Trailing Locks and Flowing Robes: Dimensions of Beauty during China's Han dynasty (206 bc–ad 220)

Abstract

This inquiry explores images of women from mortuary contexts of China's Han dynasty (206 BC–AD 220). These early images are generally regarded as static illustrations that served to frame deceased individuals and define their social position and moral values. Recent research, however, has suggested that artisans were also interested in conveying images for visual pleasure, and were thus attentive to details, particularly of hairstyle and dress, that expressed ideals of female beauty. Close study of a hairstyle common to images of Han women, which comprised a bun with a single lock of hair trailing out, alongside changes in clothing styles across the period's historical divisions indicate a growing preference for volume and fluidity in presentations of the adorned body. It is demonstrated that the trailing lock is visually and figuratively aligned with clothing styles to enhance silhouette. Moreover, the stylistic dialogue between hairstyle and clothing served as a significant indicator of a woman's grace and comportment, facets of beauty that are often overlooked for early China. Finally, such changes are understood against an historical atmosphere where a more fluid and dynamic aesthetic was increasingly favoured.