In the cdrama The Legend of Zanghai, Bai Bing plays Master Liuchu, and her corset clothing image is very impressive. Netizens are asking: Why does her corset have a row of buttons in the front? Let me give the conclusion first. In fact, there were corsets with front - opening buttons in the Ming Dynasty, called 'Zhuyao' (主腰). They were quite popular during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties and were also known as 'Hehuanjin' at times. Its biggest feature is the front - opening placket, which could be fastened with ties or buttons. Some people also refer to all the underwear styles of the Ming Dynasty as 'Zhuyao' instead of 'corset', which is just a different way of saying it.
From cultural relics, it's obvious that this style could have shoulder straps, or not. The shoulder straps could be worn straight or crossed (see the two pictures on the bottom right), showing its flexibility in binding and fashion sense. Those without shoulder straps can also be classified as corsets. However, the common corsets in the Song and Ming Dynasties were mostly one - piece wraparound types with ties, while the 'Zhuyao' was a front - opening style.
This one - piece corset is a long strip of cloth with ties on both sides. It can be darted in the middle (see the picture on the top right). It's the most classic underwear style in Hanfu and has been popular for a long time. In some places, it's also used as a men's belly warmer, that is, wrapped around the belly for warmth. This style was still popular in the Ming Dynasty, but the 'Zhuyao' was more characteristic of the era.
So we can simply divide the underwear styles of the Ming - style 'Zhuyao' into: corset style, vest style, and modern - modified style (combining netizens' materials). The front placket uses ties and buttons, and the buttons can be cloth buttons or metal buttons.
Compared with the traditional one - piece corset, this 'Zhuyao' - style corset has three advantages. First, it's more convenient to put on and take off by unfastening the buttons. Second, the addition of button positions allows for multiple adjustments to show off a woman's body curve. Third, the buckle and strap on the front of the underwear can be used for dressing up and also reflect the owner's preference. Most of the corsets on the market now are modern - modified styles, with or without suspenders. This style looks like 'Zhuyao' when worn, but the front two flaps are actually not open. They just look like a front placket with buckles, and there is elastic at the back, so it can only be worn over the head.
In various paintings of ladies in the Ming Dynasty, this style of underwear can often be seen, and it's mostly in a bright vermilion color. In a home environment, when worn under an outer gauze shirt, it faintly shows a charming bright color. It's speculated that it reflects the spirit of women in the context of Neo - Confucianism, who were both conservative and reluctant to be plain.
Previously, one - piece wraparound corsets were often seen in dramas, which is the most common form of underwear. On the contrary, front - opening underwear like this is rarely seen. Some netizens also ask: Won't it expose the body? Actually, no. Because there is a lining inside, and there are buckles. Moreover, the underwear is usually customized according to the owner's body and bust. Most importantly, women of normal status won't wear their underwear alone outside or deliberately expose it, so this problem can be avoided.
Of course, in modern dressing, through continuous modern design to adapt to modern life and using these metal buttons to add a classical aesthetic to the corset is also a way of dressing. You can also wear it as a vest. Even if you just drape a white coat or shirt over it and wear a vermilion 'Zhuyao' inside, it will be very stunning. So, embrace this unique style and add a touch of historical charm to your modern wardrobe!
