The Essential Guide To The History Of The Oriental Yellow Turban

By Emilia Espinoza


While there are many people who wear the yellow turban as an accessory in modern fashion circles, few ever appreciate the full significance of the headgear. In fact, this is one of the most enduring fashion inspirations that the west has borrowed and retained from the cultures of the Far East. This guide looks at the historical events that led to the prominence of the turbans right from Chinese antiquity.

The wearing of the distinctive headgear came to prominence in the closing years of the second century AD and the beginning of the third century AD. This was a time when the then Emperor Ling of the Han dynasty was facing a serious insurrection in some Northern Chinese provinces. The peasant farmers were up in arms, holding the emperor's unpopular agrarian policies as being the reason behind widespread famine.

There were three brothers who bore the surname Zhang who were particularly inspirational for the anarchist rebels. They three inspired many with their new strict version of Taoism which became so influential as to change the way the faith was practiced hitherto. They offered faith healing tom their adherents and inspired them to confess sins in a bid to attain both spiritual and bodily wholeness.

Zhang Jiao was especially inspirational to is followers and fighters. He gave very inspirational sermons before leading them to battle. He talked of a new era of plenty marked by an entire year when the sky would turn yellow to herald the demise of the Han dynasty. He told them this was certainly going to happen as their triumph over the imperial forces was ordained in the heavens.

The violent insurrection against Ling's rule was especially virulent in three areas. The most notable was of course the home region of the Zhangs, to the north of the Yellow River. There were also packets of violent revolt in both Nanyang and Yinshuan provinces. More trouble for the emperor was blowing in the area where the modern city of Beijing is located.

Within less than a decade since the uprising started, there were distinct threats to the empire with over 360,000 men fighting on the side of the rebels. This was not to last though as soon the imperial army came under the command of the inspirational leader, Liu Yan. The half brother to the emperor managed to lead hundreds of thousands of fighters from the relatively quiet south to fight the king's cause.

Within less than a decade, Yan had managed to deal the rebellion a fatal blow. The Zhang brothers were killed and the insurrection was on its death throes. By AD 205, the rebellion was well and truly finished.

The wearing of the yellow turban is a fashion style that has deep roots in Chinese antiquity. There are many people who do not appreciate the cultural and historical significance of this head dress today. After reading this brief history, you need not be among them anymore as you will have all it takes to appreciate the importance of the head dress.




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