About
The character "纛" in its traditional form is composed of the components "縣" meaning suspended and "系" meaning to tie or attach, overlaid with "毛" for animal hair, which structurally indicates a decorative object made of tied hair or feathers that is hung or suspended. Its original meaning referred to a type of ornate banner or decorative plume, often made from yak or ox tail hair, that was mounted on ceremonial chariots and later on military command banners in ancient China. Over time, its meaning narrowed specifically to denote a large ceremonial banner or standard used by a military commander, representing authority and the command center of an army, and it retains this specific semantic focus in classical and historical texts.