Why did some portraits of ancient generals put a shirt on their armor? Like Yue Fei and Guan Yu?

Why did some portraits of ancient generals put a shirt on their armor? Like Yue Fei and Guan Yu? The combat robes worn by military commanders outside the armor are divided into cloaks, cloaks, coats, etc. Because of its different shapes, it was mainly used to keep out cold, rain, snow, dust and wind in the early days, and later became an important decoration. The finer the workmanship, the more exquisite the shape and the higher the status.

In fact, ancient military commanders rarely wear cloaks, cloaks and coats in battle, but they often wear them when marching. The reason is that they camped in the ancient March, and these robes are undoubtedly the best choice to keep out the cold, rain, snow, dust and wind in the March. Even if they want to camp, cloaks are just bedding. Moreover, the armor worn by ancient military commanders is generally heavy, and they can only put on cloaks, cloaks and cloaks after wearing them, so most military commanders are equipped. However, generally only senior generals can enjoy this kind of treatment, and ordinary soldiers are not blessed.

With the development of time, in addition to practical value, this robe has gradually become an extremely important decoration, not only a symbol of status, but also the finer the workmanship and the more exquisite the shape, the higher the status. At the same time, shirts can also show the heroic spirit of generals and troops and reduce the cold feeling. Usually used when reviewing the army.

So, let's talk about why some generals appear outside the armor in the portrait:

1, creative needs. Portraits can also be regarded as works of art, as the saying goes, they come from life and are higher than life. Painting a shirt outside the armor can undoubtedly add some heroic spirit. At the same time, the color of ancient armor is mostly single. It is estimated that color matching is also taken into account when painting the shirt, so that the portrait will not look too rigid.

2. Identify yourself. As mentioned above, the shirt is often used as a status symbol, and it is natural to distinguish famous generals from ordinary generals. It is also natural to distinguish between famous generals and ordinary generals throughout the ages. Painting exquisite shirts outside the armor is also a means to distinguish the status of generals.

3. objective performance. If it is a realistic portrait, it will be better understood. If a military commander wants to leave a portrait for future generations, it is natural to leave his best side to everyone. So it is understandable to wear their clothes to look grand and formal. As a status symbol, shirts are indispensable. Presumably, this is one of the main reasons why many military commanders wear official uniforms instead of armor.

4. Pay more attention to literature than martial arts. As the saying goes, except in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, military commanders had a high status (except in troubled times), and there was a general situation of valuing literature over martial arts. Therefore, wearing a shirt outside the armor can also show the demeanor of some Confucian generals and reduce the coldness of some military commanders. This is also one of the main reasons why many portraits of military commanders wear official uniforms instead of armor.

To sum up, the reason why the portrait of a military commander wears a shirt outside the armor is mainly because of the needs of the portrait itself.