Preface
The Song Dynasty was an era full of culture and etiquette. Are you curious why Song Dynasty officials wore strange hats with long wings? What exactly is the unique purpose of this hat? What's even more puzzling is that even the emperor of the Song Dynasty himself had to wear this kind of hat, what is this for?
Is it just a decorative design? Or is there some hidden reason that is not well known? What was the motivation of the Song Dynasty emperor Zhao Kuangyin to invent this special official hat?
What role did it play in the political life of the Song dynasty? Let's uncover this mysterious long-winged hat and peek into the mysteries of the operation of imperial power in the Song Dynasty.
1. Origin: The legacy of the Tang Dynasty
To understand the origin of the official hat of the Song Dynasty, we must first look back at the earlier history of the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty was one of the most prosperous dynasties in Chinese history, with brilliant achievements in various fields such as politics, economy, and culture. This powerful aura was also naturally reflected in the attire of officials, and officials in the Tang Dynasty had already begun to wear a kind of hat with long wings.
Not only does this hat have a unique appearance, but it can also be used to identify the rank and status of officials. The length of the wings on each official's head varies, and the length of the wings represents their order in the court. The more senior the official, the longer the wings on his head.
This is actually a clever political calculation. In this way, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty hoped that his courtiers would keep a certain distance from the court and avoid being too intimate, thus reducing the number of private conversations between them.
After all, once the wings are too close, the distance between them will be too short, which will greatly reduce the emperor's control over the behavior of his courtiers. At the same time, this hat can also allow outsiders to identify at a glance how important the official in front of him is.
This plays a role that cannot be ignored in ensuring the order and prestige of the government. After all, in ancient societies, it was difficult for you to judge a person's status and identity by the clothing itself.
With this characteristic long-winged hat, it was easy to divide the official hierarchy and thus better maintain the imperial power. This unique official hat design was used in the Tang Dynasty, but in the Song Dynasty, it was given a completely new connotation.
Second, Zhao Kuangyin, who is not in the right position
Zhao Kuangyin, the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty, can be described as a very interesting character. The origin of his throne is not simple, and there are some elements of intrigue in it.
Zhao Kuangyin was originally only a general of the forbidden army, but with his military talent and foresight, he eventually usurped the Later Zhou Dynasty of the same period and established the Great Song Dynasty. This way of obtaining imperial power naturally made Zhao Kuangyin always maintain a faint worry about his dominance.
He was always worried that just like when he took the throne, there would be people who would take action against him and repeat the mistakes of the past. Therefore, Zhao Kuangyin has always been suspicious of the stability of his throne, and is always worried that someone will come to disturb him.
Such fears are not unfounded. For a period of time after Zhao Kuangyin ascended the throne, he did often find some whispers among courtiers. Sometimes, he could even sense a subtle hostility in the eyes of the officials.
These subtle changes were all keenly captured by Zhao Kuangyin. He is well aware that if this momentum is allowed to develop, sooner or later it will lead to more serious contradictions and even political turmoil.
As a result, Zhao Kuangyin decided to take some measures to strengthen his control over the rule, and the core of this set of measures was the invention of the magical long-winged official hat.
3. Zhao Kuangyin's "cunning"
So, what is the unique function of this official hat? The key lies in its two long wings. On the surface, the appearance of these two wings is indeed somewhat "redundant" and funny. Some people even joked that Song Dynasty officials wore such hats because they wanted to "fly over (Yue)".
But in fact, these two wings can be described as a delicate design planned by Zhao Kuangyin. As we mentioned earlier, Zhao Kuangyin was worried that there were some uncontrollable exchanges and collusion between the courtiers. These conversations often took place in the early dynasties, when all the officials would gather in the court to report to the emperor.
This situation is undoubtedly very unfavorable for Zhao Kuangyin. After all, as soon as there is a consensus among the courtiers, then his rule is likely to be threatened. Therefore, it is necessary to find ways to prevent such behaviour from happening.
And the long-winged official hat is a kind of "cunning" of Zhao Kuangyin. First of all, the two wings of this hat will constantly shake as the officer's body moves. This means that if two officials get too close together, each other's hats can easily collide with each other. This forces them to keep a certain distance, which greatly reduces the likelihood of private conversations.
Secondly, even if some officials still try to exchange heads and ears in the court, as long as they move, the long wings will swing together, completely exposing their behavior. This is undoubtedly a huge blow to those officials who intend to hide some secrets.
It can be said that this unique hat is like an invisible surveillance device, constantly monitoring the courtiers' every move. As long as there was any suspicious move, Zhao Kuangyin could immediately detect it.
Not only that, but the long-winged official hat also served as a kind of rank mark. The length of the wings on the heads of officials directly reflects their status in the DPRK. This kind of visual identity allows everyone to understand their position, so as to maintain due respect and distance in the court.
More importantly, this design also reflects Zhao Kuangyin's special concern about his throne. After all, his throne was obtained by usurpation, so he has always been uneasy, for fear that someone will follow his example and seize his country.
For this reason, Zhao Kuangyin even made a distinctive long-winged hat for himself, trying to create a "close to the people" image and express that he was not a strict and arbitrary emperor. In this way, he seems to want his subordinates to feel that he is really on the same front with them and jointly seeking development for the country.
To a certain extent, this special official hat design has become a unique strategy for Zhao Kuangyin to maintain his dominance. It shows both his vigilance and his political wisdom.
Fourth, the deep meaning behind the official hat
In this way, under the impetus of Zhao Kuangyin, the officials of the Song Dynasty gradually became accustomed to wearing this kind of long-winged hat in the court. This not only made the atmosphere of the entire court more solemn, but also made the relationship between civil and military officials more alienated.
It has been said that the courtiers of the time were probably worried all the time that their hats would accidentally touch their colleagues next door. Because once this happens, it is likely that his superiors, that is, the emperor, will think that he is fighting each other, and then be severely punished.
This practice did curb collusion among officials to a certain extent, but at the same time, it also invisibly strengthened the emperor's control over his courtiers. After all, in such a highly tense atmosphere, who would dare to act rashly?
However, despite this, the appearance of this official hat still caused some repercussions. Many people have a negative opinion of this practice, thinking that it is not aesthetically pleasing, and even comparing it to a kind of "cage".
However, Zhao Kuangyin didn't care about this. For him, the role of the official hat is far greater than its appearance. As long as he can effectively assert his dominance, he will not care what others think.
In fact, this official hat with two long wings was used during the Song Dynasty and became a very unique and iconic element of this dynasty. It not only reflects some characteristics of the political ecology at that time, but also reflects some hidden conditions of the operation of imperial power.
5. Extension: cultural inheritance through time and space
Interestingly, this special official hat design of the Song Dynasty not only affected the political pattern of the dynasty, but also left a deep mark on later generations.
For example, in Japan and the Korean Peninsula, you can see some traces of the influence of the Song Dynasty in the design of official uniforms. Some of the military generals there often wore hats with some wing decorations, which were quite similar to the official hats of the Song Dynasty.
This cultural diffusion is undoubtedly a very interesting phenomenon. We know that the Song Dynasty was once the center of the East Asian cultural circle, and its political system and social landscape left an important mark on the region. The winged official hat is a very vivid example of this.
It can be said that this special hat design represents a microcosm of the civilization of the Song Dynasty to some extent. It is not only a visual symbol, but also a cultural carrier with deep connotations.
Through the exploration of this official hat, we can not only understand some of the ruling mentality and political tricks of the rulers of the Song Dynasty, but also get a glimpse of the social style and cultural connotation of this dynasty. It opens a time tunnel into the past, allowing us to gain a deeper understanding of the politics and culture of that era.
We can see that although this official hat design originated in the Tang Dynasty, it was given a deeper meaning in the Song Dynasty. This not only reflects Zhao Kuangyin's concern about his own dominance, but also reflects some characteristics of the entire society at that time.
For example, there is a certain estrangement and distrust among the courtiers, which is the root of Zhao Kuangyin's design of the long-winged hat. This delicate relationship between officials and the emperor may be a microcosm of the social structure of the time.
At the same time, this strong symbolic awareness of hierarchy and identity also shows some characteristics of Song Dynasty society. At that time, people seemed to attach great importance to the display of status, which also became an important element in the design of official hats.
It can be said that this seemingly simple long-winged official hat contains a complex story behind it. It is not only a costume, but also a mirror that reflects the politics and culture of the time. Through its study, we are able to better understand the history of this important period of the Song Dynasty.
epilogue
The long-winged official hat that lasted from the Tang Dynasty to the Song Dynasty is undoubtedly a very representative cultural heritage. It not only witnesses some laws of ancient China's political evolution, but also reflects some special cognitions of people in that era about power and status.
The continuation of this cultural tradition also illustrates the continuity and inclusiveness of Chinese civilization. Even in different periods and environments, some unique elements can still maintain relative stability and continue to be given new connotations over time.
So, what kind of new wave can this magical winged official hat set off in the future? Does it still inspire us to rethink some of the mysteries of power, hierarchy, and even cultural identity?
These questions are undoubtedly worthy of further exploration. Let's join hands to travel through time and space, feel the historical charm and cultural wisdom behind this official hat, and maybe discover some new revelations.