Bianfu (Chinese: 弁服; pinyin: biànfú) is a historical set of attire in Hanfu consisting of a knee-length Chinese upper garment known as jiangshapao (绛纱袍) over a qun, a Chinese skirt, known as hongchang (红裳; 'red skirt') or pair of ku-trousers along with other accessories.[1][2] Coupled with the Chinese headwear known as pibian, the complete set of attire is also referred as pibianfu (皮弁服).[2] This set of attire was considered to be a ceremonial dress.[1] In the Zhou dynasty, the bianfu was only ranked-second after the mianfu and it was worn by the emperors when he would work on official business or when he would meet with the court officials.[3]
The upper garment known as jiangshapao (绛纱袍; 絳紗袍) which was red in colour[2] and extended all the way to the knees.[1] This was typically worn over a red skirt known as hongchang (红裳; 'red skirt') that reached the length of the ankles.[1] The wearing of a qun under an upper garment was only worn during formal occasions.[1] Over the hongchang, the wearer wore a red coloured bixi.[2] Under the red outer garments, an inner garment known as zhongdan (中单) was worn.[2] A yugui (玉圭; 'jade tablet') would be held in its wearer's hands; it was further accessorized with yupei (玉佩), daxiaoshou (大小绶; "a ribbon-like accessory"), and the belt called dadai (大带; 大帶).[2] The bian (弁), also known as pibian (皮弁), was a cylinder-shaped guan (headwear) that completed the outfit.[1]
Composition of pibianfu
Jiangshapao (绛纱袍; 絳紗袍)
Pibian (皮弁) according to the Chinese encyclopedia Gujin Tushu Jicheng, between 1700 and 1725.
^ abcdefDong, Jin; 董进. (2011). Q ban da Ming yi guan tu zhi (Di 1 ban ed.). Beijing Shi: Beijing you dian da xue chu ban she. ISBN978-7-5635-2501-0. OCLC828035990.
^Feng, Ge (2015). Traditional Chinese rites and rituals. Zhengming Du. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN978-1-4438-8783-0. OCLC935642485.
Jiangshapao (绛纱袍; 絳紗袍)
Dadai (大帶)
