Guan Li was the traditional Chinese ceremony marking a young man’s transition to adulthood at age 20.
The rite is also called the capping ceremony because the participant received an adult cap, or guan, during the observance. It originated in ancient China and was described in the Confucian Classic of Rites. The ceremony formally recognized that the young man had acquired adult status and new responsibilities within family and society.
Guan Li applied to men, while Ji Li was the corresponding capping or hairpin ceremony for women, traditionally held at age 15. These customs were especially associated with elite and Confucian families, so they were not a universal experience for every person in Chinese history. Modern Chinese coming-of-age practices are more varied and usually do not follow the ancient ritual sequence.