锦衣卫

錦衣衛

Jǐnyīwèi

proper noun #68,038

Meanings

1 Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Ming emperors' bodyguard and secret police, set up in 1382

Characters

Examples

HSK 3

电影《绣春刀》讲的是三个锦衣卫的故事。

Diànyǐng 《 Xiùchūndāo 》 jiǎng de shì sān ge Jǐnyīwèi de gùshi.

The film Brotherhood of Blades tells the story of three Embroidered Guards.

HSK 7-9

锦衣卫是明朝的特务机构。

Jǐnyīwèi shì Míngcháo de tèwu jīgòu.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard was the secret police of the Ming dynasty.

Tips

history

The Hongwu Emperor (朱元璋) set it up in 1382. Besides guarding the emperor, its men could arrest, interrogate and jail officials outside the regular courts, in their own prison, the 诏狱. Together with the eunuch-run 东厂 it became a byword for state terror.

culture

On screen its men are known by the fish-pattern robe (飞鱼服) and the slim 绣春刀 sabre, which gave the 2014 film Brotherhood of Blades its Chinese name.

In Pop Culture

锦衣卫 Jǐnyīwèi

14 Blades

2010 wuxia film starring Donnie Yen as a top agent of the guard who is framed by a palace eunuch and hunted by his own men.

Stroke Order

锦 jǐn

衣 yī

卫 wèi