In ancient China, who were the people wearing blue robes and purple clothes?

During the Qin, Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the feudal system has been established, and the gate valve system should also prevail, and the color difference changes further developed. At this time, it has become an indispensable means to distinguish social classes by color, but it is not strict enough, and the phenomenon of mixed respect and inferiority is often seen. What distinguishes an official position is the color of the seal he wears with him. Judging from the stone statues unearthed from the Han Tomb in Qi 'nan, this thing is hung around the waist, and it is a silk tapestry woven with acrylic patterns, tied on printed buttons. It is "one foot long and two feet wide", which is huge and eye-catching. Grading with different colors and silk thread, plus official seal, issued by the court, commonly known as "seal", will be returned after death. Officials usually put the official seal in a leather "bag" at the waist, and the belt is hung in front of their abdomen, sometimes in the bag together. At that time, the color of ribbon became the most vivid symbol of social identity and official position, which was unprecedented in the pre-Qin period. According to the "Han Shu Guan Bai Gong Qing Biao", Qiu, Fu, Da, Tai Shi, Tai Fu and the generals around them are "all golden and purple"; Senior officials with a rank of more than 2,000 stones are all "all silver and blue"; Officials with a rank of more than 600 stones are all "bronze seals with black stripes." The Book of the Later Han Dynasty recorded the grades and colors of the official seals of the Eastern Han emperors, saying, "Take Huang Chi from Yu (Emperor)", "Princes", "Princes and nobles are all green", "Princes will be purple", "Jiuqing, Zhongqian's".

After Sui and Tang Dynasties, the clothing color grading system was highly strengthened, and the clothing color formed a strict grading sequence. What color clothes people of any identity wear are customized and should not be confused or "out of line". This is also called "color service" system. Senior officials in purple robes are extremely distinguished; Industry and commerce, soap merchants, tugu and vendors are all dressed in white clothes, just like prisoners wearing prison clothes. The word "colored clothes" first appeared in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, but it was used in a small scope and did not form a system.

In the Sui Dynasty, officials of different ranks strictly distinguished the color of clothes. At that time, it was stipulated that officials above grade five could wear purple robes, officials below grade six could wear red and green respectively, small officials used cyan, civilians used white, butchers and businessmen were only allowed to wear black robes, and soldiers wore yellow robes. No other grade of clothes can be used at any grade.

During the Tang Wude period, the dress etiquette followed the Sui system, but it was innovative. It is stipulated that the prince and above three products are purple, four products and five products are Zhu, six products and seven products are blue, eight products and nine products are blue, and foreign ministers, cloth songs and handmaiden are yellow and white. ("The Book of the New Tang Dynasty, Che Fuzhi") In the first year of Shang Yuan, Emperor Gaozong also "ordered civil and military officials to wear purple and jade belts with three or more products; Four products are deep, five products are shallow, and the gold belt; Six dark green, seven light green and silver belts; Eight products are dark blue, nine products are light blue, and the stone belt; Shu Ren's suit is yellow, with copper and iron straps. (The Book of the Old Tang Dynasty, Gao Zongji) This provision is extremely detailed, which makes the colors of Jiupin official uniforms different, and the rank identity of all social members and the rank order of officials of various sizes are clearly displayed. From then on, a color sequence consisting of seven colors, namely yellow, purple, vermilion, green, cyan, black and white, was formally formed, which became the hierarchical symbol of the feudal social structure. At that time, people wearing purple robes in society were sad, while people wearing blue shirts were shabby, with many days between them. Ziyi's poem Pipa Xing says: "Who sits and cries the most? This Jiujiang official. My blue sleeves are wet. " I know I was a humble official. There are many such people in Tang poetry, such as "those who quit the DPRK in the snow, Zhu Xi is a vassal" ("Bai Changqing's Ten Songs and Dances in Ji Qin and Yin Zhong"), "Who are the two riders? The yellow messenger wears a white shirt "("Selling Charcoal Weng ").

During the Northern Song Dynasty, officials' colorful clothes were inherited from the Tang system. In the early Song Dynasty, officials with three or more products were required to wear purple, officials with three to five products wore Zhu, officials with six to seven products wore green, and officials with eight to nine products wore green. (Song Shi Yu Fu Zhi) During the Yuanfeng period in Song Shenzong, it was changed to more than four purple clothes, more than six red clothes and seven to nine green clothes. Although the clothing color has been adjusted, the clothing color system is still strictly observed. In the Southern Song Dynasty, the hierarchy of dress colors was washed away, and the official uniforms were all purple and narrow, with no grade restrictions. Volume 4 of Zhao Yanwei's "foothills full of money and clouds" says: "When crossing the river, you must wear a purple shirt with the title' Wear a shirt and towel', which is true for all officials and couples." Due to the weighing system of nomadic people in Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynasties, the popularity of clothing colors changed greatly, and other dynasties continued the wonderful use of this color and strictly followed it.