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Yesa robe (p=Yèsāpáo), also known simply referred as Yesa (c=曳撒), Yisan (c=曳撒), or Yisa (c=一撒), is an ancient type of Chinese clothing worn during the Ming dynasty. It originated in the Ming dynasty but was influenced from clothing of the Yuan dynasty. It is sometimes described as being a sinicized version of the Mongol's jisün and could only be found in China. Yesa was a regular clothing in the Ming dynasty; it was initially worn in the palace and by the wealthy, and it later spread to the commoners.
The absence of the threaded/braided waistband, the absence of pleats at the centre back and front of the skirt, and 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. These features also differentiated it from its precursor.
The yesa also showed sedentary lifestyle and Chinese cultural characteristics: its increase in length made it lose its functionality for horse-riding purposes; the flat centre back's appearance as well-arranged pleats were too hard to maintain when sitting. 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, a feature which was important in Chinese clothing culture.
The yesa was worn as an informal attire by emperors, princes, ministers, and officials in their spare time during the early period of the Ming dynasty; it was worn as a formal uniforms in some occasions during the middle period of the Ming dynasty; it was worn as a casual dress worn by scholar-officials during the mid-to-late period of the Ming dynasty; and eventually it was worn by servants and commoners in the late Ming.
The Ming court eunuchs wore yesa robe in different styles, such as the red-coloured yesa robes with a qilin patch, round-collared yesa robes, and light green yesa robe, etc.
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