Winter Fur Outerwear of Qing Palace Guards

Graded specifications for the duanzhao

A palace guard's *duanzhao* was a fur outer garment worn at prescribed ceremonial occasions and seasons. Its materials could mark service rank. Volume 5 of the *Huangchao liqi tushi* describes different provisions for first-, second- and third-class palace guards. For first-class guards, it specifies fur called *shelisun* in the historical text, with sable fur used between sections and pale moon-white satin lining. Second-class guards received a red-leopard-fur outer garment with plain red-satin lining. The third class used yellow-fox fur with moon-white satin lining; the blue-feather guard followed this latter specification.

The source also records hanging ties to left and right, their lower ends broadening to a point and their colours corresponding to the lining. Such garments should not be grouped indiscriminately with ordinary winter fur coats: their materials and fittings were part of the ritual clothing hierarchy.

Historical identification

The numbered classes of *shiwei* were grades of appointed palace guards, not princely hereditary titles. Identification of an extant outer garment requires its fur, lining, cut and documentary context, and not merely the assumption that costly materials imply higher rank. The historical names for particular pelts, especially *shelisun*, should be retained and interpreted cautiously rather than forcibly equated with a present-day zoological species where the source does not establish that identification.

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

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