Special costume: pi

Last week, we learned  about mang. Today, let’s learn about another special costume: pi  (a mantle worn by male or female roles).

Pi is the less-formal attire worn by these same groups. It is a long, brocade grow with decorative closures and long sleeves. Colors and designs vary according to the status and family backgroud of the character. The headgear varies as well: for male, the type of headgear indicates status; for females, it represents age.

So what kind of people usually use pi? In Chinese history, official men, lady from a wealthy family, older and gentry-class male usually wear pi. For example,  Emperor Guang Wu of the Han Dynasty is the character who wears a royal yellow robe with a round dragon design. In today’s picture, the old woman in the left wears a beautiful pi to show her maturity.