3 replies to this topic

[packmule10]

after watching some korean history drama's ive noticed alot of the warriors and peasents wear headbands like .
was it also common for the chinese to wear them?
thanks

[WuXiaHer0]

The Koreans were not the only people to wear headbands. Japanese wore them too even the Chinese.

Excerpts from Wikipedia:

In Japanese culture, hachimaki headbands may symbolize determination or devotion.

The beginning of headbands started no later than the ancient Greeks who wore hair wreaths. The Greeks and Romans wore these pieces to very special occasions or an important event. Cultures such as the Etruscans and Romans started to decorate their wreaths with jewels made up of gold and silver. While wreaths are certainly a likely beginning of today's headbands, some believe that current day hair bands have slowly taken shape from scarves that were worn around the head or were modified from the band of hats that tied under the chin.

The Chinese wore headbands too, but they were more like sweatbands for farmers working in the field all day. Ancient Chinese who mourned for the dead also wore headbands.

The code of wearing caps was an important part in China's costume code: when a man reached the age of 20, he began to wear cap, and on that occasion there was a ceremony called "Guanli (Ceremony of the Cap)", indicating that he had grown up.
In the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD), the shape of the cap was already similar to that of today. Cap must be matched with a headband. A lowly person could only wear a headband, and a minor was only allowed to wear a hollow headband. The influence of such a rule lasted until the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Laborers could only wear headband, mostly for wiping off the sweat, and later it served as a cap.

I believe that warriors wore them too just to prevent loose hair and sweat getting into their eyes when they battle with enemies. That's the purpose of wearing headbands.

[MJL]

I believe that warriors wore them too just to prevent loose hair and sweat getting into their eyes when they battle with enemies. That's the purpose of wearing headbands.

I agree, and also to prevent a helmet rubbing annoyingly against the same sweaty brows.

[koosha]

Ooh~speaking of headbands...I've seen in Korean modern dramas when a lady is sick ,stressed or fallen ill, she wears a white headband. Why is that so? Is there a reason for that? If I'm not wrong I've only seen elder women doing that so far.

Edited by koosha, 12 June 2011 - 11:44 AM.