Quick Answer: What Is a Quju Robe?
A quju (曲裾, qūjū) is a garment with an extended front edge that turns and wraps around the body. Western Han robes from Mawangdui include examples with wrapping fronts and examples with straight-falling fronts. The shape of the overlap helps distinguish them.[1]
- Construction: Trace the outer edge below the neckline to see where it turns around the body.[2][3]
- Surviving example: The Mawangdui curving-front plain gauze garment is unlined and weighs 48 grams.[1]
- Modern fit: Inspect the extension and its fastening on the actual robe, especially where the front wraps beyond the side.
Compare a flat view with a worn or reconstructed view before drawing a conclusion from the neckline alone.
The front edge is easiest to follow when the robe is laid out. On a body, part of it can disappear around the side or back. That hidden portion helps explain why a front-facing picture can make two different cuts look similar.
Follow the Extended Front
The Hunan Museum’s comparison of the two Mawangdui gauze garments describes the curving-front version with a longer front that passes behind the body and turns toward the front again. Trace the lower edge from the overlap at the front to the side, then look for its continuation behind. In a robe with a zhiju (直裾, zhíjū), or straight-falling front, the edge drops more directly below the crossed upper opening.[2]
Look at the collar and the lower front separately. Two robes may have similar crossed collars even though their lower edges are cut differently. The comparison drawings show where the longer edge continues around the side. Look for that extension in a flat pattern or rear view.[3]
What the Han Tomb Garments Show
Both plain gauze garments were excavated from Tomb 1 at Mawangdui in Changsha. Hunan’s museum information gives 160 cm in length and a sleeve span of 195 cm for the curving-front piece. The straight-front piece measures 128 cm in length and 190 cm across the sleeves. The comparison shows how two garments with similar base fabric can differ in dimensions and cut.[1]
The 48-gram curving-front garment has plain silk at the collar and cuffs, while the 49-gram straight-front garment has a different trim. The Hunan Museum identifies the ground fabric as the same type on the two pieces. Trim and construction are both relevant when comparing the objects’ weight.[2]
The tomb also preserves heavier clothing. An exhibition record identifies a silk-padded robe with longevity embroidery on a crimson-purple ground. Angela Sheng’s comparison of excavated straight and wrapping fronts also describes variation in the fabrics of padded garments. The padded and gauze pieces give two material contexts for comparing the wider Han dynasty wardrobe.[3][5]
How Quju Relates to Shenyi
The term shenyi (深衣, shēnyī) also appears in discussions of early robes. The Book of Rites (礼记, Lǐjì) gives a description involving joined and turned edges, and later commentators explain the language in different ways. Read that ritual description with its commentary, then compare it with the edge and seam visible on the excavated garment.[4]
When a source calls a robe a quju shenyi, check what it is describing. The front shape can be observed on a garment. Applying a classical dress category depends on the author’s interpretation and the source used. Use a dated object to compare the cut within traditional Chinese clothing.[4]
How to Fit a Modern Wrap
Open the garment to see where the extension begins and where it fastens. Put on the layer you plan to wear underneath, then follow the maker’s closure sequence. The hanfu dressing guide can help with the order of the other layers.
Walk, sit and turn in the robe. Check whether the extended panel stays where you want it and whether the hem clears the floor. A contemporary robe can use a shorter extension or a different fastening. If you are presenting it as a reconstruction, give the original reference and identify any such changes.
FAQs About the Quju Robe
Is quju named for a curved neckline?
The distinguishing feature is the extended lower front. Follow the edge below the upper opening to see how it turns around the body.[2][3]
Did the two Mawangdui gauze garments have the same cut?
They have different front shapes and measurements. Both were recovered from the same tomb and have the same type of ground fabric.[1]
How many times should a quju wrap?
Follow the construction of the individual robe. An excavated garment or reconstruction can show a particular path around the body, and the closure on a modern piece may be different.[2][3]
Fuentes
[1] Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. Curving-Front Plain Unlined Gauze Gown
[2] CCTV News via Xinhua. Mawangdui’s Curving-Front Gauze Robe
[3] Angela Sheng, Chinese Science. The Disappearance of Silk Weaves With Weft Effects
[4] Imperial Commentary on the Book of Rites. Volume 72, Shenyi
[5] Hong Kong Antiquities and Monuments Office. Silk-Padded Robe From Mawangdui M1