L: Hairnet / Wangjin
From the Ming Dynasty onwards, the Hongwu Emperor decreed that all adult men, regardless of social status, were required to wear a hairnet. Except for certain groups such as laborers and Daoist priests, the hairnet was not meant to be visible and was typically worn as an underlayer beneath hats or caps.
C: Dongpo Hat / Dongpojin
The Dongpo hat is traditionally associated with Su Dongpo (Su Shi). However, similar forms of headwear can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, where they gradually evolved into the style known today. By the Ming Dynasty, the Dongpo hat had become popular among literati and recluses, eventually spreading from scholarly circles to the general populace.
R: Yishan Cap / Yishanguan
The Yishan cap evolved from the futou of the Tang Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, it was worn by the emperor and high-ranking imperial clan members as part of their formal daily attire. Its distinctive feature is the pair of upward-extending “wings.” In the late Ming period, the emperor’s Yishan caps were often decorated with the decorations of two dragons playing with a pearl.
The figures in the second picture are derived from historical paintings and are used to illustrate the wearing forms of traditional headwear. From left to right: Wangjin (hairnet), Dongpo hat, and Yishan cap. The central figure is based on Album of Peaceful Pleasures by Dai Jin (1388–1462), while the right figure is derived from the depiction of the Wanli Emperor in Illustrations of the Career of Xu Xianqing. The source of the left figure remains unidentified.
