Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Just when people were wondering whether such clothing was beyond the rules, a eunuch in charge of explaining the clothing said loudly:

"This is a dragon-patterned python robe and a crown with six dragons and three phoenixes, collectively known as the Dragon and Phoenix Bring Good Luck."

"Your Majesty has granted permission to those with the rank of duke or above to rent this dress for their wedding."

"Anyone who has made contributions to the Ming Dynasty will have the opportunity to wear a dragon-patterned python robe and a real phoenix crown."

As he finished speaking, a store in the mall hung two vertical banners with balloons, displaying the location of the store.

This shop was opened by the Shangyijian and specializes in providing formal dresses and renting them to qualified people.

Because the store was not open, people did not flock to see it. However, many people with honors above the rank of Gongshi decided to go and see it when they have time, and rent this set of clothes for their weddings.

They decided that they must wear the python robe that was almost the same as the dragon robe and the real phoenix crown at the wedding.

Some wealthy people who had not donated to the government before were also tempted at this time, and even planned to donate to the government for their children and grandchildren so that they could wear this set of clothes at their weddings.

It can be said that the emperor's approach catered to the people's need to go beyond the rules at that time.

Although some conservative old scholars were not happy with it, they could only keep silent since the queen did not say anything.

Empress Zhou had seen the arrangements for the Costume Festival and was not surprised. She was not dissatisfied with the emperor's special permission for folk weddings to wear phoenix crowns, because the saying of phoenix crowns and bridal robes had long been circulated among the people - although those people did not wear real phoenix crowns.

Moreover, the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes Coronet is not the empress's formal dress crown, but just a Yanju crown. According to the regulations of the early Republic of China, the real empress's formal dress crown is the Nine Dragons and Four Phoenixes Coronet. Now it has surpassed this limit and developed into the Nine Dragons and Nine Phoenixes Coronet and the Twelve Dragons and Nine Phoenixes Coronet. The Yanju crown of the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes Coronet is also derived from the Double Dragons and Phoenix Coronet of the early Republic of China. It is now the daily dress crown used by the empress.

It can be said that in the current Ming Dynasty, the phenomenon of violating etiquette exists everywhere, and even the royal family takes the lead in breaking the original rules.

This is also the reason why Zhu Youjian's reform of rituals and music received support from so many ministers.

Because they all knew that the old ritual system could no longer be maintained, and only by establishing a new set of rituals and music based on the current situation could people follow it.

Following the dragon and phoenix formal dress was the champion formal dress. The eunuch in charge of clothing said loudly:
"This is the crown and robes for the top scholar and the fifth-rank lady. Your Majesty has granted permission for this set of clothing to be worn during a folk wedding."

"A wedding is commonly known as a 'small graduation ceremony', and there is also a saying that 'there are 360 ​​professions and every profession has its top scholar'."

"Your Majesty hopes that you will continue to improve after you pass the imperial examinations, become the top students in your own fields, and truly complete the imperial examinations."

"This dress can be rented or purchased. After making meritorious deeds in the future, you can wear it in a parade with the approval of the parliament."

This permission was applauded by everyone.

Compared to the auspicious dragon and phoenix dress that can only be rented, this dress of the lady of the imperial examination that they can own is what many people would rather own.

They also hope to become the top scholar in their own industry in the future as the emperor said, and truly complete the imperial examination.

Amidst the cheers, some scholars were dissatisfied.

Because they believe that the title of top scholar is exclusive to the imperial examination, and people from other industries are not worthy of being called top scholar.

The emperor's special permission would make the champion lose its uniqueness, which was not what they wanted to see. However, with everyone cheering, these people's voices could not be heard at all. Even many scholars who thought they had no chance to wear the champion's crown and robes hoped to wear them at their wedding.

After these two sets of formal wear, there are also bestowed robes such as the bullfighting robe and the flying fish robe, crowns and robes for dukes and marquises such as the Qilin robe, as well as crowns and robes for civil officials and women of the first to ninth ranks.

It is generally made according to regulations, but it looks more gorgeous when carefully designed and worn by handsome men and beautiful women.

Many nobles and officials who came to watch did not expect that the clothes they usually wore could be so beautiful. This made some people wonder whether they should ask the court to grant them crowns and clothes again, or allow them to be customized.

The most familiar to ordinary people are the clothes of the ninth-rank officials, which were the highest-level clothes they could wear at weddings.

But now it is different. The emperor has specially authorized the use of the crown and clothes of the top scholar. The corresponding crown and clothes of the women of high rank are even higher than the fifth rank. They can use the phoenix-like 翟冠 and the 霞袍 embroidered with cloud and mandarin duck patterns.

After the civil service uniforms, the civilian military uniforms came next. In order to divide the civil service group, Zhu Youjian specially ordered the Shangyijian to design the crown and uniforms based on the civilian uniforms.

The court dress and official dress of this set of clothing are similar to those of civil and military officials, except for the different patterns of the patches. The daily dress is closer to military uniform, with hexagonal Baoxiang flower epaulettes, which is more neat and capable, meeting Zhu Youjian's requirements for civilian officers.

He hoped to distinguish civilian officers and civilian officials through their clothing so that they would no longer be a monolithic entity.

Afterwards there were the uniforms of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Weiwei Temple, the uniforms of officers and sergeants, the uniforms of clerks, the uniforms of students, and so on. The people who saw them were all amazed. They did not expect that there were so many types of crowns and costumes in the Ming Dynasty.

The most eye-catching of these is the robes designed by Zhu Youjian for the City God priests, which were modeled after the Tai Chi Taoist robes of later generations.

The crane cloak and feather clothes are in line with people's imagination of gods.

The Tai Chi Yin-Yang diagrams drawn before and after demonstrate the City God's responsibility in managing Yin and Yang, and contain profound truths.

This set of clothing has appeared before, but it was not as perfect as it is now.

When it was unveiled in front of everyone, many Taoist people decided to buy one to use for praying at home.

Taoist priests felt as if they were facing a formidable enemy, and felt that their attire was inferior to that of others.

What made them particularly uncomfortable was that although this set of clothing conformed to Taoist philosophy, the Tai Chi pattern originated from the Confucian "Book of Changes" -

This is actually a costume designed based on Confucian ideas. The City God priest wearing this costume is designated by the current emperor as the core of the Confucian pantheon.

If they don't think of a good solution, Taoist beliefs will obviously be further eroded and swallowed up by the City God's Office.

They were not in the mood to look at the later Buddhist and Taoist clothing, because the emperor did not improve it and basically maintained the original appearance.

Queen Zhou was very happy because she saw the white robe she designed among them.

Before this, no women in the palace had ever worn vegan summer clothes, and only the emperor wore hemp clothes, and no one else dared to wear them.

It was not until Empress Zhou entered the palace that she began to wear white gauze as a shirt without any covering. The emperor smiled and called her "the great man in white" and doted on her.

Since then, vegan summer clothing has become popular in the palace. Now, the emperor has ordered people to modify it and incorporate the clothing system of monks and Taoists. (End of this chapter)