Hairpin
- Year: 1644-1911 (Qing dynasty)
- Location: China
Hairpin from Qing dynasty of China. The kingfisher details signify high social rank.
During the Qing period, elaborate hairstyles and headdresses such as the liangbatou conveyed the wearer’s ethnicity, class, and marital status within the multi-ethnic Qing empire. Court ladies usually preferred intricate floral arrangements with jade, pearl, coral and other stone; whereas the ornaments of common women featured inlaid metals and velvet flowers. Hairpins used to attach the headdress often emphasized wealth and beauty.
Usage conditions apply | Source: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Asian Art
