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Chinese hairpin

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Chinese hairpin
凤首金顶银簪03564
Two styles of Chinese hairpin, zan and chai.
TypeTraditional Chinesehairpin
MaterialDiverse
Place of originChina,at least since theNeolithicHemudu culture(5500 BC to 3300 BC)

Ji(Chinese:Kê );pinyin:Jī) (also known asFazan(Chinese:Phát trâm );pinyin:Fà zān),Zanzi or Zan(Chinese:Trâm tử or trâm );pinyin:Zānzi or zān) for short)[1][2]andChai(Chinese:Thoa );pinyin:Chāi) are generic terms for hairpin inChina.[3]'Ji'(with the same character ofKê) is also the term used for hairpins of theQin dynasty.[4]The earliest form ofChinese hair stickwas found in the NeolithicHemudu culturerelics; the hair stick was calledJi(Chinese:Kê );pinyin:Jī), and were made from bones, horns, stones, and jade.[5]

Hairpins are an important symbol inChinese culture,[1]and are associated with many Chinese cultural traditions and customs.[6]They were also used as every day hair ornaments in ancient China;[3]all Chinese women would wear a hairpin, regardless of their social rank.[7]The materials, elaborateness of the hairpin's ornaments, and the design used to make the hairpins were markers of the wearer's social status.[1][6]Hairpins could be made out of various materials, such asjade,gold,silver,ivory,bronze,bamboo,carvedwood,tortoiseshellandbone,as well as others.[3][8][1][9]

Prior to the establishment of theQing dynasty,both men and women coiled their hair into a bun using aji.[3]There were many varieties of hairpin, many having their own names to denote specific styles, such aszan,ji,chai,buyaoandtiaoxin.[10][3][11]

Cultural[edit]

Burials[edit]

During theChinese funeralperiod, women in mourning were not allowed to wear hairpins.[1]

Jiceremony[edit]

See also:Guan Li

Jiplayed an important role in the coming-of age ofHan Chinesewomen.[1][4]Before the age of 15 years old, women did not use hairpins, and always kept their hair in braids.[1]When a woman turned 15, she stopped wearing braids, and a hairpin ceremony called"Ji Li"(Kê lễ), or "hairpin initiation", would be held to mark the rite of passage.[3][1][6][4]During the ceremony, their hair would be coiled into a bun with ajihairpin.[1][4]After the ceremony, the woman would be eligible for marriage.[3][6][4]

Hairpins as a love token[edit]

Betrothal and wedding customs[edit]

When engaged to be married, Chinese women would take the hairpin from their hair and give it to their male fiancé.[1]After thewedding,the husband would then return the hairpin to his newly-wed wife by placing it back in her hair.[1]

Separation and reunion love token[edit]

Thechaihairpin[12]also used to be a form of love token; when lovers were forced to break apart, they would often break a hairpin in half, and each would keep half of the hairpin until they were reunited.[3]

Similarly, when married couples were separated for a long period of time, they would break a hairpin in two and each keep one part.[1]If they were to meet again in the future, they would then put the hairpin together again, as a proof of their identity and as a symbol of their reunion.[1]

Design and construction[edit]

Materials[edit]

Silver hairpins,Tang dynasty

Initially, Chinese people liked hairpins which were made out ofboneandjade.[13]Hairpins which were made out of carved jade appeared in China as early as theNeolithic Period(c. 3000–1500 BC), along with jade carving technology.[7]Some ancient Chinese hairpins dating from theShang dynastycan still be found in some museums.[14]

By the Bronze Age, hairpins which were made out ofgoldhad been introduced into China by people living on the country's Northern borders.[13]Some ancient Chinese hairpins dating back to 300 BC were made from bone, horn, wood, and metal.[8]

The art of engraving wood first appeared in theTang dynasty,and this new form of art was then applied to large wooden Chinese hairpins.[15]Many of these wooden hairpins were then coated with silver.[15]

In theMing dynasty,the hairpins became more elaborate, and the carvings were made on silver, ivory, and jade, with pearl being used often as a setting.[15]

Decorations[edit]

Hairpins could also be decorated with gemstones, as well as designs of flowers, dragons, and phoenixes.[8]

Types[edit]

There are various types of Chinese hairpins:

Zan[edit]

The Zan is a type of hairpin with a single pin.[10][9]The Zan could also come in different styles such as:[10]

  • Ji-style:A style ofzanhairpin which likely refers to the hairpin used to secure the hair in a bun.[10]
  • Ruyi-style:A style ofzanhairpin in the shape of aruyiscepter.[10]
  • Tiger-head style[10]
  • Round-dragon style[10]
  • Shang dynasty bone hairpin
    Shang dynastybone hairpin
  • Shang Bone Ji
    Shang Bone Ji
  • Shang bronze hairpin
    Shang bronze hairpin
  • Shang dynasty jade hairpin
    Shang dynasty jade hairpin
  • Spring & Autumn Bronze Hairpin
    Spring & Autumn Bronze Hairpin
  • Warring States period bronze hairpin
    Warring States period bronze hairpin
  • Tang dynasty jade hairpin.
    Tang dynasty jade hairpin.
  • Coral hairpin, Song dynasty.
    Coral hairpin, Song dynasty.
  • Hairpin from Southern Song.
    Hairpin from Southern Song.
  • Ming jade hairpin decorated with flowers.
    Ming jade hairpin decorated with flowers.
  • Ming gold hairpins
    Ming gold hairpins
  • Tomb of Prince Chuang of Liang-gold hairpins
    Tomb of Prince Chuang of Liang-gold hairpins
  • Ming dynasty Jade Hairpins & Ornaments
    Ming dynasty Jade Hairpins & Ornaments
  • Ming dynasty Hairpins & Gold Earrings
    Ming dynasty Hairpins & Gold Earrings
  • Ming Gold Hairpins
    Ming Gold Hairpins
  • Ming Gold Earrings and Hairpin
    Ming Gold Earrings and Hairpin
  • Ming Gold Hairpin and gourd earrings
    Ming Gold Hairpin and gourd earrings
  • Hairpin from China, Qing dynasty, nephrite,
    Hairpin from China, Qing dynasty,nephrite,
  • Qing dynasty hairpin, Silver gilt
    Qing dynasty hairpin, Silver gilt

Phoenix hairpin[edit]

Phoenix (Fenghuang)hairpin originated inQin dynastyand had an upper part made of gold and silver while the feet was made of tortoise shell; it later evolved into thefengguanduring theSong dynasty.Thefengguanthen continued to evolve further in theMingandQing dynasties,and in the modern republic.[16]In theHan dynasty,an imperial edict decreed that the hairpin withfenghuangdecorations had to become the formal headpiece for theempress dowagerand the imperial grandmother.[16]The Fenghuang is an auspicious bird in Chinese tradition and is believed to represent the empress or the bride in a wedding.[17]Phoenix hairpins were also made and used byPeranakanwomen after settling in the Straits as part of their wedding headdresses.[17]

  • Phoenix (Fenghuang) hairpin
  • A pair of fire-gilded silver phoenix hairpins of the Southern Song dynasty.
    A pair of fire-gilded silver phoenix hairpins of the Southern Song dynasty.
  • Ming-Qing Gold Earrings & phoenix Hairpin
    Ming-Qing Gold Earrings & phoenix Hairpin
  • Golden phoenix hairpins from the tomb of Prince Chuang of Liang, Ming dynasty, 15th century
    Golden phoenix hairpins from the tomb of Prince Chuang of Liang, Ming dynasty, 15th century

Chai[edit]

Thechaiis a type of hairpin with double or multiple pins.[10][9]The double-pinchaievolved from thezan;it was frequently found in Chinese poetry and literature as it played an important symbol and as a love token.[12]

  • Jin dynasty (Western & Eastern) Silver Hairpin
    Jin dynasty(Western & Eastern) Silver Hairpin
  • Tang dynasty chai.
    Tang dynastychai.
  • Ming dynasty gold hairpin
    Ming dynasty gold hairpin
  • Yuan dynasty chai.
    Yuan dynastychai.
  • peony gold hairpin
    peony gold hairpin
  • Tang dynasty,silver,gilt - Royal Ontario Museum
    Tang dynasty,silver,gilt - Royal Ontario Museum
  • Tang Gilded Silver Hairpins
    Tang Gilded Silver Hairpins
  • Ming Gold Hairpin
    Ming Gold Hairpin
  • Silver hairpin of Tang Dynasty
    Silver hairpin of Tang Dynasty
  • Liao dynasty Gold Hairpin
    Liao dynastyGold Hairpin
  • Tang Gilded Silver Hairpin
    Tang Gilded Silver Hairpin
  • Ming dynasty gold chai
    Ming dynastygold chai

Buyao[edit]

Thebuyaowas an elaborate and exquisite form of hairpin which denoted noble status.[3]It was generally made of gold and was often decorated with jewels (such as pearls and jade) and carved designs (such as in the shape of dragons or phoenix).[3][13]It looked similar to azan,[12]but one of its main characteristics is its dangling features, which gave it its name'buyao'(lit. "shake as you go" or "that sway with each step" or "step shake" ).[3][9][18][12]Thebuyaobecame popular in theWestern Han dynasty.[13]

  • Qing dynasty gold phoenix zan hairpin.
    Qing dynasty gold phoenixzanhairpin.
  • Buyao, 18th century
    Buyao, 18th century

Diancuihairpin[edit]

Thediancuihairpin, also known as "kingfisherfeatherhairpin ",[19]were made using the traditional Chinese art ofdiancui.[18]

  • Kingfisher feather hairpin.
    Kingfisher feather hairpin.
  • Kingfisher feather hairpin
    Kingfisher feather hairpin
  • Tian-tsui cricket-shaped hairpin
    Tian-tsuicricket-shaped hairpin

Flower-hairpin headdresses[edit]

The Flower-hairpin headdresses is a generic term which was used to refer to the jewelry and headdresses worn by the Song dynasty Empresses and imperial concubines.[20]The Flower-hairpin headdresses were decorated with flower hairpins.[20]Different numbers of flowers were used depending on the imperial consorts' ranks and specific imperial rules were issued on their usage.[20]

Jin chan yu yue[edit]

Jin Chan yu yue (Chinese:Kim thiền ngọc diệp );pinyin:Jīn chán yù yè) Known as the "gold cicada on a jade leaf" hairpin, or"jin zhi yu ye""Jin zhi yu yue"(Chinese:Kim chi ngọc diệp );pinyin:Jīnzhīyùyè) (lit. golden branches and jade leaves) a homonym for theChineseidiom "one of noble birth",[21]a type of Ming dynasty hairpin in the shape of acicadamade of gold sitting on a piece of jade carved in the shape of a leaf.[9][21]

Tiaoxin[edit]

The Tiaoxin (Chinese:Thiêu tâm );pinyin:Tiāo xīn) is a Chinese hairpin worn by women in the Ming dynasty in their hair bun; the upper part of the hairpin was usually in the shape of a Buddhist statue, an immortal, aSanskritword, or a phoenix.[11]The Chinese charactershou(Thọ,"longevity" ) could also be used to decorate the hairpin.[11][22]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdefghijklm"Hairpins in Society and Art".Hairpin Museum bách liên cương hóa tác nhiễu phát nhu phát trâm bác vật quán.Retrieved2021-05-05.
  2. ^Wu, Shu-Ling (2019).Mastering advanced modern Chinese through the classics.Haiwang Yuan. Abingdon, Oxon: Taylor & Francis. pp. 125, 233.ISBN978-1-315-20897-8.OCLC1053623258.
  3. ^abcdefghijk"Historical hair ornaments and their social connotations".usa.chinadaily.com.cn.Retrieved2021-05-05.
  4. ^abcdeHidden dimensions of education: rhetoric, rituals and anthropology.Werler, Tobias. Wulf, Christoph. Waxmann. 2006. pp. 165–168.ISBN3-8309-1739-2.OCLC470776855.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. ^"Chu nguyên di chỉ xuất thổ đích cốt kê".
  6. ^abcd"Chinese cloisonne hairpin".collection.maas.museum.Retrieved2021-05-06.
  7. ^ab"Material & Technology".Hairpin Museum bách liên cương hóa tác nhiễu phát nhu phát trâm bác vật quán.Retrieved2021-05-06.
  8. ^abcSherrow, Victoria (2006).Encyclopedia of hair: a cultural history.Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. p. 179.ISBN0-313-33145-6.OCLC61169697.
  9. ^abcdeYuan, Xiaowei (2017)."Traditional Chinese Jewelry Art: Loss, Rediscovery and Reconstruction Take Headwear as an Example".Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Contemporary Education, Social Sciences and Humanities (ICCESSH 2017).Atlantis Press. pp. 550–554.doi:10.2991/iccessh-17.2017.135.ISBN978-94-6252-351-7.
  10. ^abcdefghLiving the good life: consumption in the Qing and Ottoman empires of the eighteenth century.Elif Akçetin, Suraiya Faroqhi. Leiden: Brill. 2018. p. 205.ISBN978-90-04-35345-9.OCLC1008768840.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: others (link)
  11. ^abc"Golden Hairpin Decorated with Character" Shou "- Chengdu Museum".www.cdmuseum.com.Retrieved2021-05-06.
  12. ^abcd"Tradition of China - Hair Ornament Culture | ChinaFetching".ChinaFetching.com.Retrieved2021-05-06.
  13. ^abcd"Hair Accessories - MIHO MUSEUM".www.miho.jp.Retrieved2021-05-06.
  14. ^"Hairpin 13th–11th century B.C. China".www.metmuseum.org.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-05-06.Retrieved2021-05-06.
  15. ^abcLester, Katherine Morris (2004).Accessories of dress: an illustrated encyclopedia.Bess Viola Oerke, Helen Westermann. Mineola, New York. p. 118.ISBN978-0-486-14049-0.OCLC857715305.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  16. ^abCheng, Hui-Mei (2001)."Research on the Form and Symbolism of the Chinese Wedding Phoenix Crown".Proceedings of the Korea Society of Costume Conference:59–61.
  17. ^ab"Phoenix hairpin".www.roots.gov.sg.Retrieved2022-10-22.
  18. ^abWu, Yiqian (2020).A Study of Historical Transformation and Cultural Change in Chinese Dian-cui Jewellery [Thesis].University of Sydney(Thesis). pp. 21, 30, 33, 43–44.hdl:2123/24005.
  19. ^"Kingfisher feather hairpin from China".collection.maas.museum.Retrieved2021-05-06.
  20. ^abcZhu, Ruixi; chu thụy hi (2016).A social history of middle-period China: the Song, Liao, Western Xia and Jin dynasties.Bangwei Zhang, Fusheng Liu, Chongbang Cai, Zengyu Wang, Peter Ditmanson, Bang Qian Zhu (Updated ed.). Cambridge, United Kingdom. pp. 26–27.ISBN978-1-107-16786-5.OCLC953576345.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  21. ^abLiu, Fang (2011)."Rare collections of the Ming and Qing Dynasties".europe.chinadaily.com.cn.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-05-06.Retrieved2021-05-06.
  22. ^"Traditional Chinese Hair Jewelry - Ming Style Diji & Tiaopai".www.newhanfu.com.2020-12-04.Retrieved2024-05-28.
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