从《说文解字·衣部》看中国古代的服饰礼仪

Abstract

Clothing was invented in ancient time to cover the human body for decency and prevent from the elements.With the continued progress of social civilization, people began to pay heed to decorum to have a good personal appearance and show their social significance. Gradually, clothing was given a cultural value apart from its initial practical value, forming dress codes.These dress codes are the essence of Chinese ritual culture originating thousands of years ago, and provide a glimpse of the prosperity of ancient Chinese ritual civilization.This paper sets out on a quest of the dress codes embodied in ancient Chinese clothing,·through sorting and research of "Shuowen Jiezi - Clothing".In Shuowen Jiezi, there are a total of 69 characters that are formed with the radical 衤and in relation to ritual culture.These characters manifest our ancestors' respect for ritual occasions, restriction of status in social pecking order and pursuit of aesthetic taste. In ancient China, different kinds of clothing were made for different occasions.In Shuowen Jiezi, there are a total of 21 characters that are formed with the radical 衤and in accordance with ritual culture.Sacrificial ceremonies were paramount to our ancestors. So, they were dressed in gorgeous and dignified costumes to express their respect for nature, the earth and the heaven, and the deceased emperors in former times.Usually, clothing for funerals was plain and simple, made with coarse hessian, to mourn the dead in somberness and humility.Clothing for receiving guests was sober and modest, to show respect for the guests.Home wear was mainly comfortable and cozy.Ancient Chinese clothing had an important function - to display the social hierarchy, different types of clothing for people in different strata.In Shuowen Jiezi, there are a total of 18 characters that are formed with the radical 衤and in relation to the part of ritual culture that symbolized social status.Emperors wore luxurious and splendid clothes. Folks wore clothes made of cheap fabric due to their restricted economic conditions. Servants and slaves in lower social status wore clothes made of coarse hessian. And the cheapest fabric was for the then so-called barbarians who were from aboriginal tribes or minority nationalities.With the development of society and the enhancement of aesthetic taste, our ancestors began designing clothing by applying colors, patterns, styles and other elements.In Shuowen Jiezi, there are a total of 46 characters that are formed with the radical 衤and in relation to the part of ritual culture that symbolized aesthetic taste.Guided by the philosophy "unity of heaven and man", a perfect aesthetic system came into shape in ancient China to highlight the harmony between man and nature, with patterns on clothing embodying privileges and details displaying craftsmanship.