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Library>Culture ABC>Folk Way>Shoes & Hats

Evolution of Caps in China

Cap was invented long ago in China. For example, in Chinese idioms, there are “Yi Guan Chu Chu” (neatly dressed both in clothes and in cap), and “Guan Mian Tang Huang(elegant and stately in dressing)”, and so on. The “Guan” and “Mian” here refer to cap.

The code of wearing caps was an important part in China’s costume code: when a man reached the age of 20, he began to wear cap, and on that occasion there was a ceremony called “Guanli(Ceremony of the Cap)”, indicating that he had grown up.

The cap in ancient China was not the same as the present-day one. It had only a narrow ridge covering only part of the calvaria, not like today’s cap that covers the whole head.

After the cap came into being, hierachical rule in terms of social status was applied to it: a poor person with a low social status was not allowed to wear a cap. The rule on cap wearing was different from dynasty to dynasty.

In the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD), the shape of the cap was already similar to that of today. Cap must be matched with a headband. A lowly person could only wear a headband, and a minor was only allowed to wear a hollow headband. The influence of such a rule lasted until the Ming Dynasty
(1368-1644).

In the Ming Dynasty, theWushamao(black gauze cap) appeared in the official uniform. “Mian” appeared earlier than “Guan”, and generally refers to “Mian”(crown) specially used by the king. Only when the son of the emperor succeeded to the throne could he be coronated (Jiamian, in Chinese, meaning
offering the crown). Laborers could only wear headband, mostly for wiping off the sweat, and later it served as a cap.

Chinese caps have their own national features. In ancient times, people of the Liao (916-1125) and Jin (1115-1234) Dynasties usually wore fur caps, and people of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) usually wore helmet-style caps and hats. Moreover, there were little colorful cap of the Uygur, felt cap of
the Tu, fox fur cap of the Mongolian, and so on. In daily life, cap (hat) has also such functions as cold protection, warm keeping, and decoration.

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Library>Culture ABC>Folk Way>Ethnic Marriage

Yao

A Yao groom wears traditional red sash

The Yao people practice monogamy and usually don’t intermarry with people of other ethnic groups. Some marriages are arranged by parents and a few are realized through free love.

Young people freely choose their spouses mainly through singing in antiphonal style. After observation, comparison and consideration in group singing, a young man may sing with a specific girl in antiphonal style if he takes a liking of her.

Matchmaking is prevalent among Yao people. Even those who choose a spouse via antiphonal singing still need a matchmaker and go through the process of engagement.

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Library>China ABC>Religion>Christians & Sects

Zhao Zichen

Zhao Zichen (1888-1979) was a theologian of Chinese Christianism, educationalist, main leader of Christianism and famous poet.

He was born inZhejiangProvince. In 1907, he was baptized and embraced Christianism. In 1941, he became a priest of the Protestant Episcopal Church. In 1948, he was elected as vice chairman of the World Joint Christian Association. In the 1950s, he took part in the Three-self Patriotic Movement of
the Protestant Churches inChina.

In the 1940s, Zhao Zichen’s theological thought changed a lot. He claimed that Christianism could be amalgamated and complemented with traditional Chinese culture. He thought that Christian followers should care for the fate of country. In 1979, he died inBeijing.

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