Colors / Red in Japan / Nakabeni
Nakabeni
中紅 · なかべに · “Medium crimson (dye)”
Nakabeni, 'medium crimson', names a middle register of crimson dyeing — rendered here as a lively crimson-rose, deeper than pink but stopping short of full scarlet.
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white 5.04 AA black 4.16 AA Large
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en.wikipedia #C93756
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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).
中紅花 なかべに Medium safflower (nakabeni)
For 1 bolt of fine hemp cloth
紅花大一斤四両safflower · 1 kin 4 ryō (large measure)
酢八合vinegar · 8 gō
藁一囲straw · 1 bundle
薪卌斤firewood · 40 kin
Original text 原文
中紅花貲布一端、紅花大一斤四両、酢八合、藁一囲、薪卌斤、
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
ベニバナ 紅染め — what the name literally points to.
