Yunjian

The cloud collar is named after the shape of the collar's lobes, == Cultural significance and symbolism ==

Chinese cosmology The motif was originally used as a cosmic symbol in China. The lobes which point in 4-directions (typically) represents the universe. In the Song dynasty, the human body was perceived as the "axis column of the universe" and was considered an extension from the earth to the sky since the post-Han dynasty period while a robe was considered as the "enveloping canopy of the Universe" which is the sky. The hole around at the neck of the sky-resembling robe may be been perceived as a symbolism of the "Sky gate" through which the axis column (i.e. the human body) is believed to penetrate through the "Sky gate". In Qing dynasty, this cosmological concept was maintained and could be seen in the cloud-studded upper part of the clothing, especially on the dragon robes. On the dragon robes, the represented the sky which was supported on the world; the world was represented by the motifs of mountains and seas which were decorating the base of the dragon robe. In the recent centuries, the motif has been mainly perceived as a purely decorative motif. In the late Ming and Qing dynasties, the cosmological was largely forgotten as the people became more materialistic, and by then, the motif became mainly an ornamental design. When the lobes of the were no longer perceived as representing the 4-directions, the number of lobes started to vary. The number of lobes were sometimes 3, 5, 6, 8 instead of the traditional use of the 4-lobes. == Origins ==

The origins of the appears to have been derived from multiple origins. There are also several hypotheses on their origins.According to Schuyler Cammann, the origins of motif is derived from the cosmological decorations which ornated the back of mirrors of the Han dynasty. The earliest forms of the motif appeared on the Chinese bronze mirrors found at the end of the Zhou dynasty (c. 4th and 3rd centuries BC). However, the Zhou dynasty motif was not fully evolved; it was only during the Eastern Han dynasty (c. 1st century AD) that the motif evolved fully. The motif may also have been derived from persimmon calyx pattern, which may have been called pattern, a flower pattern with 4 petals with each petal showing a different direction) used in lacquer and bronze wares of the Han dynasty. The persimmon calyx pattern originated in the Warring States Period and prevailed in the Han dynasty. The motif appears to have later been adapted to develop the actual garment collar. == Garment collar ==

Sui and Tang dynasties The as a form of garment collar was developed in the Sui dynasty from a feather coat. and was an element of the Chinese court dress since Tang dynasty. In the Tang dynasty, the pattern of 4-petal leaf which was used in the motif changed in details and became a cross flower and thus developed in the usual pattern which would decorate on fabrics. Till the Song dynasty, the design of the shows the combination of persimmon calyx motif and the ruyi clouds (auspicious clouds); this was also used in architecture of the Song dynasty. Ming dynasty In Ming dynasty, the garment collar appears to have been popular in both China and Mongolia in this period. The could be sometimes be used as a detachable collar or could be found woven into the women's robe. More often however, the was found on the women's robe as an appliqué. The practical use and the ceremonial associations of the may have contributed to the use of appliqué on the ao or shan (i.e. a type of Chinese jackets) in the 19th century. File:MET DP14327.jpg|Qing dynasty cloud collar. File:MET DP14334.jpg|Qing dynasty cloud collar. File:MET DP14328.jpg|Qing dynasty cloud collar. File:MET 187837.jpg|Qing dynasty cloud collar. File:MET 80042.jpg|Qing dynasty cloud collar. File:Cloud collar painting by Tang Yin - Making the Bride's Gown.jpg|Woman wearing cloud collar in a painting, d. 1700–1825. File:Woman's Short Coat (China), early 19th century (CH 18565493).jpg|Woman's Short Coat (China) with a cloud collar appliqué, early 19th century (front view). File:Woman's Short Coat (China), early 19th century (CH 18565493-2).jpg|Woman's Short Coat (China) with a cloud collar appliqué, early 19th century (back view). File:Collar (AM 3512-7).jpg|Multi-layered cloud collar (section view). File:Collar (China), 19th century (CH 18397795).jpg|yunjian in 19th century In Qing, the became an indispensable item for women's wedding clothing, and by the 19th century, it was an important central element to the Han Chinese women's celebratory clothing. The worn by the Han Chinese as ceremonial clothing and for wedding was a detachable collar which was worn on top of the mang ao (i.e. the dragon jacket) and the Qing dynasty xiapei (a type of stole). Republic of China The continued to appear in the Chinese robes during the Republic of China. File:Robe, long (AM 960-2).jpg|Chinese long robe with cloud collar motif. == 21st century ==

In the 21st century, modern started to be used to ornate the modern hanfu; however, it has gradually lost its original cultural significance. == Chinese opera costumes ==

The was also worn in women Chinese opera costumes. File:Office of Great Peace Album of Opera Faces 1-15.jpg|Picture depicting makeup for characters in the Peking opera, Qing dynasty. File:Office of Great Peace Album of Opera Faces 1-33.jpg|Picture depicting makeup for characters in the Peking opera, Qing dynasty. File:宮衣-Theatrical Robe for the Role of a Princess MET 1970 274 front sf.jpg|宮衣-Theatrical Robe for the Role of a Princess with a cloud collar motif. File:MET DP-1287-002.jpg|Theatrical Robe with a cloud collar. == Chinese ceramics ==

The use of the cloud collar motif on ceramic works appears to more commonly on the Ming dynasty ceramics although this ceramic design could have already been developed during the Yuan dynasty. == Influences and derivatives ==

Clothing Islamic Cultural sphere During the Mongol invasion of Eurasia, the Mongols brought new artistic concepts to the Islamic cultural sphere, including Persia, and in Central Asia. File:HulaguAndDokuzKathun.JPG|Yunjian motif on robes, by Rachid Al-Din File:Tolui Khan.jpg|Tolui Khan wearing a half-sleeve robe with yunjian motif File:Arghun et Tegüder.jpeg|Arghun and Tegüder, Ilkhanate File:CoronationOfOgodei1229.jpg|Coronation of Ogodei,1229 File:Djengiz Khân et Toghril Ong Khan.jpeg|Genghis Khan and Wang Khan, by Rashid al-Din. Nestorian art Some Nestorian arts depict the cloud collar; for example, a Nestorian headstone which was discovered at the site of Xia Shrine (a district once reserve for Muslim and Christian burial) depict an angel dressed in Mongol style wearing a yunjian. Japan The Chinese cloud collar was also introduced in the arts of Japan where it is depicted on the image of the bodhisattva Manjusri. as part of their wedding set of attire. The phoenix collar is multi-layered and the overlapping layers are movable which represent the feathers of a phoenix. This can be seen from a Mexican vase dating from the late 17th-18th century where the Mexican artist expanded the cloud collar motif until it almost covered the entire surface of the vase. Architecture The symbolism of the yunjian motif as a heavenly "sky gate" led to its use by medieval Mongols in decorating their yurts, where a cloud collar pattern was sometimes cut from fabric and placed at the top of the tent, positioned around the yurt's central smoke hole. In Iran and countries of the Near East following the Mongol conquest, the symbolic yunjian pattern was adapted in a similar manner to decorate the domes of mosques, usually combined with a finial on top of the dome representing the world axis penetrating through the sky gate. Motifs derived from Chinese cloud collars and lotuses were also used as lobed framing devices in the decorative tiling and plasterwork on the walls of Persian mosques and mausoleums. File:Mongolian yurt 02.jpg|Blue fabric cloud collar motif on a Mongolian yurt. File:Turkey, Istanbul, Sokullu Mehmet Pasa Mosque (across the street from the Arena Hotel) (3945468186).jpg|Red cloud collars inside the dome of Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque (1568–1572) in Istanbul, Turkey. File:مسجد شیخ لطف الله-شناسه 105-2.jpg|Turquoise cloud collar and ruyi symbols on the dome of Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque (1603–1619) in Isfahan, Iran. File:Sheikh Lotfollah cloud-collar tiles.jpg|Cloud collar tile pattern inside Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque. == See also ==