Zhang Ruying’s Notes: From《中国妆束：大唐女儿行》Accessories (Tang Dynasty Kaiyuan Era, Li Chui 李倕)
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- About《中国妆束：大唐女儿行》
- Tang Dynasty Kaiyuan Era: The Graceful and Gentle Imperial Princess
- Li Chui (李倕)
- Restoration Basis of the Image
Introduction
Hello! Allow me to reintroduce myself,
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.
Enough of the intro, let’s get to the good part!
盛唐开元：宗女淑娴
Tang Dynasty Kaiyuan Era: The Graceful and Gentle Imperial Princess
Li Chui (李倕 ; Lǐ Chuí)
In 2001, the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology excavated a small Tang dynasty tomb on the southern outskirts of Xi’an. Based on the tomb inscription, it was determined that the tomb’s owner was a woman from the Tang imperial family with the surname Li, named Chui (倕 ; Chuí), with the courtesy name Shuxian (淑娴 ; Shūxián). She was buried in the 24th year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang dynasty (736).
This tomb was not very luxurious. Compared to the tombs of officials’ wives or noblewomen from the same period, it even appeared quite simple. However, the jewelry and makeup accessories buried with her were extraordinarily exquisite and rare. She wore a belt adorned with pearl strands and floral ornaments, as well as a golden crown inlaid with pearls, shell, turquoise, agate, crystal, and ruby.
Compared to the jewelry of noblewomen from the same era found in archaeological excavations, this collection was even more luxurious.
The stark contrast between the simplicity of the tomb and the opulence of the items buried with her is difficult to explain based solely on the brief biographical inscription on her tombstone. Therefore, her life story will be reconstructed based on the sequence of events recorded in the inscription, with slight interpretation and refinement, ensuring historical accuracy while maintaining an engaging narrative.
Li Chui’s (李倕) father was Li Jin (李津 ; Lǐ Jīn), who held the title of Heir Prince of Shu (嗣舒王 ; sì shū wáng). The title Si Wang (嗣王 ; sì wáng) was typically given to the crown prince of a noble who lawfully inherited his father’s title. However, Li Jin’s journey to obtaining this title was rather unique. Li Jin’s grandfather, Li Yuanming (李元名 ; Lǐ Yuánmíng), was the 18th son of Emperor Gaozu (李渊 ; Lǐ Yuān) of the Tang dynasty and was granted the title Prince of Shu (舒王 ; shū wáng). His father, Li Yi (李宜 ; Lǐ Yí), was given the title Prince of Xiang Zhang (像章郡王 ; xiàng zhāng jùn wáng). However, both of them perished in the massacre of the imperial Li family that occurred during the reign of Wu Zetian.
It was only after Emperor Zhongzong regained the throne that Li Yuanming’s noble title was restored. However, by that time, all of Li Yuanming’s sons had passed away, so his eldest surviving grandson, Li Jin, ultimately inherited his grandfather’s title and became the Heir Prince of Shu (嗣舒王).
In the second year of the Xiantian era (713), Li Jin had a second daughter, whom he named Chui (倕). She was of the same lineage as Emperor Xuanzong Li Longji (李隆基 ; Lǐ Lóngjī), as they belonged to the same family branch. According to Tang dynasty regulations, the daughter of a prince was entitled to the title Xianzhu (县主 ; Xiànzhǔ), which means “County Princess”.
As a noble princess from the imperial family, Li Chui (李倕) was raised from a young age to embody the virtues of gentleness and obedience, which were considered ideal for an honorable woman. For this reason, she has bestowed the courtesy name “Shuxian (淑娴)”, meaning “graceful and refined”.
However, upon reaching adulthood (及笄 jí jī, around 15 years old), Li Chui did not choose a marriage that matched her noble status as her family had expected. Perhaps, having witnessed the lives of high-ranking officials and nobles filled with wives and concubines, she longed for a love that was faithful and mutually supportive. With strong determination, she defied her family’s wishes and, without hesitation, married the man she loved—a man from a humble family with the surname Hou Mo Chen (侯莫陈 ; Hóu Mò Chén).
For the sake of love, Li Chui had to struggle greatly and was even willing to renounce her title of “Xianzhu (County Princess)” and her noble status. On her wedding day, she might not have worn the grand bridal attire befitting a Xianzhu. However, the Hou Mo Chen family, with great care, still prepared beautiful and honorable wedding jewelry and clothing for her.
Although the Hou Mo Chen (侯莫陈) family was not of high nobility, they were still relatively well-off. Their residence was located in Shengye Fang (胜业坊 ; Shèngyè Fāng), a bustling district in the capital, Chang’an. Li Chui’s husband worked as a minor official at Hongwen Guan (弘文馆 ; Hóngwén Guǎn), an institution responsible for compiling books and educating scholarly students. The couple enjoyed several years of a peaceful and happy life together.
However, in the 24th year of the Kaiyuan era (736), when Li Chui had just given birth to a baby boy (襁褓, still in infancy), she suddenly fell ill. Despite all the treatments given, nothing could save her, and on the 7th day of the first month, she passed away at a young age—only 25 years old.
Due to the limited social status of the Hou Mo Chen family, they could not hold a grand funeral or use luxurious burial items due to dynastic regulations. Her husband, holding their infant child in his arms, wept bitterly beside her coffin. Gazing at the simple funeral furnishings in the tomb, he felt as if he had failed her. Overcome with sorrow and regret, he placed all of Li Chui’s finest jewelry and makeup accessories into her coffin, so that in her eternal rest, she would appear just as she did on their wedding day—dressed beautifully and shining as she once had.
More than a thousand years later, people were captivated by the extraordinary beauty of the jewelry found in Li Chui’s tomb. She was even mistakenly referred to as a “Tang Dynasty Imperial Princess” in various media reports.
However, few realized that this woman, who lived during the golden age of the Tang dynasty, had once experienced the pain of love constrained by her status. When faced with her tomb—so strikingly contrasting in its simplicity yet filled with luxurious jewelry—many could not understand why a woman from the imperial family held no honorary title. It was even harder for them to grasp the reasons behind the extraordinary choices she made in her life.
Restoration Basis of the Image
Li Chui (李倕)’s tomb was well-preserved, and the relative positioning of the various pieces of jewelry found within it was quite clear. This allowed for the preservation of much of the original information regarding how they were worn.
During the excavation, archaeologists carefully documented the placement of the jewelry and extracted the surrounding soil intact to be taken to the laboratory. There, experts from Germany carried out the restoration process on the jewelry. Today, these artifacts have been successfully restored through a collaboration between Chinese and German teams.
However, since the tomb experienced water infiltration in its early period, it is possible that some of the head ornaments worn by Li Chui shifted from their original positions. Therefore, the reconstructed arrangement after restoration still contains certain aspects open to debate.
To achieve a more accurate depiction, the reconstruction of Li Chui’s head ornaments was carried out by referencing Tang dynasty literature and iconography. This approach allows us to approximate how her original headpiece was worn.
Square floral ornaments for the bun, A pair of peacock-shaped floral crowns, Phoenix-shaped dangling hairpins
- Square floral ornaments for the bun (方胜花钿装宝髻 ; fāng shèng huā diàn zhuāng bǎo jì),
- A pair of peacock-shaped floral crowns (对孔雀衔花冠子 ; duì kǒng què xián huā guān zǐ),
- Phoenix-shaped dangling hairpins (凤鸟步摇宝钗 ; fèng niǎo bù yáo bǎo chāi)
The jewelry that remained well-preserved was the spherical ornaments scattered across the top of the head. At the center of the forehead was a Fangsheng (方胜 ; fāng shèng), shaped like a gold and silver basket, surrounded by floral decorations of various sizes that overlapped in a crisscross pattern. This jewelry was originally attached to fabric and could be directly worn over the head, forming a luxurious bun (宝髻 ; bǎo jì).
At the back of the bun, this jewelry was secured with an H-shaped gilded copper hairpin. There were also two identical phoenix-headed hairpins, made of gold and adorned with green jade, which were meant to be positioned on the left and right sides of the bun. On both sides of the phoenix hairpins, there were curved floral branch ornaments with small dangling jade pieces.
The front part of the bun (宝髻 ; bǎo jì) was primarily composed of a pair of peacock wings and tails made of interwoven gold threads, facing each other. In the center was a jeweled floral ring wrapped with gold wire. At the very bottom, a lotus-shaped base adorned with multicolored gemstone pendants hung from small flowers. Since the organic materials forming the peacock’s body had decayed over time, the reconstruction references depictions of two peacocks biting floral branches on a silver box from the Hejiacun site and another silver box from the Chen family tomb in Yingshan, Luoyang. These depict peacocks holding floral branches and vines in their beaks. Based on this, it is believed that the original arrangement consisted of two facing peacocks biting a jeweled floral ring. Together, these two peacocks and the lotus base formed a floral crown.
Looking at Tang dynasty poetry, descriptions of women’s head ornaments align closely with this reconstruction. In《烧香曲》(shāo xiāng qū) by Li Shangyin, a woman’s headdress is described with the words:
“钿云蟠蟠牙比鱼，孔雀翅尾蛟龙须。”
“The cloud patterns are like fish with curved teeth, the peacock wings and tail resemble the whiskers of a dragon.”
This suggests that Huadian (花钿 huā diàn, floral ornaments) were embedded with ivory and fish-bone inlays, while peacock wings and tails were crafted from twisted gold wires resembling dragon whiskers.
Similarly, in《归国谣》(guī guó yáo) by Wen Tingyun, it is written:
“翠凤宝钗垂簏簌，钿筐交胜金粟。”
“The emerald phoenix hairpin sways gently, the sound of its tassels soft and clear. The jeweled hairpin basket intertwines, more dazzling than golden millet.”
This describes a jade-adorned phoenix hairpin, while the Fangsheng-shaped floral basket was filled with golden millet decorations.
These poetic descriptions closely resemble Li Chui’s head ornaments, providing an accurate depiction of how Tang dynasty women’s headdresses looked—especially the one found in Li Chui’s tomb.
Introduction to Jewelry: Baoji (宝髻 ; bǎo jì)
宝髻偏宜宫样，莲脸嫩，体红香。眉黛不须张敞画，天教入鬓长。
莫倚倾国貌，嫁取个，有情郎。彼此当年少，莫负好时光。
—————（唐）李隆基《好时光》
“Do not rely solely on captivating beauty, choose a partner with a loving heart.
While you are still young, do not waste these beautiful times.”
— (Tang dynasty) Li Longji,《好时光》(hǎo shí guāng)
Emperor Tang Xuanzong, Li Longji, once composed the song《好时光》(hǎo shí guāng), and the lyrics “While you are still young, do not waste these beautiful times” perfectly capture the essence of Li Chui’s life. Meanwhile, the ornaments in her hair also align with the beauty described in the lyrics, creating a striking visual impression of feminine elegance.
Her bun was adorned with various gold, silver, and gemstone ornaments, forming what was known as Baoji (宝髻). This hairstyle could be arranged using natural hair styled and decorated, or it could be an artificial bun that was pre-decorated and attached using hairpins or needles. As described in《贴美人》(tiē měi rén) by Zhang Xiaobiao: “A bun adorned with gold and jade“.
Similarly, in a Tang manuscript found in the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang,《云谣集杂曲子 · 抛球乐》(yún yáo jí zá qǔ zǐ · pāo qiú lè) mentions: “The Baoji hairpin dangles at the temple, so charming, far surpassing the beauty of the women of Shangyang“.
The adornments on Baoji (宝髻) mainly consisted of various types of golden baskets decorated with Huadian (花钿) floral ornaments and peacock motifs. Aside from Li Chui’s well-preserved headpiece, a relatively intact headdress with its original position preserved was also discovered in a Tang tomb from the Kaiyuan period in Baofeng, Henan.
At the center of the Baoji, there was a long-plumed golden bird adorned with gemstones, along with an upright gold-plated copper coin. Additionally, small floral ornaments made from twisted gold wires were present. On both sides of the Baoji, there was a pair of gold hairpins with Huadian designs embedded with gemstones, neatly arranged on the left and right of the bun.
In the tomb of Jinxiang Xianzhu (金乡县主 ; Jīnxiāng Xiànzhǔ) from the 12th year of Kaiyuan (724) and the tomb of Su, the wife of Lieutenant Liu Fujun in Shahe (沙河县尉刘府君夫人苏氏) from the 17th year of Kaiyuan (729), fragments of Huadian (花钿) were found scattered. These Huadian pieces often featured various gemstones such as coral, amber, agate, colored glass, pearls, and Sese (瑟瑟 ; sè sè), as well as ornaments made from polished fish bones, ivory, and shells.
Among all the gemstones discovered, the most famous was the green-colored stone originating from Persia and Liangzhou, known as Sese (瑟瑟). In a Tang manuscript found in the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang,《敦煌廿咏》(dūn huáng niàn yǒng) includes a poem titled《瑟瑟咏》(sè sè yǒng), which specifically mentions the use of Sese in jewelry:
瑟瑟焦山下，悠悠采几年。
为珠悬宝髻，作璞间金钿。
色入青霄里，光浮黑碛边。
世人偏重此，谁念楚材贤。
“Beneath Mount Jiao, gathered slowly over years,
Becoming pearls that hang upon the Baoji, forged with metal and gems.
Its color reaches the blue sky, and its radiance gleams upon the black stone’s edge.
The world treasures this above all—who still remembers the wise men of Chu?”
Introduction to Jewelry: Buyao (步摇 ; bù yáo)
On both sides of the Baoji on Li Chui’s head, there are small ornaments in the shape of birds standing on flower branches, with tiny dangling beads that can move. According to artifact restoration experts, these ornaments may have originally been placed at the temples or could be components of a popular piece of jewelry at the time called Buyao (步摇 ; bù yáo).
Buyao is a type of jewelry that hangs from the tip of a jade phoenix hairpin, and as a woman walks slowly, the ornament moves with her steps on the sides of her chignon. As recorded in《事物纪原》(shì wù jì yuán) by Gao Cheng during the Song dynasty:
“During the Kaiyuan era, when women met their parents-in-law, they wore Buyao and fastened jade phoenix hairpins.”
Similar imagery was also found in the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, particularly in the murals of Cave 130,《都督夫人太原王氏一心供养》(dū dū fū rén tài yuán wáng shì yī xīn gòng yǎng), which depict a group of women wearing Buyao as part of their attire.
The Evolution of Buyao
In the past, the term Buyao referred to a hairpin or hair clasp adorned with various types of dangling golden flowers, such as those worn by Lady Yang, the wife of Prince Wu, who used gold flower hairpins made of fine gold threads. However, since the peak period of the Tang dynasty, the meaning of Buyao expanded and became a more general term for all types of hair clasps or hairpins with dangling ornaments.
For example, in《宫中乐》(gōng zhōng lè) by Zhang Zhongsu (张仲素 ; Zhāng Zhòngsù), it is written “珠钗挂步摇“, means pearl hairpins dangle with Buyao).
Tang historian Yao Runeng (姚汝能 ; Yáo Rǔnéng) also recorded that during the early Tianbao era (天宝), the fashion among women was: “妇人则簪步摇“, means women at that time wore Buyao).
Buyao in Li Chui’s Tomb
In Li Chui’s tomb, a pair of finely carved jade ornaments was also discovered, which were likely pendants from a Buyao. These may be a continuation of the tradition of women’s headdress ornaments that had developed since the reign of Wu Zetian, the first female emperor in Chinese history.
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 for more notes)
See you in the next notes. And thank you 谢谢!
张儒英 Zhang Ruying