Gujing fuwei 古經服緯

Gujing fuwei 古經服緯 is a book on clothes and garments mentioned in the ancient Classics that was written during the late Qing period 清 (1644-1911) by Lei Zun 雷鐏, courtesy name Zongyi 宗彝, from Tongzhou 通州 (today's Tongxian 通縣, Hebei). He was district magistrate of Chongren 崇仁. The book was annotated and published by his on Lei Xueqi 雷學淇 (1739－1829), courtesy name Zhanshu 瞻叔, who obtained the jinshi degree in 1814 and was first district magistrate of Heshun 和順, Shanxi, and then of Yongzhi 永知, Guizhou. Lie Xueqi wrote some more commentaries on ancient books, like Jiujing jijie 九經集解, Xia xiaozheng jingzhuan kao 夏小正經傳考, Gujin tianxiang kao 古今天象考, or Yi'ao'aozhai jingyi kao 亦囂囂齋經義考.

The Gujing fuwei with a length of 3 juan analyses the rules for ceremonial clothing through the ages until the Ming period 明 (1368-1644). The authors explain that the rules for robes allowed to discern ranks and status. The origin of a system of state robes can be found in the rules established by Guanzi 管子 in the regional state of Qi 齊. The robes, girdles and caps of courtiers and state officials clearly set them apart from commoners, and rich entrepreneurs in particular, as seen, for instance, in a taboo for commoners to use pelt. This rigorous distinction was given up during the Han period 漢 (206 BCE-220 CE). Lei father and son hoped to revive the ancient spirit of using clear and distinct rules for the use of robes and garments, for instance, mourning clothes (sangfu 喪服). Lei Xueqi provided many quotations from ancient literature to give evidence of original regulations and thus also refuted incorrect interpretations of the customs for ceremonial clothing, for instance, by using silk for such parts of garments for which the ancient rules only provided linen.

The text is included in the series Jifu congshu 畿輔叢書 and Congshu jicheng chubian 叢書集成初編. Both versions have an appendix called Shiwen 釋問, which also deals with questions on statements in the Classics.