孔静林 (Kat)

The setting of Ashes to Crown is fictional, but she said that judging from the clothing styles, it seems to draw inspiration from the pre-imperial period, especially the State of Chu during the pre-Qin period.

What caught her attention was this incredibly long necklace that hangs almost all the way to the ground.

According to her, it looks very similar to a 玉组佩 (yù zǔ pèi), usually translated as a jade pendant set.

She said the first thing that came to mind was a famous jade pendant set belonging to the wife of Marquis Mu of Jin from the Western Zhou period, which is preserved in the Shanxi Museum.

Apparently this particular set consists of more than 200 individual pieces of jade, beads, agate, and other ornaments linked together into a single ceremonial piece. Looking at the reconstruction, it's easy to see why she made the connection.

The post also explained that jade pendant sets have a very long history. Their origins can be traced back to the Neolithic period, and by the Zhou dynasty they had become important symbols of rank and status.

One thing I found especially interesting was that these weren't just decorative accessories.

The poster quoted ancient ritual texts which describe how the jade pieces would chime as the wearer walked.

The Book of Rites states:

"A gentleman of old always wore jade... When advancing, he would bow; when retreating, he would compose himself, and only then would the jade chime pleasantly."

If someone walked too quickly or moved too abruptly, the jade pieces would collide noisily and create an unpleasant clatter.

Only by walking calmly and maintaining a steady rhythm could the jade produce a clear and harmonious sound.

Your movements were literally judged by the sound of your jewelry.

The post also mentioned that, according to ancient ritual traditions, details such as the length of the pendant set, the number of jade pieces, and even the color of the jade could indicate a person's social rank.

The most elaborate examples were reserved for the highest levels of the aristocracy.

The Zhou people associated jade with the five virtues of benevolence, righteousness, wisdom, courage, and purity. Wearing jade served as a reminder that one's character should be as gentle and steadfast as jade itself.

According to the Rites of Zhou:

The Son of Heaven wore white jade.

Dukes and marquises wore dark mountain jade.

Senior officials wore blue-green water jade.

The length of the pendant set, the number of components, and even the color of the jade all served as indicators of rank.

High-ranking nobles

Multiple jade crescents (three or more)

Tooth-shaped pendants

Elaborate strings of beads

Lower-ranking nobles

A single jade crescent or only a few

Simpler designs

Which makes the necklace in Ashes of Crown even more interesting. If the costume designers were inspired by historical jade pendant sets, then it isn't just a beautiful accessory—it's a visual way of telling the audience that this character belongs to the highest ranks of society.

Anyway, I thought this was such a cool detail and wanted to share it here. It's fascinating to see how much historical culture can be reflected in costume design.