(), also known as (), (), (), plum blossom makeup or plum makeup ( or ) or shouyang makeup (), is a form of traditional Chinese women's ornamental forehead makeup, which is located between the eyebrows and sometimes on the cheeks, the temples, and the dimples. According to folklore, the in floral shape originated in the Southern dynasty period; its creation is attributed to Princess Shouyang, a daughter of Emperor Wu of Liu Song (420 â 479 AD). However, the origins of can be traced back earlier than these legends to the Qin and Han dynasties, and even in the pre-Qin period with its customs arising as early as the Spring and Autumn period (c. 770 â 476 BC) and Warring States period (c. 475 â 221 BC) based on archaeological artifacts and studies. Its origins has no connection with the (), i.e. (), found on the middle of the forehead of Buddha statues. The was also popular among Tang and Song dynasty women. The popularity of declined in the Yuan dynasty. is an integral part of Chinese clothing culture. In present days, is often combined with the wearing of hanfu, the traditional clothing of the Han Chinese.
come in various different shapes and patterns, including flowers, plum blossoms, butterfly, coins, peaches, birds, phoenixes and other animals. They are typically red in colour but can also be found in different colours, such as green and gold. Different materials such as emerald bird feathers or (), gold leaf, silver leaf, paper, fish scales, feathers, pearls, jewels, or dragonfly wings can be used.
is typically applied on the forehead between the eyebrows; sometimes, it is applied on the cheeks, on the temples, and even on the dimples, where it was specifically referred to as (). were typically about 1 cm from each sides of the lips and were red in colour. During the prosperous period of the Tang dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the reached high up to the two sides of the nose.
The customs of applying early prototypes of can be traced back to the pre-Qin period; for example, female figurines unearthed from the tomb of Chu dating to the Warring States period in Changsha, Hunan province, have decorative shapes or patterns painted on their face, which shows that prototypes of predate the folk legends of their origin.
According to a legend, floral originated in the Southern dynasty period when a plum blossom was blown onto the forehead of Princess Shouyang (a daughter of Song Wudi) when she was taking a walk in the palace in early spring. The plum blossom for some reason could not be removed or washed off; but since it looked beautiful on the princess, it became a fashion trend.
Another legend says that Princess Shouyang was taking a nap when a plum blossom fell on her forehead (and cheeks) leaving imprints; these imprints then lasted for three days. The effect of the flower imprint was so striking that it formed a new vogue and was copied by other ladies. This fashion trend soon became popular across the country.
According to the (), women in the Tang dynasty painted () on their face, which originated from Shangguan Wan'er. According to the Chinese folk legend, red plum blossom became popular in the Tang dynasty under the influence of Shangguan Wan'er. Shangguan Wan'er had her face ruined by Wu Zetian with a scar on the forehead. To disguise it, she tattooed a red plum blossom around her scar and dyed it red, taking inspiration from the plum blossom makeup created by Princess Shouyang. In addition to covering her scar, the red plum blossom also made her look more beautiful and charming. The makeup became popular among both palace ladies and commoners, turning it into a representative makeup of the Tang dynasty. This became known as ().
In the Tang dynasty, could also be painted or made of tiny pieces of metal, such as gold or silver foil. Other materials such as paper, fish scales or dragonfly wings were also used to make . During this period, there were more than 10 variations of plum blossoms which were used as facial adornments. Bird, snake, and lead-shaped decorations were also popular.
During the prosperous period of the Tang dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the reached high up to the two sides of the nose, and they were shaped in the form of coins, peaches, birds, and flowers.
In the Song dynasty, embellished with pearls became popular.
In the 21st century, typically do not appear on women's faces as daily makeup. However, traditional designs of are still used in the designs of contemporary wedding accessories, and are depicted in many Chinese television dramas. is also used as a form of makeup for women when wearing hanfu. Nowadays, can either be painted on the face or be applied as a temporary tattoo.