In the Qin and Han dynasties, clothing colors were an important phase in China, which was the integration of the yin-yang and five elements philosophy into clothing color concepts. The Qin dynasty had a short reign, so apart from the regulations on clothing colors by Emperor Qin Shi Huang, general clothing colors should have followed the customs of the Warring States period.

　　Men's clothing: Emperor Qin Shi Huang stipulated that the formal attire was a black upper garment and lower skirt for sacrifices, and he set black as the highest rank in clothing color. He also stipulated that officials of the third rank or above wore green robes, while commoners wore white robes.

　　Women's clothing: Emperor Qin Shi Huang liked the palace concubines to wear beautiful and luxurious clothes. Due to his reduction of ritual learning, the clothing colors for concubines mainly catered to his personal preferences. However, they were still basically governed by the concept of the five elements.