The origin,shape and use of Jinxian crowns based on the empirical materials of portrait bricks in the Han Dynasty
To maintain the stability of the imperial power in the traditional society,the Han Dynasty established an effective civil official system.It showed a new appearance of civil and military co-rule.Based on this social background,the Jinxian crown came into being.It became the symbol of civil officials,and the Jinxian image was born since then.The core of the Jinxian image lies in the word"Jinxian",which implies that the wearer of this crown should recommend the virtuous.As one of the earliest male crowns of the Han Dynasty,the Jinxian crown could be worn by nobles or minor officials in the early Han Dynasty.Having forming many styles in the development and evolution of later generations,it was an integral part of men's headdress in traditional Chinese society.The paper aims to study the Jinxian image of civilian officials in the crown image system of the Han nationality,and to demonstrate the origin,shape and use of the Jinxian crown of the Han Dynasty based on the historical materials of the Han Dynasty's portrait bricks.Through the image data of Han Dynasty's portrait brick remains,this paper sorted out the changes of Jinxian crowns in different periods.The innovation point is to make up for the lack of physical objects in the early Han Dynasty with the help of image historical materials to ensure the accuracy of the research and to date the origin of the Jinxian crown.As a derivative developed from the official system in the Han Dynasty,the Jinxian crown already formed its basic pattern in the Western Han Dynasty.Originating from the single crown in the Western Han Dynasty,and with the combination of the single crown,Yanti(an ancient turban covering the forehead)and Jieze(a long-eared turban),the shape and system of Jinxian crowns were established under the influence of the increasingly perfect official system and etiquette thought after the transition and fusion stage of the Western Han Dynasty and Wang Mang period.At the same time,the study summarized the basic structure of the Jinxian crown in the research process,compared the relevant research on the Jinxian crown of the Han Dynasty,and concluded that the basic structure of the Jinxian crown in the Han Dynasty included Yanti,Jieze,the ear,the crown and the crown beam.As a valuable material for studying social life in the Han Dynasty,the unique stone reliefs in the Han Dynasty show the lifestyle of different classes from the social perspective of the Han Dynasty.The study took this as a starting point to explore the practical influence brought by the evolution of the shape and system of male Jinxian crowns in the Han Dynasty from the traditional Chinese value orientation of the Han Dynasty inheriting from the Qin Dynasty.It was mainly reflected in the fact that the social development of the Han Dynasty promoted and strengthened the sociality of headdress,and the basic shape and use of Jinxian crowns changed with the change of regime.From the perspective of the situation in which the Jinxian crown was used in the Han Dynasty society,the study concluded that it had the symbolic meaning of identification,dignity and etiquette and demonstrated the unique shape and symbol representation of the Jinxian crown in the Han Dynasty,which left a deep imprint on the official and civilian classes in the traditional Chinese society.Through the research on the Jinxian crown,the study draw the following conclusions and made corresponding prospects.As the source of the development of the civil officials'headdress system in the Han Dynasty,the Jinxian crown integrated the ruling thought in the evolution process and became a cultural carrier combining the functions of etiquette.aesthetics and symbolism,and also became a material carrier of the Han Dynasty's multi-culture,making it a significant motivation to promote the development of the later generations'headdress system.The shape and system of the Jinxian crown in the Han Dynasty were relatively simple.Still,its origin and evolution reflect the active thoughts of officials and ordinary people in the early Han Dynasty.The social changes brought by its exaggerated symbolism suggest that the Han Dynasty began to turn from prosperity to decline.The evolving trend of the symbol of the Jinxian crown enriched the cultural content of Han costume.It deepened the class barrier of Chinese feudal society.By studying the image of officials in the Han Dynasty,we can find the multi-dimensional performance of the Han men's headdress in different periods and spaces and supplement the contemporary research system of headdress.
Jinxian crown of the Han Dynastyportrait bricks in the Han DynastyJinxian imagethe officials and civilianscivil official systemceremonial symbol