In cultural relics from before the Tang Dynasty, it was rare to see women wearing hats. However, during the days when Tang – Dynasty women admired and vied to wear Hu clothing, the phenomenon of women wearing hats became quite common. The terracotta figure in the following picture is a woman wearing a weimao.

I. What is a Weimao

During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, a type of weimao (帷帽) that only covered the face was popular. The main body of the weimao was a kind of cool hat called ximao (席帽), which was woven from bamboo strips, reeds, etc. It had a wide brim, and a thin layer of gauze net was attached to the outer edge of the brim, reaching the same length as the neck, thus forming the weimao. The combination of the weimao and the gauze net was an excellent choice for protecting against the sun, blocking dust, and sheltering from wind and rain while traveling. Some people even added an additional layer of thin gauze that hung down to the cheeks around the brim when riding horses. With the “atmosphere” created by the wind, wearing a weimao became a popular trend among both women and men at that time.

Although in the general perception, weimao was mostly used by women. In fact, large hats with skirt – like brims were commonly used by scholars in the Song Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, scholars preferred to use the eye – covering gauze and the large hat separately. Ancient literati even complained that at that time, women often did not cover their faces when going out, while men did. Besides shading from the sun and preventing dust, men used the weimao with eye – covering gauze to cover their faces because of the ancient social etiquette. When meeting someone face – to – face, one had to greet or avoid according to the rules. Covering the face could save a lot of formalities and make things more convenient. It turns out that the weimao was the “happy hat” for those with social anxiety in ancient times. 👀

Ⅱ. The following is the difference between Mili and Weimao:

Mili (幂篱) was a large square scarf made of thin and transparent gauze, which was draped over the body to cover it completely. It first originated in the ancient Arabian region and was introduced into China via the Western Regions, mainly popular in the Northern Dynasties, the Sui Dynasty and the early Tang Dynasty. At that time, the Arabian region was prone to strong sandstorms, with a shortage of water sources and intense solar radiation. Due to the severe sandstorms in the northwest, people used it to cover their bodies and protect themselves from dust and wind when traveling long distances on horseback. Therefore, the main functions of Mili were still to protect from wind and sand as well as to block the sun, fully demonstrating its practicality.

Before 618 AD, women were required to wear a long veil called Mili when going out. It could not only prevent dust but also cover their faces to avoid being seen by strangers. Noblemen and nobles often wore Mili, which became a fashion at that time. Around 650 AD, Mili was replaced by Weimao (帷帽), with only a layer of thin silk hanging around the wide brim to prevent passers-by from peeping at women’s faces. The standard clothing for women at that time consisted of a long-sleeved upper garment, a long skirt and Mili. During the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, society became highly open, and low-necked clothing for women became widely popular, and Weimao gradually fell out of use.

To this day, some ethnic minorities in northern China still have the custom of wearing headscarves and veils, which should have been passed down from that era.

The specific differences between them can be summarized in terms of style, prevalent eras, and cultural significance:

1. Style

The mili (幂篱) was made by attaching a full – piece of sheer silk gauze to the hat frame. When it hung down, it could cover the entire body.

The weimao (帷帽), on the other hand, had a net attached around the brim. The net hung down to the neck, and often some decorative beads and jade were added to the net curtain for adornment.

2. Prevalent Eras

The mili was more popular during the Sui Dynasty and the early Tang Dynasty. It was a face – covering巾 used by noblewomen when they went out.

The weimao became popular after the Tang Dynasty was established. It evolved from the milü. This kind of hat had a long brim, which could effectively block sunlight and dust.

3. Cultural Significance

The mili reflected the culture and customs of the southern regions at that time. Its appearance also demonstrated women’s pursuit of lightness, breathability, and naturalness.

The weimao reflected the culture and customs of the northern regions. Its emergence also represented women’s pursuit of warmth – keeping, wind – blocking, and aesthetics.

Ⅲ. The Design of Weimao

Summary

Having seen so many designs of weimao, I have to say that women’s clothing styles are really diverse and beautiful. In the next blog post, we’ll introduce the outfits of Tang Dynasty generals.