This is the most identifiable imperial wardrobe from China, a symbol of the Emperor. However, this yellow dragon robe was adopted only in Qing dynasty, when the colour yellow became associated with the imperial family.
Male Festive Robe With Dragons, Clouds, And Bats 彩雲蝠金龍紋男龍袍
Cotton, silk tapestry (kesi) | Qing Qianlong period (r. 1736-1795) | The Palace Museum Collection
棉、緙絲｜清乾隆（1736-1795年）｜故宮博物院藏
The emperor wore a festive robe 吉服 or “auspicious attire”, aka “dragon robe” 龍袍, for birthdays, festivals, and other celebrations. Eight five-clawed dragons occupy the front, back, and shoulder areas, with a hidden ninth dragon on the inner flap. The robe is tight fitting with sleeves tapering to flared cuffs that resemble the hoofs of a horse 馬蹄袖式, a reminder of the Manchu’s equestrian background.
Princes and other nobles could also wear robes with five-clawed dragons, but according to the dress code of the Qianlong period (set in 1759), only the emperor could wear the twelve imperial emblems1, including the sacrifical axe 黼, which indicates his supreme position and virtue. Since different occasions and activities required different types of clothing2, the Qianlong Emperor changed as much as seven times a day.
The sun, moon, mountain, and constellation emblems are positioned symmetrically around the neckband. The other eight imperial symbols—dragon, ax, cups, flame, bat, grain, pheasant, and waterweed—are arranged on the front and back of the robe. Only the top members of the royal family—emperor, empress, empress dowager, and crown prince—could wear twelve-symbol robes. A bright yellow dragon robe like this could be worn only by the emperor himself.
The robe is embroidered with three dragons on the chest and at the back – one front-facing, and two in profile. In addition, there are two front-facing dragons on either shoulder, and one on the inner facing which only becomes visible when the lapel is turned down. Therefore it makes a total of nine dragons on one robe, with five always in view from whatever angle. The combination of nine and five is an indication of the Emperor’s status as the “Son of Heaven” 九五之尊.
Rising from the hemline of the robe are parallel sets of wave bands in rainbow colours called lishui 立水 (standing water). The lishui and wave patterns also appear near the elbows of the sleeves, and along with golden dragons in the border bands around the neck, the overlap and the cuffs.
Court necklace 朝珠
Jadeite, coral, tourmaline, pearls | Qing dynasty (1644-1911) | The Palace Museum Collection.
翡翠、珊瑚、碧璽、米珠 ｜清（1644-1911年）｜故宮博物院藏
Rosary 數珠
Gold, pearls, coral | Qing dynasty (1644-1911) | The Palace Museum
金、珍珠、珊瑚｜清（1644-1911年）｜故宮博物院藏
Besides the dragon robe, the emperor has to wear additional accessories that are symbolic as well as artistic. Court necklace 朝珠 (left) originated from a Buddhist rosary 數珠 sent in 1643 by the Dalai Lama to Emperor Shunzhi. It was then redesigned by the Manchu to include new elements3. The court necklace is based on the 108-beaded Buddhist rosary (right); it however shifted from being a religious object to being a symbol of social status while only maintaining some liturgic function.
The Emperor’s Winter Travel Hat 皇帝冬行服冠
Velvet, silk satin, silk floss | Qing dynasty (1644-1911) | The Palace Museum Collection.
絨、緞、纓｜清（1644-1911年）｜故宮博物院藏
The hat is also an important part of the outfit, and there is one for each season. The winter hat often made of fur or other warm materials to protect the emperor’s head from the cold. They are often decorated with intricate patterns and designs that reflect the emperor’s personal style and taste.
Gilt silver court hat finial with a red gemstone 銀鍍金鑲紅色寶石朝冠頂
Gold, silver, gemstone | Qing Qianlong period (r. 1736-1795) | National Palace Museum Collection. 金、銀、寶石｜清乾隆（1736-1795年）｜國立故宮博物院藏
Hat stand with coiled dragon
蟠龍紋冠架
Carved red lacquer | Qing dynasty (1644-1911) | The Palace Museum Collection
剔紅漆器｜清（1644-1911年）｜故宮博物院藏
One of the favourite decoration is the finial 朝冠頂. Often made with pearls, this gilt silver court hat finial with a red gemstone 銀鍍金鑲紅色寶石朝冠頂 (left) from Emperor Qianlong shows the emperor’s taste for non-traditional designs too. And the hat needs its own accessory too – the hat stand. And of course the emperor’s hat stand has to be over the top (no pun intended). Hat stand with coiled dragon 蟠龍紋冠架 carved from lacquered wood demonstrates the craftsmanship at the emperor’s disposal.
Boots with cloud-patterned trim 黃緞補繡雲紋皇帝靴
Silk satin, velvet | Qing Kangxi period (r. 1662-1722) | The Palace Museum Collection.
緞、絨｜清康熙（1662-1722年）｜故宮博物院藏
The court boots are of the same colour as the clothes, and are decorated with black trim and embroidered with dragon patterns. The boots are of a thick-soled, high-pointed-toe style. These boots use silk satin as the surface and a lot of gold thread.
Late in the Qing dynasty, owing to a weakening of governing institutions, the court code was not strictly adhered to, and some court ladies and princes wore five, seven, or even twelve emblems on their apparel, giving rise to lapses in following the Qing code.
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中華國寶系列 Chinese National Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
Footnote
- The twelve symbols are: the Sun, representing the illumination of the myriad things; the Moon, representing yin-yang balance; a constellation of Stars, representing harmony with the heavenly laws; mountains, representing steadfastness; dragon patterns, representing deft adaptation to change; the huachong pheasant 華蟲 standing on one leg, representing impressive literary cultivation; a pair of yi libation cups 宗彝 meant for ancestral worship, representing loyalty and filial piety, wisdom and courage; water weed 藻, representing purity and cleanness; flame, representing brightness; millet, representing material plenitude; a sacrificial axe 黼, representing decisive and acute judgment; and a fu 黻 symbol, that resembled the character 亞, representing the ability to distinguish clearly between right and wrong. ↩︎
- In the Tenth lunar Month of 1748 the Qianlong emperor issued an edict stating, ‘I note that precedents concerning the painting of mountains and dragons have been handed down in the history of Yu, and that juyi and yuzhai [two types of ancient ladies’ garments] were made according to the colour code and stipulations for Zhou officers’ dress. In laying out the prescriptions for members of the court when they carry out my orders for sacrifices, it is very important that they follow propriety and related matters. Though we have already regulated these matters and followed them for over a hundred years, it still would be good to draw up diagrams to show how to follow the model. From my court crown, court dress, ordinary crown, and ceremonial dress to the court caps and garments of princes, dukes, major officials, and officers above the ninth rank; from the court crowns and court dress of the empress dowager, empress, imperial honored consorts, consorts, and concubines to the court caps and court apparel of prince consorts and court ladies—matters concerning such restrictions shall be brought to a committee consisting of Wang Youdun, Wang Zhale, and A Dai. They will discuss and consider matters in detail; determine regulations; follow models; divide Manchus, Han, and Mongols into named colours; draw diagrams for viewing; and present matters for my decision, that we may leave a model for posterity.’ Qing Gaozong Chun huangdi shilu (Imperial veritable records of the Qing emperor Qianlong and empress Chun), lunar Tenth Month 1748 part 2, vol. 327, pp. 403–404. Beijing: Zhonghua Shuju, 1986. ↩︎
- The arrangement of chaozhu is related to the Buddhist rosary. The chaozhu 朝珠 is composed of 108 small beads, with 4 large beads of contrasting stones to symbolise the 4 seasons and was placed between groups of 27 beads. The topmost divider is called fotou 佛頭 (lit. “Buddha’s Head”). There is also a long pendant hanging at the back which acts as a large counterbalance to keep the necklace in place called beiyun 背雲 (lit. “back cloud”); the beiyun is composed of a flat cord which could be connected to other precious stones beads and pendants and/or filigree. There is also 3 small dangling counterbalances which is attached to the necklace called shuzhu 數珠 (i.e. ‘counting strings’) with each containing 8 memory beads 紀念兒 (jinian er). The three smaller counterbalances complements the beiyun; it is also composed of precious stones beads and pendants and/or filigree. ↩︎
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