Da Mao 大帽, Ming Dynasty Big Hat

Da Mao (大帽 ; dà mào) or big hat was one of the important hats for men in the Ming dynasty and also gave influenced the surrounding regions and people. Da Mao can often be found in Ming dynasty portraits.

But hats with this shape existed before the Ming dynasty, inherited from the Song, Yuan, and became Da Mao in the Ming dynasty. Da Mao is also called “大檐帽 dà yán mào” or “大帽 dà mào” for short in literature.

This form of hat, called Fan Yang Li (范阳笠 ; fàn yáng lì) in the Song dynasty, and Bo Li Mao (钹笠帽 ; bó lì mào) in the Yuan dynasty, had a flat brim and was more than wide, the top could be decorated to distinguish official position.

Da Mao was one of the important and frequently worn head coverings by men in the Ming dynasty and could be worn by everyone from emperors to commoners. Da Mao was also an important formal garment for men in the Ming dynasty, much like the ceremonial hat.

Da Mao is also often given to the surrounding tribes as gifts, and there are many records in the “Ming Shilu 明实录”.