On the top of the court official’s hat fixed a pearl, indicating the official’s rank, which was made of jewels in red, blue, white or golden colors. The practice of using the pearl on the official’s cap to signify the rank of wearer was common in Qing Dynasty. The first(highest) rank used the ruby; the second rank, coral; the third rank, sapphire; the fourth rank, lapis lazuli; fifth rank, crystal; sixth rank, glant clam; seventh rank, gold; eighth rank, ornamental engraving gold with characters cut in intaglio; ninth rank, ornamental engraving gold with characters cut in relief. Those who wore caps with no pearls on its top had no rank at all.

　　Ling zi

　　The ornamentation of the ceremonial hat include a tube of 6-7cm long, made of jade or jadeite used to insert feathers. The ling zi could be divided into the multi-colored feathers that were honorable and blue feathers in the Qing Dynasty. The peacock feathers fell into three categories according to the colorful stripes of feather end: one stripe, two stripes, or three stripes. The three-stripe peacock feathers worn by the officials were most honorable. The blue feathers were the stork feathers without any stripe. The lingzi were worn at the back of Mandarin hat.