Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period

In the early Eastern Zhou dynasty period, there were still strict rules and regulations which regulated the clothing of all social classes and were used to maintain social distinction between people of different classes.^[11]

In the Warring States period, the shenyi was a moderately formal style of clothing.^[1]: 13 The shenyi which was representative of the Warring States Period, was designed to have the front stretched and wrapped around the body several times.^[17] The wrapping-style shenyi for men and women can be seen in the Silk painting depicting a man riding a dragon and the Silk painting with female figure, dragon and phoenix patterns respectively^{[18]: 16–17} Both paintings unearthed from a Chu tomb, Warring States period, 5th century BC, Changsha, Hunan Province.^[20][21]

Materials which were used in this period tended to be linen; however, when the shenyi was made into ceremonial garments, then black silk would be used instead.^[1]: 13 It was worn by both the literati and the warriors as it was both functional and simplistic in style.^[1]: 13 The shenyi was also tied right below the waist level in the front with a silk ribbon, called dadai (Chinese: 大带) or shendai (Chinese: 绅带), on which a decorative piece was attached to.^{[1]: 13 [22]}

Rules and regulations in the Liji

The design features of shenyi also match the ancient Chinese culture.^[23] In this period, the shenyi was also deeply rooted in the traditional Chinese ethics and morals which forbid close contacts between males and females.^[1]: 12 In this period, the shenyi had to conform to the certain rules and regulations which were recorded in the special chapter called Shenyi《深衣》in the Liji.^{[1]: 12 [22]} According to the Liji, the ancient shenyi had to fulfill the following:^[22]

[Ancient shenyi] had definite measurements, so as to satisfy the requirements of the compass and square, the line, the balance, and the steelyard. It was not made so short as to show any of the skin, nor so long as to touch the ground. The outside pieces of the skirt joined, and were hooked together at the side; (the width of) the seam at the waist was half that at the bottom (of the skirt). The sleeve was joined to the body of the dress at the armpit, so as to allow the freest movement of the elbow-joint; the length of the lower part admitted of the cuffs being turned back to the elbow. The sash was put on where there were no bones, so as not to interfere with the action of the thighs below or of the ribs above. [《古者深衣，蓋有制度，以應規、矩、繩、權、衡。短毋見膚，長毋被土。續衽，鉤邊。要縫半下；袼之高下，可以運肘；袂之長短，反詘之及肘。帶下毋厭髀，上毋厭脅，當無骨者。》]

— Translated by James Legge, Liji: Shenyi《深衣》

The same chapter described the shenyi as being made of twelve panels of fabric corresponding to the twelve months and all twelve robes are cut into one clothing style.^[22] Moreover, the shape of the component of the shenyi is also described:^[22]

In the making (of the garment) twelve strips (of the cloth) were used, to correspond to the twelve months. The sleeve was made round, as if fashioned by a disk. The opening at the neck was square, as if made by means of that instrument so named. The cord-like (seam) at the back descended to the ankles, as if it had been a straight line. The edge at the bottom was like the steelyard of a balance, made perfectly even. [《制：十有二幅以應十有二月；袂圜以應規；曲袷如矩以應方；負繩及踝以應直；下齊如權衡以應平。》]

— Translated by James Legge, Liji: Shenyi《深衣》

These prescribed rules and regulations did not only defined the shenyi as the combination of the yi and chang together, but also prescribed the length of the shenyi in this period which had to be long enough to prevent the exposure of the skin but short enough to prevent it from trailing on the floor,^{[1]: 12–13} and the explanation behind the function of these prescribed measurements, and the location of the belt referred as dai (simplified Chinese: 带; traditional Chinese: 帶).^[22] It also prescribed the rules on the colours and decorations of the trims based on the circumstances of its wearer:^[22]

For ornament, while his parents and grandparents were alive, (a son) wore the dress with its border embroidered. If (only) his parents were alive, the ornamental border was blue. In the case of an orphan son, the border was white. The border round the mouth of the sleeves and all the edges of the dress was an inch and a half wide. [《具父母、大父母，衣純以繢；具父母，衣純以青。如孤子，衣純以素。純袂、緣、純邊，廣各寸半。》]

— Translated by James Legge, Liji: Shenyi《深衣》

Moreover, in addition to the prescribed rules and regulations present in the chapter Shenyi《深衣》, more details can be found in the chapter Yuzao《玉藻》of the Liji which described the shenyi as having a youren opening,^[11] and being a one-piece long robe with broad sleeve openings; with its circumference at the waist be three times that of the sleeve-opening and that of its hem be even larger:^[24]

In the morning they wore the xuanduan; in the evening, the shenyi. [The shenyi] at the waist was thrice the width of the sleeve; and at the bottom twice as wide as at the waist. It was gathered in at each side (of the body). The sleeve could be turned back to the elbow. The outer or under garment joined on to the sleeve and covered a cubit of it. The collar was 2 inches wide; the cuff, a cubit and 2 inches long; the border, 1.5 inch broad. To wear silk under or inside linen was contrary to rule. [《朝玄端，夕深衣。深衣三袪，縫齊倍要，衽當旁，袂可以回肘。長中繼掩尺。袷二寸，祛尺二寸，緣廣寸半。以帛裹布，非禮也。》]

— Translated by James Legge, Liji :《玉藻 - Yu Zao》

There are two purposes for the loose-cut design: firstly, the body shape is less visible to others; the second reason is to allow the wearer to move the body as freely as possible. The wearer's skin should be appropriately covered to meet the first purpose. The waistband should only accentuate the outline of the waist; the outline of the rest of the body should be well hidden from view.^[23] Nonetheless, the second purpose, which engages more freedom of movement for the wearer's body.

Mid-warring states period

By the Mid-warring states period, however, the rules and regulations started to disintegrate.^[11] This can be observed in the Mashan tombs, where a lady, who was a member of the shi class,^{[note 1]} was buried sometimes around the year 340 – 278 BC with twelve long robes which were all cut in the approximate style of shenyi whether they were padded with silk floss (mianpao), single in layer (danyi) or lined (jiayi).^[11] The forms of these shenyi, however, were not standardized and show variations in cut and construction.^[11] Moreover, some of the textiles and decorations used in making those robes were against the rules and regulations for her ranks and violated the rules which were stipulated in the Liji.^[11] The shenyi found in the Mashan tombs had a straight-front which falls straight down.^[11]

Qin dynasty

In the Qin dynasty, Qin Shi Huang abolished the mianfu-system of the Zhou dynasty and implemented the shenyi-system specifying that third ranked officials and above were required to wear shenyi made out green silk while commoners had to wear shenyi which were white in colour.^[26]: 16 This system adopted by Qin Shi Huang laid the foundations of the Hanfu-system in the succeeding dynasties.^[26]: 16

Han dynasty

The Western Han dynasty also implemented the shenyi-system, which featured the use of a cicada-shaped hat, red clothes, and a collar in the shape of tian 《田》, and garments which were sewn in the shenyi-style with an upper and lower garment sewed together.^[27] The shenyi was also worn together with the guan and shoes as a form of formal attire in the Han dynasty while in ordinary times, shanku attire and the ruqun attire were born by men and women respectively.^[26]: 16

By the Western Han Dynasty, the shape of the shenyi had deviated from the earlier versions as it can be found in the Mawangdui tomb of the same period belonging to Lady Dai.^[11] The shenyi had evolved into two types of robe: the qujupao (Chinese: 曲裾袍; lit. 'curved robe'), which is also known as "curved gown" in English, and the zhijupao (Chinese: 直裾袍; lit. 'straight robe').^{[1]: 13–14} These two robes differed from each other based on their front opening and the way their lapels overlapped: the qujupao would curve and wraps the dress to the back while the front opening of the zhijupao would fall straight down.^[11] The qujupao directly evolved from the wrapping-style shenyi which was worn in the pre-Qin period and became popular in the Han dynasty.^[18]: 32

The qujupao was more luxurious than the zhijupao as it required approximately 40% more materials than the zhijupao; and therefore the presence of more amount of wraps in qujupao indicates that the robes are more increasingly more luxurious.^[11]

Moreover, the shenyi in this period, regardless of its cut, could also be padded, lined, or unlined.^[11] More examples of unearthed archeological artefacts of shenyi made of diverse cuts and materials from the Mawangdui tomb can be found in Museums, such as the zhijusushadanyi (Chinese: 直裾素纱襌衣; pinyin: zhíjūsùshādānyī; lit. 'straight plain gauze unlined robe'), the qujusushadanyi (Chinese: 曲裾素纱褝衣; lit. 'curved plain gauze unlined robe'),^[14] and simianqujupao (Chinese: 丝绵曲裾袍; lit. 'silk cotton qujupao'),^[29] found in the Hunan Museum. According to the Fangyan by Yang Xiong dating from the Western Han dynasty, the danyi (Chinese: 襌衣; lit. 'unlined clothing'), also called die (Chinese: 褋), zuoyi (Chinese: 袏衣), and chengyi (Chinese: 裎衣) depending on its geographical location, was called shenyi in ancient times.^[30]

There were also gradual changes but clear distinctions in the form of the shenyi between the early and late period of the Western Han dynasty.^[12] In the early Western Han, some women wore body-hugging shenyi which was floor length with wide and long sleeves, long enough to cover the hand.^[12] Others wore qujupao with a flowing extended panels which would create a tiered effects at the back.^[12]

Moreover, the design of the shenyi was closely related to the evolution of the Chinese trousers, especially the ku.^[17] A form of zhijupao, known as chan or yu (Chinese: 褕; pinyin: yú)^[31] or chanyu (Chinese: 襜褕; pinyin: chānyú), also became popular in the Han dynasty.^[1]: 14 However, when the chanyu first appeared, it was considered to be improper to use it as a ceremonial garment; it was also improper to use it outside of the house, and it was also improper to wear it at home when receiving guests.^[1]: 14 The disrespectful nature of wearing chanyu at the court was even recorded in the Shiji.^{[1]: 14 [32][33]} Reasons why the wearing of chanyu was considered improper in those circumstances might be related to the wearing of the ancient ku, which were trousers without crotches; and thus, this form of zhijupao might not have been sufficiently long to cover the body which was a disgraceful act from its wearer.^[1]: 14 In the chapter Jijiupian《急就篇》by Shi You also dating from the Western Han dynasty in the Shuowen Jiezi, the set of attire called zheku (Chinese: 褶袴) consisted of a trousers called zhekukun (Chinese: 褶袴褌) which was covered by the chanyu (Chinese: 襜褕),^[34] the chanyu was a short and tight knee-length robe instead of being long in length.^[17] A kun (Chinese: 褌) was a form of Chinese trousers with crotches as opposed to the ku.^[17]

With time, when the kun became more popular, the zhijupao, which was shorter and easier to put on than the qujupao; the zhijupao then started replacing the qujupao which had been long enough to cover the ku.^[18]: 32 The kun, however, were only popular for some people of certain occupations, such as warriors, servants, and the lower class, in the Han dynasty and was not widely used by the general population as it was not easily accepted by the traditional etiquette of the Han culture.^[17] Therefore, the kun was never able to replace the ku; moreover, the design of the ancient ku had also evolved with time becoming long enough to cover the thighs, with some parts even covering the upper parts of the hips, such as the qiongku which was especially designed for women in the Western Han dynasty court.^[17] By the middle of the Western Han dynasty, the qujupao became nearly obsolete; and by the late Western Han dynasty, the shenyi were straight rather than spiralled.^[12] In the Eastern Han dynasty, very few people wore shenyi.^[27]

Standard qujupao

The qujupao was a robe which was long enough to cover the ankles of its wearer; it has an overlapping front lapel which closed on the right side in a style called jiaoling youren; however, its right front piece was cut as a triangular front piece that crossed in front of the body and has rounded under hem.^{[1]: 13–14 [12]} The qujupao would curve and wraps the dress to the back of its wearer^[11] allowing the contrasting or decorative edging of the robe would create a spiralling effect when encircling the body.^[12] The collar of the qujupao was deliberately made in such ways to prevent any part of its wearer's body from being exposed.^[18]: 16

• Various forms of the qujupao
• Floor-trailing qujupao with narrow trim, large belt, and large and loose sleeves, Warring States Period
• Floor-length qujupao with narrow decorative trim, Western Han dynasty
• Floor-trailing qujupao with broad decorative trim, tomb of Han Yang Ling, Western Han dynasty.
• Floor-length qujupao with broad decorative trim, tomb of Han Yang Ling, Western Han dynasty.
• Unearthed quju shenyi

Raojinshenyi

Another version of the qujupao is raojinshenyi (Chinese: 繞襟深衣; lit. 'winding lapel deep clothing'); this version of the qujupao can typically be found in the Mawangdui tomb No.1 of the Western Han dynasty.^{[40]: 41–42 [41]: 16} The raojinshenyi is characterized by overlapping curved front lapel which is elongated enough to spiral around the entire body.^{[40]: 41–42} It typically has a silk belt which is tied closely around the waist and hips to prevent the garment from loosening; the position of the belt depends on the length of the garment.^[40]: 41 The raojinshenyi can have narrow sleeves or broad and loose sleeves.^{[40]: 41–42}

• Forms of raojinshenyi
• Raojinshenyi with broad and loose sleeves, Western Han dynasty.
• Modern illustration of the Raojinshenyi (front view)
• Raojinshenyi with narrow sleeves, Mawangdui tomb, Western Han dynasty

Standard zhijupao

The front opening of the zhijupao would fall straight down instead of having a curving front.^[11]

• Various forms of zhijupao
• Floor-trailing zhiju shenyi, Mashan tomb, mid-Warring States period.
• Zhijusushadanyi with broad and loose straight sleeves, Mawangdui tomb, Western Han dynasty
• Zhijupao, tomb of Han Yang Ling, Western Han dynasty

Confucian shenyi

The shenyi in later dynasties directly descended from the shenyi worn in earlier dynasties The shenyi was originally made of ramie cultivated in China. Ramie fabric needs to be bleached and produced 45 to 60 centimetre wide textile.^{[citation needed]}

Similarly to the shenyi worn from Zhou to Han dynasties, the shenyi designed in Song dynasty followed the same principles. The yi (衣, blouse) and chang (裳, skirt) of the shenyi is sewn together.^[19] The upper part is made up of 4 panels of ramie fabric, representing four seasons of a year. 2 panels are fold and sewn to cover the upper body. Another 2 panels of ramie fabric are sewn onto each side of the yi as two sleeves. The lower part is made up of 12 panels of fabric sewn together (十二片縫合), representing 12 months a year.^[22] Its sleeves are wide with black cuff. It is also tied with a wide belt called dadai (大帶) is tied in the front. According to the Japanese scholar Riken Nakai's shenyi template, there are four design features of the Shenyi dressing: upper and lower connections, square collar, length to the ankle, and additional coverage.^[3] In the Song dynasty, the shenyi was made with white fabric.^[19]

• Illustration of dadai belt, from the Chinese encyclopedia Gujin Tushu Jicheng, section "Ceremonial Usages".

Diyi

The Diyi was a set of attire which was worn as ceremonial clothing; a shenyi was also part of the diyi.