Although the archaeological dig of Dingling in 1956 was generally regarded as a failure, it did revealed a treasure trove of Ming dynasty funeral goods representing the most sophisticated craftsmanship.
National Treasure 国宝
Phoenix Coronet for Empress Xiaoduan 孝端皇后鳳冠
Ming Dynasty, Wanli Era (1573-1620) | National Museum of China, Unearthed from Dingling Mausoleum at Changping, Beijing, 1957. 明万历（公元1573年 1620年）| 中国国家博物馆，1957年北京明定陵出土
During the excavation of Dingling in 1957, 2,648 pieces of artefacts were unearthed. Among those was 孝端皇后 Empress Xiaoduan‘s phoenix crowns, which the empress would have worn when visiting and making sacrifices in the ancestral temple. The phoenix coronet shown here features nine phoenixes, nine dragons 九龍九鳳冠, and weighs 2.96 kg.
这件九龙九凤冠，是用漆竹扎成帽胎，面料采用丝帛制作而成，前面上方装饰有九条金龙，下方有八只凤，全部采用点翠技法制作而成，后部也有一只较大的凤，共九龙九凤。且龙口和凤口都口衔珠滴，在行走的时候，珠滴像步摇一样随步摇晃。
点翠是将金、银片按花形制作成一个底托，用金丝沿着图案花形的边缘焊个槽，再把翠鸟背部亮丽的蓝色羽毛仔细地镶嵌在座上，形成精美的图案，图案上镶嵌宝石、翡翠等。点翠工艺制作出的首饰，光泽感好，色彩艳丽，再配上金边，显得富丽堂皇，而且永不褪色。它是首饰制作中的一个辅助工序，起着点缀美化的作用。这件凤冠的点翠不仅面积大，而且形状复杂，有翠凤、翠云、翠叶、翠花，尤其是翠凤，均作展翅飞翔的状态，极富动感，不仅展现出了威仪的特点，也使冠饰与使用者的身份、审美品质相符合，表现出艺术的融合性。
This is one of the four empress crowns found in Dingling. The fengguan 鳳冠 or phoenix coronet has 9 dragons, 9 phoenixes, 5,000+ pearls, 100+ rubies and sapphires. The brilliant blue colour phoenixes were made from plume of the kingfisher 翠鳥, most probably imported from Cambodia, embedded using the cloisonné technique.
明朝凤冠沿袭了宋制，它是皇后和妃嫔每逢册封、谒庙和朝会等重大庆典时的礼帽，是身份的标志，而定陵出土的四件凤冠造型组成部件基本一致，同一时期凤冠的构成元素相同。
妇女首饰上有凤凰装饰始见于汉代，但“凤冠”一词最早见诸于文字是在晋代，仅作为一个冠的名称出现，直到宋代开始有详实的史料记载，据《宋史·舆服志三》记载：“中兴，扔旧制。其龙凤花钗冠，大小花二十四株。应承舆冠梁之数、施两博鬓，饰冠同皇太后、皇后服之。”
宋代凤冠在唐代一头花树的基础上增加了龙凤，成为“龙凤花钗冠”，并且规定只有皇太后、皇后才能有龙凤装饰。
这件凤冠上共镶嵌未经过加工的天然宝石100多粒，珍珠5000多颗，工艺精美，造型庄重，纷繁复杂，采用了花丝、镶嵌、点翠等多种工艺。花丝是将金、银、铜等抽成细丝，用堆、垒、编、织等技法将花丝加工成型，再加以烧焊，编结成龙的形状。镶嵌则是把金银薄片打成器皿，做出与宝石形状相似的“托”，并镶嵌宝石而成，必要时用蜡粘住。由于其工艺繁复，用料珍奇，花丝镶嵌基本上都是皇家御用之物，在宫廷饰品中多有出现，也是传统奢侈品的工艺特色之一。
The pearls, gemstones and kingfisher feathers were made into ornamental flowers, leaves, clouds, and temple ornaments 兩博鬢 (the ‘wings’ at the sides and back of the crown).
There are four Phoenix Coronets unearthed from the Ming Dynasty Emperor Wanli’s Dingling Tomb: the “Twelve Dragons Nine Phoenix Coronet,” the “Nine Dragons Nine Phoenix Coronet,” the “Six Dragons Three Phoenix Coronet,” and the “Three Dragons Two Phoenix Coronet.” Each of these coronets follows a similar manufacturing process, differing only in the number of decorative dragons and phoenixes. They feature intricate designs, exquisite craftsmanship, and are adorned with numerous pearls and gemstones.
The Other Three Coronets
Besides the nine dragons nine phoenix coronet, two crowns and three more coronets were excavated from Dingling. After 60 years, they were finally “reunited” for one day on 8 Jul 2023.
孝端皇后六龙三凤冠 Empress Xiaoduan’s Six Dragons Three Phoenixes Coronet
Ming Dynasty, Wanli Era (1573-1620) | The Palace Museum, Unearthed from Dingling Mausoleum at Changping, Beijing, 1957. 明万历（公元1573年 1620年）| 故宫博物馆，1957年北京明定陵出土
明孝端皇太后凤冠，高26.5厘米，口径23厘米，以髹漆细竹丝编制，通体饰翠鸟羽毛点翠的如意云片，18朵以珍珠、宝石所制的梅花环绕其间。冠前部饰有对称的翠蓝色飞凤一对。冠顶部等距排列金丝编制的金龙3条，其中左右两条口衔珠宝流苏。冠后部饰六扇珍珠、宝石制成的“博鬓”，呈扇形左右分开。冠口沿镶嵌红宝石组成的花朵一周。凤冠共用红、蓝宝石一百多块，大小珍珠五千余颗，色泽鲜艳，富丽堂皇，堪称珍宝之冠。
孝靖皇太后十二龙九凤冠 Empress Dowager Xiaojing’s Twelve Dragons Twelve Phoenixes Coronet
Ming Dynasty, Wanli Era (1573-1620) | Ming Tombs Museum, Unearthed from Dingling Mausoleum at Changping, Beijing, 1957. 明万历（公元1573年 1620年）| 明十三陵博物馆，1957年北京明定陵出土
冠上饰十二龙凤，正面顶部饰一龙，中层七龙，下部五凤；背面上部一龙，下部三龙；两侧上下各一凤。龙或昂首升腾，或四足直立，或行走，或奔驰，姿态各异。龙下部是展翅飞翔的翠凤。龙凤均口衔珠宝串饰，龙凤下部饰珠花，每朵中心嵌宝石1块或6、7、9块不等，每块宝石周围绕珠串一圈或两圈。另外，在龙凤之间饰翠云90片，翠叶74片。冠口金口圈之上饰珠宝带饰一周，边缘镶以金条，中间嵌宝石12 块。每块宝石周围饰珍珠6颗，宝石之间又以珠花相间隔。博鬓六扇，每扇饰金龙1条，珠宝花2个，珠花3个，边垂珠串饰。全冠共有宝石121块，珍珠3,588颗。凤眼共嵌小红宝石18块
孝靖皇太后三龙二凤冠 Empress Dowager Xiaojing’s Three Dragons Two Phoenixes Coronet
Ming Dynasty, Wanli Era (1573-1620) | The Palace Museum, Unearthed from Dingling Mausoleum at Changping, Beijing, 1957. 明万历（公元1573年 1620年）| 故宫博物馆，1957年北京明定陵出土
明孝靖皇太后凤冠，高26.5厘米，口径23厘米，以髹漆细竹丝编制，通体饰翠鸟羽毛点翠的如意云片，18朵以珍珠、宝石所制的梅花环绕其间。冠前部饰有对称的翠蓝色飞凤一对。冠顶部等距排列金丝编制的金龙3条，其中左右两条口衔珠宝流苏。冠后部饰六扇珍珠、宝石制成的“博鬓”，呈扇形左右分开。冠口沿镶嵌红宝石组成的花朵一周。凤冠共用红、蓝宝石一百多块，大小珍珠五千余颗，色泽鲜艳，富丽堂皇，堪称珍宝之冠。
About Empress Xiaoduan 孝端皇后
Empress Xiaoduan 孝端皇后
孝端顯皇后 Empress Xiaoduanxian (1564–1620), personal name 王喜姐 Wang Xijie was empress consort of the 萬曆 Wanli Emperor (r. 1572–1620) 朱翊鈞 Zhu Yijun (1563–1620). She was the longest serving empress consort in Chinese history. In the first month of 1578, she was formally married to the Wanli Emperor at the age of 13.
She was, from her wedding day, permanently encased in palatial pomp and comfort; yet, by cruel exigency of tradition, her marriage was only a state necessity, reducing her to an accessory to an institution, entitled to all kind of meaningless honours but to little satisfaction as a wife. She bore the emperor a daughter and lived almost as long as he did. But at no time did she in any way affect the course of his life.
Inside the palace, however, she was better remembered as a ruthless mistress who frequently ordered her chambermaids beaten, sometimes to death. The empress was buried at Dingling, where her husband was later interred.
The portrait shows her wearing the Six Dragons Three Phoenixes coronet.
About 定陵 Dingling Mausoleum
定陵 Dingling Mausoleum
Located in the outskirts of Beijing, 定陵 Dingling Mausoleum is the mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Yijun, the thirteenth emperor who occupied the throne the longest during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), and his empress Empress Xiaoduan and his concubine Empress Dowager Xiaojing 孝靖皇太后 (1565-1611).
Because Xiaoduan did not bear a heir to the throne, she was not conferred the Empress Dowager title.
The four phoenix coronets were discovered in red octagonal cases next to the coffins of the two Empresses, Xiaoduan and Xiaojing.
About Chinese National Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese National Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
0 comments on “National Treasure – Phoenix Coronet for Empress Xiaoduan (Ming Dynasty)”