Ceremonial Dress of a Qing Heir-Apparent (Shizi)

The title shizi

The ceremonial attire of a *shizi* belonged to a specifically invested successor of a Qing prince of the first rank. The term did not denote every eldest son of every noble family. Within Qing imperial-clan practice, the recognised heir of a prince of the second rank was associated with the distinct title *zhangzi*. Recognition and formal investiture are essential before assigning the rank *shizi* to a historical individual.

Volume 4 of the *Huangchao liqi tushi* prescribes a winter court crown for a *shizi* with a two-tier golden-dragon finial, nine eastern pearls and a red gemstone. The summer crown had a front *shelin* ornament bearing five eastern pearls and a rear golden floral ornament bearing four. The court belt was golden yellow and incorporated four square jade plaques, each decorated with three eastern pearls. Certain prescribed forms of a prince's winter and summer court robes were extended to a *shizi*, with blue and dark-blue among the ordinary colours and golden yellow requiring a special grant.

An ensemble of rank

These provisions concern the combination of crown, robe and belt rather than one isolated gown. They also demonstrate how rank-specific pearl counts and authorised colours marked the heir's place within imperial-clan ceremony. When writing a biography, it is necessary to establish the date of the person's investiture; the existence of the dress category does not justify retrospectively calling an uninvested prince's son a *shizi*.

For related historical context and vocabulary, consult Festive Dress (Jifu) in the Qing Dynasty.

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