The Twelve Insignias refers to a set of twelve iconic images sewn on the ritual costume of ancient Chinese emperors, which finds the earliest reference in the “Yi and Ji” chapter of Book of Document. Since Emperor Mingdi of Later Han Dynasty (r. 57- 75) proclaimed a formal dress with the twelve insignias as the emperor’s ritual costume, the set has been considered a symbol of the hierarchical ruling system, as its variations (i.e. sets of twelve, nine, seven, five, three, or one insignia) have been accorded to different official ranks. Accordingly, the iconic images have long been discussed among Confucian scholars so seriously that literature and illustrations dealing with their form and meanings survive in a greater number than those of any other decorative images. Though having been compiled for the imperial ritual costume, the twelve insignias were also employed, selectively or collectively, for ritual vessels and even paintings. Several ancient classics on Confucian rites touch on the implication and ritual significance of each insignia.