The “Six parts unification” skullcap of Manchu Ethnic Group

In the past, the Manchu often wore a cap named “skullcap”. The skullcap, which is peaked on top and broad in bottom, is sewed up by six parts. Some hats have hat brims of 3 centimeters in width on the bottom and some without brims only have margins brocaded. The hat adopts the black flat satin as its surface in winter and spring while adopts the black gauze in summer and autumn. There is a black or red knot which is formed by velour on top of the hat and that is called “abacus knot”. Under the brim, in the middle, there is a “sign” called ” cap center”. It can be made of pearl, agate, silver or glass. It is said that this kind of hat can be traced to the period when Ming Tai Zu Zhuyuanzhang was in his reign.

Because this hat was sewed up by six parts, which symbolizes the six sides of the universe and has the meaning of unification, it became more and more popular. After Manchu army forced into Shanhaiguan, under the influence of Han culture and adopting its meaning of “unification”, Manchu began to wear this kind of cap and the skullcap became more popular. Nowadays, we can still see those caps on TV and in TV plays that are about the Qing Dynasty and the period of Republic of China.