In various historical dramas like 'Secret Records of the Brocade Bag' and 'Rain Clouds Over Ink', we often see women wearing a piece of cloth over their heads when going out. These women weren't necessarily heading to weddings - so what was the purpose of this head covering? The answer lies in what was known as the 'Gaitou' (盖头) during the Song Dynasty.
The Song Dynasty inherited many systems from the Tang Dynasty, including its clothing customs. According to Zhou Hui's 'Qingbo Magazine': 'Scholars wore cool robes when riding horses, while women walking in public places covered half their bodies with square purple silk veils, commonly called Gaitou, which followed the Tang Dynasty Weimao (帷帽) tradition.' This reveals that the Song Dynasty Gaitou evolved from the Tang Dynasty Weimao. However, there were differences between the two.
As noted by scholar Shen Congwen: 'The Weimao was a stiff hat with a hanging net curtain,' essentially a bamboo hat with a black net. The Gaitou was simpler - just a square piece of fabric, often made of silk ('Luo'), that could cover half the body. Shen Congwen wrote: 'The Gaitou was indeed a common head covering for Song Dynasty women.' Gao Cheng also mentioned in 'Records of the Origin of Things': 'After the Yonghui era, people used Weimao, then later wore black silk squares of about five chi (approximately 158.4 cm), also called Futou (幞头), now known as Gaitou.'
Interestingly, while both dynasties used head coverings, their social contexts differed. Tang Dynasty women wore Weimao to break free from feudal constraints, while Song Dynasty women's Gaitou became an important part of Confucian etiquette. As Sima Guang recorded in 'Home Miscellaneous Rites': 'When women must go out, they must cover their faces (with Gaitou). Men walk at night with candles. Male servants cannot enter inner gates unless for repairs or emergencies. If they must enter, women must avoid them or cover their faces with sleeves.'
There were two main ways to wear the Gaitou: tied at the back of the head or loosely draped. It served three primary purposes: for going out in public, weddings, and funerals. Over time, it became standard for weddings and funerals, with different colors, materials, and styles for each occasion. Scholar Gao Chunming speculated that wedding Gaitou were likely red silk, while funeral ones were plain coarse cloth. Lü Zuqian's 'Lü Family Rules' recorded: 'All women wear Gaitou when approaching the memorial hall.'
In the Ming Dynasty, the Fujin (幅巾) became popular, mainly for women dressing as men (during the late Ming period). Its relationship with Gaitou or foreign - style hoods remains unclear, but as it was primarily for men, it might connect more with Futou. Whether women continued using Song - style Gaitou in daily life remains unknown.
Today, Gaitou survives mainly in local wedding and funeral customs, rarely seen in everyday life (except for photography). Beyond its cultural significance, the Gaitou served practical purposes like sun protection. As the poet Liu Yong beautifully wrote: 'With pale face and dark brows, occasionally lifting the Gaitou to peek.' This romantic image reminds us why women might still enjoy wearing such veils today.
