, and each bead is decorated with ten pearls. At the upper center of the necklace is a round gold ornament with a dark blue gemstone shaped like a stag’s antlers, with two gold hooks on either side to suspend two square ornaments adorned with lapis lazuli at the ends of the necklace. At the bottom of the necklace, there is a round gold ornament with a bloodstone at the center, decorated with pearls, a star-shaped gold ornament on the left side, and a round gold ornament on the right, both set with blue gemstones. The edge of the round gold ornament is decorated with a string of pearls. Beneath the bloodstone, there is a drop-shaped ornament embellished with blue crystals.
This necklace displays a rich foreign style, most likely originating from Central Asia or the Western regions.
闹蛾金银珠花树头钗 (nào é jīn yín zhū huā shù tóu chāi)
Gold-Silver Tiara with Jeweled Flowers and Trees
The base of this tiara consists of three tiara legs, while the upper part is shaped like a round gold plate twisted to resemble lotus leaves as the foundation. Above this, two rings are coiled, from which branches of flowers made from gold thread emerge.
Along these branches, there are flowers with six petals, gold leaves shaped like triangles, and flower pistils adorned with pearls. Among the flowers, there are also gemstone flower buds and gold leaves shaped like clouds or resembling the long “Ruyi” form.
At the top of the tiara, there is a flying moth, with its wings and body made from thicker gold thread, while the more delicate parts of its body are created with thinner gold thread, layered for finer details. The moth’s body is hollow and decorated with a golden thread net inlaid with pearls, which was likely used to hold fragrant substances. The moth has pearl eyes and antennae made from gold thread.
Introduction to Jewelry: The Flower Tree (花树 ; huā shù)
The gold-silver tiara with gemstone flowers and trees worn by Li Jingxun on her head was referred to as the “Flower Tree 花树” or “Flower Tiara 花钗 (huā chāi)” during that period.
This piece of jewelry was closely associated with the social status system for noblewomen, which governed their roles in society. It served as a head ornament to highlight their status when wearing official attire.
Based on differences in social rank, the number of flower trees a woman was allowed to wear also varied. This practice began during the Northern Zhou dynasty, when the Yuwen royal family ruled, and it was regulated by the state’s etiquette system, which was later continued during the Sui dynasty.
In the Tang dynasty, similar regulations were still enforced in the《衣服令》(yī fú lìng, Regulations on Clothing and Accessories). For example, when the Empress of Tang wore her grand official attire, she would wear “twelve flower trees 十二花树” on her head; the Crown Princess wore “jewelry nine flower trees 首饰花九树” on her head, while first-tier noblewomen wore “nine flower trees 花钗九树”, second-tier women wore “eight flower trees 花钗八树”, and so on.
Flower trees were typically made from small pieces of gold, silver, glass, or pearls, materials that were very fragile and prone to damage. As a result, most of the archaeological finds consist of broken flower branches or separate flower fragments.
Li Jingxun’s flower tree is a rare and complete example.
A similar flower tree crown was found in the tomb of Empress Xiao of the Sui, buried at the beginning of the Tang dynasty. Although the crown was coarser, as it was made for an empress from a previous dynasty, traces of flower tree shapes resembling lotus flowers and leaves could still be seen, with microscopic embellishments of small white stones representing a story from Buddhist teachings about gods born from lotus flowers.
In the《唐薛丹夫人李饶墓志》(táng xuē dān fū rén lǐ ráo mù zhì, Tomb Inscription of Li Rao, Wife of Xue Dan of Tang), a noblewoman from the Tang dynasty is described wearing a flower tiara when attending a meeting at the palace to meet the Dowager Empress.
In the first year of Yuanhe, a woman (Wai Ming Fu, 外命妇 wài mìng fù) presented herself to the Empress Dowager at the Xingqing Palace Hall. The mothers and wives of those holding official positions were extremely nervous and nearly unable to complete their formal greeting. The Lady (夫人 ; fū rén) was dressed in official attire, with six flower trees on her crown, a six-layered robe, and a reversed collar with red markings, accompanied by a small robe and necklace, appearing elegant and graceful. Her movements were poised and harmonious. Many people in the palace watched in admiration. A high-ranking official commented, “A woman like her truly deserves to be titled as a noblewoman.” The following day, she was appointed Lady of Longxi.
However, for noblewomen with higher status, wearing too many flower trees became cumbersome, and the process of attaching each flower individually to the head became overly complicated.
As a result, some flower trees could be directly mounted onto a crown-shaped frame called 蔽髻 (bì jì, hair covering), which could then be worn directly over an already styled hair bun. For example, in a painting scroll《过去现在因果经》(guò qù xiàn zài yīn guǒ jīng) stored at Hōjō Temple in Kyoto, depicting the life of Buddha Sakyamuni before he became a hermit, he and Queen Yasodhara are seated in the palace, with the queen wearing a flower tree crown on her head.
To stabilize this flower crown, two long hairpins decorated with luxurious ornaments could be inserted on either side of the crown. This type of ornamentation is known as 博鬓 (bó bìn, hair ornament), which has been found in the tomb of the noblewoman Lou Rui of the Northern Qi dynasty.
During the Tang dynasty, 博鬓 appeared in various forms. In the tomb of Empress Xiao from the early Tang dynasty, the 博鬓 structure was directly mounted on both sides of the crown. Meanwhile, in a set of crown decoration components found at a construction site in Xi’an, 博鬓 was accompanied by long hairpins at the bottom.
Introduction to Jewelry: Bao Dian Lian Tai (宝钿莲台 ; bǎo diàn lián tái)
While the flower tree crowns could distinguish the rank of noblewomen, when many gathered, all of them wore a collection of flower trees shimmering with golden light, making it difficult to tell them apart. During this period, another type of jewelry known as 宝钿 (bǎo diàn) was added to the head decorations.
These ornaments were shaped like lotus petals, and similar to the flower trees, their number varied according to the social status of the woman. When worn, they could be attached to the ends of long hairpins and directly pinned in place, or mounted on a hair covering frame called 蔽髻 (bì jì). A single petal was called Dian (钿 ; diàn), and when arranged at the front of the head, they formed a lotus in bloom.
The lotus flower was highly revered in Buddhist teachings, whereas in the Western Pure Land, the lotus is divided into nine levels.
Therefore, during the Northern Dynasties, which were heavily influenced by Buddhist teachings, first-tier noblewomen wore nine Dian (钿) as part of their head ornaments, with the number decreasing according to their rank.
However, for empresses, the nine levels of the lotus were considered a low rank.
An empress of the Northern Wei dynasty, wearing a lotus crown with twelve petals, appears in stone reliefs at the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, depicting her worshipping Buddha.
A lotus-shaped ornament from the Northern Dynasties, found in the tomb of Princess Yu Jiulv · Chi Di Lian (郁久闾 · 叱地连) of the Rouran (her husband was later Emperor Wucheng of the Northern Qi, Gao Zhan 高湛) who married into the Eastern Wei dynasty.
When the Sui dynasty unified the north and south, they continued to use this Buddhist-symbolic lotus crown system, combining it with the flower tree system inherited from the Northern Zhou dynasty.
During the Tang dynasty, the culture became more inclusive, accepting a variety of influences. The wife of Prince Wu, Yang from the Li Ke family, wore Bao Dian (宝钿) ornaments shaped like lotus petals with unique details — the petals featured a decorative cross pattern, a symbol of Nestorianism (a branch of Christianity). The top of a stone inscription, erected in the second year of the Jianzhong era (781), which documented the spread of Nestorianism in the Tang dynasty, also depicted a cross atop a lotus flower.
Overall, although these head ornaments followed a strict ranking system, noblewomen could still choose the decorative motifs they preferred, especially for ornaments like Bao Dian (宝钿).
As described in a poem by Bai Juyi, depicting a palace gathering, “all the noblewomen were present with their crowns,” “the crowns of the nobility swayed,” and “golden ornaments glittered,” a flower crown reflected the grandeur of people during the Tang dynasty.
Additionally, it is worth noting that a small jar was once discovered on the western outskirts of Xi’an, containing a collection of Jin Dian (金钿 ; jīn diàn) and Bo Bin (博鬓) that were damaged. This jar was likely buried by a noblewoman who hurriedly fled from the city of Chang’an during wartime in the Tang dynasty, though the story that followed remains lost without a trace.
And there you have it—
I hope these notes have been insightful and encourage you to dive deeper into the world of traditional Chinese fashion, particularly from the Tang dynasty. If you come across any incorrect word / translation, or you have suggestions for improvement, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me via email.
Thank you so much for your time, and I’ll do my best to keep these updated for the next part. #ZhangRuying’sNotes
See you in the next notes. And thank you 谢谢!
张儒英 Zhang Ruying