Adornment Atlas
ExploreStoriesAboutOur research

headwear

Guan (cap or crown)

冠

guan

A structured head covering or crown, often of metal, silk or beadwork, worn by women for formal occasions. Qing examples combine jade, amber, coral and feather inlay.

Not equivalent to

English “hairpin” covers several distinct Chinese forms. A guan (cap or crown) is not interchangeable with Headdress fragment.

Worn at
head, hair
Requires piercing
No
Objects in catalogue
6

How to tell it apart

A guan is a structure that sits on the head; a hairpin is inserted into the hair. A guan may be worn with pins but is not one.

Other types in this category

Objects of this type

Kingfisher feather headdress, qing dynasty, 17.8 cm high.

Guan (cap or crown)

Manchu Woman's Headdress

Qing DynastySemi-precious stones, imitation pearls, feathers

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite), glass, kingfisher feather, amber, coral and carnelian headdress, qing dynasty, 20.3 cm high.

Guan (cap or crown)

Theatrical Headdress

Qing DynastyJade, amber, coral, carnelian, pearls, glass, feathers, gilt wire

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Silver headdress, song, liao, jin and yuan dynasties.

Guan (cap or crown)

Headdress

Song, Liao, Jin and Yuan DynastiesSilver

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Headdress, qing dynasty.

Guan (cap or crown)

Woman's Headdress

Qing DynastySilk satin over a metal frame

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Headdress, qing dynasty, 25.4 cm high.

Guan (cap or crown)

Buddhist headdress

Qing DynastySilk embroidery on silk gauze

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Headdress, qing dynasty.

Guan (cap or crown)

Buddhist headdress

Qing DynastySilk and metal thread embroidery on silk satin

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Sources