Did ancient Chinese brides really wear red for marrying down and green for marrying up? The short answer is no. This widespread myth, often perpetuated by historical dramas, has little basis in actual Song Dynasty customs or broader ancient Chinese traditions. Let's debunk these misconceptions and explore what people truly wore for weddings in imperial China.
Official Attire Dictated Wedding Outfits
During the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279 AD), wedding attire followed strict sumptuary laws rather than arbitrary color rules. Officials wore their rank - appropriate court robes - with green representing the lowest rank for men. The Yan Yi Yi Mou Lu historical records confirm newly appointed jinshi (进士, scholars who passed imperial exams) received green robes. Women of nobility wore qing (青, dark blue - green) ceremonial dresses, considered more prestigious than ordinary green.
The Prestige of Qing (Dark Blue - Green)
Contrary to modern confusion, qing and lü (绿, ordinary green) were distinct colors in ancient China. As documented in the Wen Xian Tong Kao historical text, the Tang and Song courts used purple, crimson, green, and qing to denote official ranks. Noble women's wedding garments like the ju yi (鞠衣), hua dian li yi (花钿礼衣), and da xiu lian shang (大袖连裳) all featured qing as the primary color. This dark blue - green symbolized status, while bright green carried lower prestige.
Red Wedding Attire: A Ming Dynasty Innovation
Before the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), red wasn't mandatory for weddings. Tang Dynasty grooms could wear plain red jiang gong fu (绛公服) robes, creating the 'red man, blue woman' aesthetic mentioned in the Tang Liu Dian legal code. The association between weddings and red solidified during the Ming, when officials promoted the Fire Element theory, making red the imperial color.
Practical Wedding Attire Choices
For commoners without official ranks, wedding outfits followed simpler rules:
- Men could wear green robes during special dispensations or choose non - restricted colors
- Women could opt for qing formalwear with xia pei (霞帔) capes or select any non - taboo colors
- Neither gender had to match specific colors to social status or marriage circumstances
Modern historical dramas often mix colors randomly while claiming historical accuracy. The truth reveals a more nuanced system where rank, not marital status, determined wedding attire. Next time you see a 'green - clad concubine' or 'red - for - poor' bride in period shows, remember these are creative liberties - not historical facts.
