What is a tassel? Tassels, called spikes, tassels and spikes in ancient times, are mostly ornaments made of colored feathers or colored silk threads. The overall shape is drooping spikes, giving people an elegant and hanging aesthetic feeling. They are often used to decorate carriages, terraces, curtains, pennants and crowns, and women's headdresses.
At present, the earliest historical documents about tassels are recorded in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty, which describes the great travelling crane in the ceremony of Emperor Tiandi, that is, "The golden dragon holds the jade first, analyzes the feather tassels before and after, and paints Yun Ni clothes". The royal carriage drivers, the prince and Xu, are all "red tassels, bird festivals, red and false". "This is a record of tassels used as decorations for chariots and horses in the Han Dynasty.
In addition, the origin of tassels can be traced back to an important hair accessory in ancient times-Step Shake. Tassels are often used as accessories for other decorations. Its initial form is hanging nails, and then gradually applied to other decorations, and also formed a distinctive decoration.
"China's Notes on Ancient and Modern Times" clearly stated: "After Yin, take the dragon step." It can be seen that the first step shake should be formed in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, and the emergence of tassels was roughly at the same time. As a beautifully shaped ornament, tassel has been passed down from generation to generation and developed continuously.
In the Han dynasty, "white beads are like cassia twig, one bird has nine flowers", among which "white beads" are tassels in a string of beads. In the Tang, Song, Ming and Qing Dynasties, the materials of tassel beads were gold, jade, coral, glass, amber and crystal. The tassel of jade jewelry has always been one of the important hair accessories for women from the pre-Qin Dynasty to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The tassel made of colored silk thread was most used in ancient chariots and horses, curtains and banners, and was often used with accessories such as harp, flute, pearls and jade gems, and even used as an artistic decoration in Manchu costumes.
In the etiquette culture of ancient China, tassels also played the role of etiquette symbol. Different tassels often symbolize the status and wealth of the wearer.
The most upscale tassel belongs to the corolla hanging from the crown of the ancient emperor. Colored thread made of pearls and jade, with twelve crowns before and after, one bead and twelve beads. Princes are equal people with different status and identity, and the number and material of crowns are important signs to distinguish between honor and inferiority. Women in the harem, such as the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager and wives of different ranks, should wear walking-rocking, and the shape of their tassels should match their status.
The same is true of the tassels on horses in the ceremonial procession, which must match their status. For example, in the Han Dynasty, the colorful and feathered tassels can be used before and after the chariots and horses of Emperor Tiandi, and the horses of Xu and Crown Prince can be used with red tassels.