Yesa robe

[4] Yesa was a regular clothing in the Ming dynasty;[3] it was initially worn in the palace and by the wealthy, and it later spread to the commoners.

[1] The yesa robe is a cross-collared, long sleeved robe with narrow pleats on the lower hem; while the back of the lower part is flat, the front had two densely pleated sides with a flat middle,[1][4] similar to the mamianqun.

[4] The absence of the threaded/braided waistband, the absence of pleats at the centre back and front of the skirt; the presence of large side pleats were the main features of the yesa; these features were developed in the Ming dynasty and were not of Mongol origins.

[4] The yesa also showed sedentary life-style and Chinese cultural characteristics: its increase in length made it lose its functionality for horse-riding purposes, the flat centre back appeared as well-arranged pleats were to hard to maintain when sitting.

[4] Moreover, the folds which were originally found at the centre front of the terlig also had to disappear as it interrupted the dignity of the vertical line,[4] a feature which was important in Chinese clothing culture.