Ceremonial Dress of a Shizi’s Fujin

Marriage and rank

The ceremonial attire of a *shizi's fujin* belonged to the formally recognised principal wife of a Qing prince's invested heir. The word *fujin* indicated a recognised consort within the imperial-clan system; it was not a general label for every married woman. The woman's ceremonial rank depended upon the status and investiture of her husband.

Volume 6 of the *Huangchao liqi tushi* contains specific provisions for her court crown. The winter crown was made with dark fur and red tasselled embellishment. Its openwork gold finial had two levels and nine eastern pearls, surmounted by a red gemstone; golden peacock decorations and further pearls were arranged around the crown, with pendant ornament at the back. The summer crown used blue velvet while retaining the main decorative scheme of the winter form. The same volume also describes a gold forehead band (*jinyue*) for the *shizi's fujin*, with eight openwork cloud motifs, eastern pearls and intervals of lapis lazuli.

The complete costume

Women's formal dress additionally required a court robe, outer court jacket, skirt and ceremonial beads. The pearl count at the crown's summit is thus one detail of a much larger attire system, not a description of the whole costume. For a named woman, one must first establish whether and when she held the status of *shizi's fujin*; clothing regulations cannot be applied indiscriminately to all periods of her marriage.

For related historical context and vocabulary, consult Festive Dress (Jifu) in the Qing Dynasty.

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