Aoshirotsurubami
Aoshirotsurubami is the palest and coolest of the tsurubami oak colors, a soft grey-green like lichen on bark, where the acorn browns dissolve into a gentle sage.
How it was dyed in 927
The Engishiki — the court regulations completed in 927 — records exactly what the palace dyehouse was allotted to dye this color. Quantities are per bolt of cloth; units are left in the original (1 kin ≈ 600 g, 1 shō ≈ 0.7 L in later standards — Heian equivalents are debated).
青白橡 あおしろつるばみ Greenish pale acorn
The Engishiki also gives scaled quantities for: 1 bolt of plain silk · 1 skein of silk thread · 1 bolt of fine hemp cloth.
Original text 原文
青白橡綾一疋、〈綿紬・糸紬・東絁亦同、〉苅安草大九十六斤、紫草六斤、灰三石、薪八百卌斤、帛一疋、苅安草大七十二斤、紫草四斤、灰二石、薪六百六十斤、糸一絇、苅安草大二斤、紫草一斤、灰七升、薪廿斤、貲布一端、苅安草大卌八斤、紫草五斤、灰一石一斗、薪六十斤、
Text: 『デジタル延喜式』校訂文（縫殿寮）, National Museum of Japanese History · 1900 printed edition (NDL)
Tints & shades
Harmonies within the tradition
Complementary and triadic companions, chosen from real traditional colors — not computed values.
Similar colors
The namesake
クヌギ 樹皮 地衣類 — what the name literally points to.
