Court Beads of a Beizi

An accessory within a regulated ensemble

Court beads (*chaozhu*) for a *beizi* formed part of the ceremonial dress prescribed for this rank of the Qing imperial clan, below the *beile*. Such beads were not simply decorative necklaces. They belonged to a graded system of clothing, crowns and accessories, and their use was restricted by occasion as well as status.

Volume 4 of the *Huangchao liqi tushi* refers the *beizi* entry for court beads to the form prescribed for a *beile*, instead of providing another separate illustration. The wording should not be read to suggest that the *beizi* did not wear court beads; nor does it imply complete identity with the beads worn by all higher nobles. The *beile* provision specifies a dark-blue suspension cord and extends associated prescriptions to a defined range of ranks, including *fuguo gong* and *heshuo efu*.

Interpretation of the dress code

The beads and their suspension cord combined an ornamental role with the formal articulation of rank. Their place within an ensemble is more significant than the isolated appearance of a string of beads. This category also illustrates the organisation of the *Huangchao liqi tushi*: its eighteen volumes cover sacrificial objects, ceremonial instruments, court dress, musical instruments, processional equipment and weaponry; volumes 4–7 address clothing regulations in detail. Documentary equivalence, however, should not be confused with an authenticated record of what a named *beizi* owned or actually wore.

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

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