Page 81 - Ming_China_Courts_and_Contacts_1400_1450 Craig lunas

Plate 7.5 Anonymous, Official Portrait of Song Empress Yang, Wife Plate 7.6 Anonymous, Official Portrait of Song Empress Liu, Wife
of Emperor Ningzong, Southern Song dynasty. Album leaf, ink and of Emperor Zhenzong, Northern Song dynasty. Hanging scroll, ink
colour on silk, height 56.2cm, width 45.7cm. National Palace and colour on silk, height 177cm, width 120.8cm. National Palace
Museum, Taipei Museum, Taipei

of female figures appearing as though they are rising be imported. Zheng He’s 鄭和 (1371–1433) maritime voyages
upwards, at the apex of which is a single, clearly larger, and tribute from neighbouring lands provided a supply of
female figure riding a dragon (Pl. 7.6). Her unusual facial these precious materials, which were most likely the source
22
make-up may be a revival of an earlier fashion that gives the of the large stones decorating early Ming empresses’ crowns
impression of a purple veil. Hui-shu Lee has identified the as well as other imperial jewellery during the period 1400 to
23
figures as representations of the Queen Mother of the West 1450. According to Clunas, the preference for gold and gems
(Xiwangmu 西王母) and her entourage. The Queen in the Ming can be viewed as part of ‘pan-Eurasian high
24
Mother of the West is a goddess with ancient origins who elite material culture’, and may be related to the
was widely venerated from the Han dynasty (206 bce–220 continuation of Mongolian elite taste in the Ming, or at least
ce). Interestingly, although Song records do not mention a consequence of the increased trade that was made possible
25
this feature on empress’ crowns, it is referred to in the by the earlier Mongol empire.
27
sumptuary laws of the Jurchen Jin dynasty (1115–1234) that In recent years, scholars have shed light on the
ruled the north of China around the time of the Southern importance of the Mongolian legacy in Ming culture,
Song dynasty. In the Ming period, this feature no longer including in dress. So far, empresses’ crowns have not been
26
28
appeared on the decorations of empresses’ crowns. considered as an example of this. At first glance, the
Another notable difference between crowns depicted in distinctive headdress known as gugu 罟罟 worn by
Song and Ming portraits is the greater emphasis in the latter Mongolian elite married women bears little resemblance to
on precious materials. The viewer’s eyes are drawn to the Ming crowns. It is cylindrical and widens towards the top; its
different types and sizes of stones and pearls in the Ming exterior is decorated with precious materials and bird
portraits. Their clear outlines and shading highlight the feathers attached at the top. However, Ming empress’
29
lustre and three-dimensionality of the enormous gems inset crowns are related to Mongolian examples in the prominent
into gold. By comparison, the visual impact of the crowns in ‘pearl knots’, hangings with bejewelled flower designs that
Song portraits lies in the plethora of smaller elements that fall on both sides of the wearer’s face, reaching below the
30
cover them. Pearls also feature prominently there, including shoulders. Examples of Yuan empresses’ portraits, such as
apparently as facial decoration, but they tend to be smaller that of Empress Chabi (1227–81), wife of Qubilai Khan
and are usually of uniform size. The significance of (1215–94), show comparable double pearl hangings (Pl. 7.7).
gemstones in early Ming culture is discussed by Craig These are attached to a teardrop-shaped jewelled pendant
Clunas in Chapter 27 of this volume. Since China did not known as yaner 掩耳 (ear cover). This feature is not found at
31
possess a rich source of gemstones, historically they had to all in Song portraits. Instead, they show a single hanging

The Empress’ Dragon Crown: Establishing Symbols of Imperial Authority in the Early Ming | 71