Traditional Chinese round collar gown
A yuanlingshan () is a type of round-collared upper garment () in the traditional Chinese style of clothing known as ; it is also referred to as a ' () or a ' () when used as a robe (called 17). The and were both developed under the influence of ancient Chinese clothing, known as , originating from the Donghu people during the early Han dynasty and later by the , including the Xianbei people, during the Six Dynasties period. The is an article of formal attire primarily worn by men, although in certain dynasties, such as the Tang dynasty, it was also fashionable for women to wear. In the Tang dynasty, the could be transformed into the using buttons.
There are specific forms of and named for their decorations and construction; for example, the ' (), also called ' () for short, ', ' (), ' (), and ' ().
Terminology.
The term literally translates to "round collar shirt", consisting of the Chinese characters (), which literally translates to "round collar" and (), literally translated as "shirt".
The term literally translates to "round collar robe (or gown)", consisting of the Chinese characters and (). is an abbreviation for the term (), which is literally translated as "robe" or "gown".
The term () or simply () refers to a specific variation of characterized by a bottom horizontal band attached at the knee level, while following the overall form of the , a long robe.
The term () is a generic term referring to clothing adorned with a rank badge known as (), which is often a mandarin square or roundels, to indicate its wearer's rank.64 Such garments were typically worn by government officials.
When a or is decorated with Chinese dragons called () or decorated with () decorations, including roundels or square rank badges, the generic term or "mangfu" is applied respectively depending on the number of dragon-claws used and the time period.
History.
Han dynasty.
The and were both common forms of clothing for the Hu people. During the Eastern Han dynasty, some forms of started to be influenced by the of the Hu people, leading to the emergence of garments with round collars, or . In this period, the was primarily used as an undergarment. The collars of the Han dynasty were not turned on both sides and their edges were similar to the styles worn in the Sui and Tang dynasties. It was also during the early years of the Han dynasty that the shape of the worn in the later dynasties, such as in the Ming dynasties, started to develop.
Wei, Jin, Northern, and Southern dynasties / Six Dynasties.
During the era of the Six Dynasties, the began to be worn as an outer garment influenced by the culture of ethnic minorities, the , who founded the minority nationalities regime in the Wei and Jin dynasties. It is also during the Six Dynasties period that the started to be worn as formal clothing. Hence, these ethnic minorities played a significant role in laying the foundation for the popularity of the in the subsequent dynasties.
Influence of the Xianbei.
When the migrated to the Central Plains, their dressing culture influenced the clothing culture of the Han people in the region. These northern nomads, including the Xianbei, also introduced new clothing styles, including the (), a type of crotch-length long jacket. The had either a round or snug (plunged) collar, tight sleeves, and less overlap than the traditional , which allowed for greater freedom of movement, especially for horse riding, and strongly impacted Chinese fashion.317 
The Northern Wei dynasty was marked by cultural integration between the Xianbei and the Han Chinese. The Xianbei ruling elites adopted Chinese clothing and Chinese customs, while the Han Chinese started to integrate some of the Xianbei's nomadic style clothing, including high boots and narrow-sleeved and into Han clothing. In this period, the worn by unearthed terracotta warriors were closed in the -style instead of -style, reflecting its characteristics. Since the Northern Wei dynasty, the shapes of the Han Chinese's also started to be influenced by the -style robe, which originated in Western Asia and was then spread to the East through the Sogdians of Central Asia.
In the Northern and Southern dynasties, the of the Xianbei was localized by the Han Chinese, resulting in a loss of its association with and developed into a new form of , called . This evolution was achieved through the addition of a new seam structure called (), which aligned with the traditional style and followed the Han Chinese's robe.
Influence of the Sogdians.
The Sogdians and their descendants, mostly from the merchant class, who lived in China during this period also wore a form of knee-length, -style kaftan that retained their own ethnic characteristics but also showed some influences from East Asia, including Chinese and early Turkic influences. Due to the influence and the demands of the Chinese population, most Sogdian attire in China had to be closed to the right in the -style. Their kaftan would often be buttoned up to the neck, forming a round collar. Occasionally, the collar or lower button would be undone to form lapel robes, a style sometimes referred to as (). This dressing custom of wearing -style robes was later inherited and developed into the of the subsequent Tang and Sui dynasties.
Sui and Tang dynasties, Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
In the Tang dynasty, the descendants of the Xianbei and the other non-Chinese people who ruled northern China from 304 – 581 AD lost their ethnic identity and became Chinese; the term Han referred to all people of the Tang dynasty instead of describing the population ruled by the Xianbei elites during the Northern dynasties.
The and , tied with a belt commonly made of leather at the waist, became a typical form of fashion for both men and women during the Tang dynasty, as it was fashionable for women to dress like men in this period. Both garments became the main form of clothing for men as well. Both the and of this period had a long, straight back and front with a border at the collar. The front and back of the garments each had a piece of fabric attached for tying the clothing around the waist. The sleeves could be tight or loose, with tight sleeves designed to facilitate ease of movements. Trousers were worn under the . Some women also wore under their . 
One distinctive feature of men's clothing during the Tang dynasty was a horizontal band, which could also be attached to the lower region of the .81 Tang dynasty scholars and government officials wore long, red with long sleeves, accompanied by headwear called . In 630 during the 4th year of Zhen Guan, colour regulations for the of the officials were decreed: purple for the 3rd and 4th rank officials; bright red for the 5th rank officials; green for the 6th and 7th rank officials; and blue for the 8th and 9th officials.81In the Kaiyuan era (713 – 741 AD), slaves and the common soldiers also started to wear the scholar's . 
Foreign influences.
In the Tang dynasty, it was also popular for people to use fabrics, including brocade, to decorate the collars, sleeves and front of the ; this practice of clothing decoration is known as "partial decorations of gowns" and was influenced by the Sogdians of Central Asia, who had entered China since the Northern and Southern dynasties period. Influenced by foreign cultures, some could have a band of fabric decorated with Central Asian roundels which would run down at the center of the robe as a form of partial decoration.
It was also popular to wear . Almost all figurines and mural paintings depicting female court attendants dressed in men's clothing are wearing . The which was popular in this period was the clothing worn by the Tartars and the people who lived in the Western regions, which was brought from the Silk Road. Robes with double overturned lapels and tight-fitting sleeves were known as , which originated from Central Asia. During this period, the could be turned into a under the influence of by unbuttoning the robes, while the could be also be turned back into a when buttoned. In some unearthed pottery figures wearing dating from the Tang dynasty, it was found that the had three buttons on the collar. After the High Tang dynasty period, the influences of progressively started to fade and the clothing started to become increasingly loose.
Song dynasty.
During the Song dynasty, the official attire worn by Song court officials was the with long, loose and broad sleeves.2753 The colours of the were also regulated based on the official's ranks.2753 The had a large overlapping region being held down by a broad strip of fabric3and a long line which divided the front part of the gown.275 Kerchief (typically ), leather belt, and (), black hide boots or shoes, would be worn by the court officials as accessories.2753
Liao, Jin and Western Xia dynasties.
Liao dynasty.
Khitan men wore the Khitan-style with a belt at their waist and trousers tucked into felt boots.46 The Khitan-style differed from those worn by the Han Chinese in terms of design and construction: the Khitan-style had both back and side slits, with the side slits located in the lower region of the robes. The back slits facilitated horse-riding and protected wearers' legs from the cold. Some of them had no slits. The Khitan-style also had narrow sleeves, was closed on the left side, and was unadorned. 
Ming dynasty.
After the establishment of the Ming dynasty, the emperor restored the old system of the Tang and Song dynasties. During the Ming dynasty, the and were also the most common form of attire for all genders, including officials and nobles. The and/or were not typically worn alone; a sleeveless vest called and an inner robe (either the or ) was commonly worn underneath.
The difference between the or of the civilians and of the officials and nobles was the addition of a (either a mandarin square or roundels rank badge64) and the fabric materials used. The clothing of the Ming dynasty was predominantly red, although, there were strict colour regulations depending on the ranks of officials. During an Imperial Funeral, Ming officers wore a grey-blue without a Mandarin square, () and . This set was known as ().
The Ming dynasty and were typically characterized by the "cross-plane structure", with the back and front being bounded by the middle seam of the sleeves. The front and back were symmetrical and the left and right were also largely symmetrical; there is a central line acting as the axis of this symmetry. It has a round collar without a high-standing collar which is secured with a button; it overlaps on the front side and closes at the right side in the -style, which follows the traditional system. It also has side slits on the right and left side. The sleeves of the are mostly in a style called (), which means the sleeves are large but curved to form a narrow sleeve cuff, to facilitate movements and be more practical in daily life. Men's and also have side panels called () at the side slits to conceal the undergarments. These side panels are also referred to as "side ears" which are unique to the Ming dynasty's ; this specific structure reflects the combination of and attire of the Mongols, the ethnic minority. The "side ear" also allows for greater ease of movement and can increase the looseness of the robe.
Qing dynasty.
During the Qing dynasty, the Manchu rulers enforced the policy along with 10 exemptions. Among the exempted people were the Han Chinese women, who were allowed to continue wearing the Ming-style , and on-stage theatre performers. While was worn in the dominant sphere of society - ritual and official locations, continued to be worn in the subordinate societal sphere, such as in women's quarters and theatres.
Wedding garment.
The of officials and nobles also served as a form of wedding attire for commoners. The groom wears a type of headwear known as and a of a 9th-rank official. The bride wears a type of headwear known as and a red or with a of a noblewoman.
Influence and derivatives.
Korea.
Dallyeong.
In Korea, the was introduced during the Tang dynasty and became known as the (Korean: ; Hanja: ; RR: ;