Vermilion Red

From cinnabar ore, warmer and brighter than bright red, commonly used in ancient architecture

HEX#E34234

RGBrgb(227, 66, 52)

HSLhsl(5, 76%, 55%)

HSVhsv(5, 77%, 89%)

CMYKcmyk(0%, 71%, 77%, 11%)

HEXA#E34234FF

RGBArgba(227, 66, 52, 1)

HSLAhsla(5, 76%, 55%, 1)

OKLCHoklch(74.4%, 0.128, 29)

LCHlch(68.7%, 37.6, 35)

🎨 Color Palettes

Analogous2-3 adjacent hues (≤60°)

Triadic3 hues spaced 120° apart

Split ComplementaryMain color + colors adjacent to its complement

Complementary2 hues spaced 180° apart

Tetradic (Rectangle)4 hues forming a rectangle

MonochromaticSingle hue with varying saturation and lightness

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Aa14px Body

High Contrast Text

#FFFFFFRatio 4.1:1AA Large

Suitable for body text, headings, and primary content, ensuring readability for all users

Aa14px Body

Standard Text

#FEFDFBRatio 4.1:1AA Large

Suitable for regular body content, meeting WCAG AA standards

Aa14px Body

Large Text / UI Components

#D7E53ERatio 3:1AA Large

Suitable for large text (≥18px bold or ≥24px), icons, UI component boundaries

Aa14px Body

Decorative / Dividers

#35E344Ratio 2.4:1Fail

Suitable for decorative elements, dividers, non-essential text

📊 Color Scales

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Lightness VariationFixed hue and saturation, stepwise lightness adjustment ±30%

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#9D2115

#CA2A1C

#E34435

#EA6D62

#F0978F

#F6C1BC

Saturation VariationFixed hue and lightness, stepwise saturation adjustment ±30%

#C16057

#CD574C

#D84D41

#E34435

#EF3A2A

#FA301E

#FF2D1A

Lightness + Saturation Mixed VariationSimultaneous lightness and saturation adjustment

#772922

#9D2F25

#C53326

#E14133

#EC5E51

#F47C71

#FB9C93

Hue Fine-TuningFixed saturation and lightness, stepwise hue fine-tuning ±15°

#E33552

#E33544

#E33535

#E34435

#E35235

#E36135

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💡 Use Cases

🏯

Ancient Architectural Painting

Pillars and bracket sets of palaces and temples are often painted vermilion, contrasting with blue-green decorative patterns, forming the standard palette of Chinese architecture.

🎨

Chinese Painting Pigment

Cinnabar pigment does not fade for millennia. Masterpieces like 'A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains' use cinnabar to highlight figures and vehicles, making them vivid and striking.

📿

Lacquerware Craft

Traditional crafts like carved lacquer and kintsugi use vermilion lacquer as a base. After applying dozens of layers, it is carved to reveal a deep, magnificent artistic effect.

⛩️

Eastern Cultural Creative Products

Vermilion is the core color of Eastern aesthetic IP. From Palace Museum cultural products to game scenes, vermilion always stands out as the visual focal point.

📜 Origin & History

Vermilion red originates from cinnabar, an ore of mercury sulfide. When ground, it yields a vibrant red pigment. As early as the Neolithic Age, ancestors used cinnabar powder in burials, believing the color red could communicate with deities.

During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, cinnabar became an important pigment. Oracle bone inscriptions were filled with cinnabar to appear solemn. By the Qin and Han dynasties, alchemy rose in popularity; cinnabar was viewed as an elixir of immortality, adding a mystical aura to the color.

Tang Dynasty architecture used vermilion extensively. The red pillars and white walls of Daming Palace's Hanyuan Hall formed a classic color scheme. Vermilion paint, made by mixing cinnabar powder with glue, was bright, durable, and extremely expensive, restricting its use to royalty and temples.

The Song Dynasty's 'Yingzao Fashi' (Treatise on Architectural Methods) documented vermilion formulas in detail. Ming and Qing palaces continued the use of vermilion decorative painting. The vermilion pillars of the Temple of Heaven's Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Summer Palace's Long Corridor have grown increasingly steady with age, becoming the lifeblood color of Chinese architecture.

Japan introduced vermilion from the Tang Dynasty, calling it 'Shinshu,' and used it for Shinto shrine torii gates and lacquerware. Crossing borders, vermilion remains a shared color of auspiciousness and wealth in East Asian cultural circles.

🧠 Color Psychology

Warm and ApproachableWith a hint of orange warmth compared to pure red, vermilion has a higher visual temperature, evoking images of winter hearth fires and the warmth of home.

Wealth and AuspiciousnessHistorically expensive, vermilion has always been a color of wealth, carrying hopes and blessings for a prosperous life.

Solemn and ElegantLess ostentatious than bright red, vermilion reveals elegance within solemnity, suitable for formal occasions requiring a sense of ceremony.

Historical SedimentThe vermilion on millennia-old ancient architecture has withstood the elements, carrying heavy historical memories that inspire awe and nostalgia.

Vitality and LifeWith high brightness, vermilion is like the morning sun, full of life force, stimulating a positive and uplifting emotional state.

Cultural BelongingVermilion is a shared cultural gene for East Asians; seeing it evokes a sense of identity and closeness to traditional civilization.

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