The Origin and Development of Headdresses for Aristocratic Ladies in the Qing Dynasty
| Autor: | CHEN, HUI-HSIA, 陳慧霞 |
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| Rok vydání: | 2017 |
| Druh dokumentu: | 學位論文 ; thesis |
| Popis: | 105 The imperial art and culture of the Qing dynasty has reached a high pinnacle under the supervision and support of the emperor. By analyzing the headdresses of Qing court aristocratic ladies, this thesis aims to trace the origins, developments and techniques of artifacts to understand their social and cultural significance in the Qing dynasty. Headdress is a trivial part of court life, but it is precisely its trivial nature that allows it to evolve with trends at the time and reflect the transformation of imperial culture and customs. The Qing dynasty is ruled by the Manchu people, a semi-nomadic tribe from northeast China who entered central China to rule the country. Its heterogeneous society includes the Han people, Mongolians, Tibetans, and Uighurs. Its vast territory houses different religions, tribes, and customs. Along with western influences in the nineteenth century, the multicultural society of China leaves its mark on Qing court headdresses of aristocratic ladies. The National Palace Museum in Taipei and the Forbidden City in Beijing are two museums that house the collection of the Qing imperial family and preserve headdresses and hairpins of court ladies. These objects are first-hand materials that reflect court life and help us understand written documentations of objects. These objects retain the yellow name tags that indicate their appellations and ingredients during the Qing dynasty, making them significant sources for historical research. Their different documentation dates offer important information on style evolution. Furthermore, when compared to the Qing Official Documents of Internal Affairs, these objects provide valuable information on historical figures and events. This thesis is divided into three parts. The first part focuses on the hats of Qing court aristocratic ladies, analyzing traditional styles and origins of Manchu headdresses. The second part focuses on hairstyles of aristocratic ladies, analyzing their headdresses, hairstyles, and hairpins. The third part focuses on artifact production, analyzing the changing roles of the pearl decoration on hairpins, as the emperor highly value pearls; it discusses the interaction between the imperial workshops and hired artisans and the exchange between official and local artisanship. Three conclusions arise from these analyses. First, the formation of Manchu headdresses could be traced back to the Jin dynasty with subsequent influence from the Song and Liao dynasties as well as Mongolian customs of the Yuan dynasty. In other words, Manchu culture and its transfer to Chinese society is a complex process and cannot be simply understood as “sinnicization.” Secondly, although the emperor could dominate the style and production of hairpins, the court ladies determine the combination in which they use the hairpins and decide their effect as decorations. Thirdly, the interaction between official and local artisanship has always existed. In the eighteenth century, imperial taste and technique affect local artifact production. In the nineteenth century, local artisans incorporate new techniques and motifs from abroad to add to the stylistic change of imperial headdresses. The development of Qing court headdresses manifests the receptive attitudes towards different cultures during the Qing dynasty and embodies the inclusiveness and adaptability of Qing imperial connoisseurship. |
| Databáze: | Networked Digital Library of Theses & Dissertations |
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