Tassels from the Palace Museum's collections. [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum]

Tassel

Tassels were commonly worn by Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) concubines, with the stem often engraved with patterns of lucid ganoderma, a Chinese mushroom, and double happiness or other auspicious images. The hanging pendent was often made of ruby or glass beads. A beautiful woman wearing a tassel seemed more elegant as the tassel swayed as she walks gently.