A type of headwear designed for kings and emperors of ancient China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. Characterized by a square lacquered board placed on top of the headgear, with strands of jade beads draping from the two ends, which represent the rank of the wearer.

Originating in [[Chinese empire|China]], the mianguan was worn by the emperor, his ministers, and aristocrats. The mianguan was the most expensive [[Chinese Clothes|Chinese headware]], reserved for important sacrificial events. Regulations on its shape and its making were issued under the [[Han dynasty|Eastern Han dynasty]] and applied in the succeeding dynasties only to be ended at the fall of the [[Ming dynasty]] in the 16th century AD.

In Japan, emperors and nobles wore gold, silver, and gilt-bronze crowns, influenced by the Korean peninsula, from the Kofun period (mid 3rd century-7th century). In the 8th century, influenced by the Chinese mianguan, the unique benkan was born, a metal crown with chains and a sun-shaped ornament at the top. It is also worn in Vietnam, and the monarchs of the [[Joseon dynasty]] also wore an equivalent crown, the myeonlyugwan. 

h4.External links

* "Photo (the Dingling Museum of the Ming Tombs)":[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chinese_Imperial_Mian,_Dingling.jpg]
* "A list of Guan, Jin, and other headwear":https://torguqin.wordpress.com/hanfu/hanfu-history/list/

h4.See also

* [[Tag Group:Attire]]
冕冠