Late imperial Chinese official dress marked rank down to a wife’s peacock-tail size

Evidence

In late nineteenth century P’englai, China, even a relatively low-level military official had to have an elaborate wardrobe: … At least two times every month, the first and the fifteenth and sometimes oftener, my master put on his official robes and went to the temple with the other officials and worshiped. He looked very grand in his embroidered robes with the mandarin squares front and back and the waves of water around the hem. There were red tassels on his hat and a peacock tail. He was of such a rank that even my mistress had a peacock tail, a very small one, that she fastened to the knot of her hair when she went out on state occasions, and an official button to her hat. But my master looked most beautiful when he was dressed in full military robes to examine the candidates for military degrees or went three li outside the city to meet or escort a high official who was visiting or leaving the city. Then he wore his armour with the great wide shoulders and the embroidered front and his high helmet. — Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order and Action in…, 244

Categorization

• XREF: The granular grading of visible dress into wives’ hat buttons approximates Bourdieu’s distinction-work and connects to the reader’s interest in how strangers are read through dress.