LITMIR.BIZ

      Fig. 64 Woodblock printed page from the Regulations showing the pointed kerchief designed for the empress, to be embroidered in green and other colors with the Abundant Harvest of the Five Grains pattern on a bright yellow ground. The same design was permitted to imperial consorts and consorts of princes, while the ones worn by princesses and noblewomen were plainer.

      As with the formal court robe, there were three types of semi-formal dragon robes. The first, worn by all women, was completely covered with dragon motifs with a wave border along the hem, with the color and number of dragons indicating rank (Fig. 66; see also Fig. 49). Lower-ranking noblewomen and officials’ wives wore the mang pao, the four-clawed dragon robe in the same style. Later, in the nineteenth century, the sleeves of these robes degenerated, ending in wide horse-hoof cuffs. Although the use of the Twelve Imperial Symbols was, in theory, restricted to the emperor, he sometimes conferred the right to use them on others (Fig. 66).

      The second style of long pao, decorated with nine dragon-filled roundels and a wave pattern hem, was officially the preserve of the empress (Fig. 67). However, some robes made later in the dynasty, with the degenerated sleeves and wide horse-hoof cuffs popular by this time, have this same roundel pattern and were worn by noble-women. The third type, officially worn only by the empress, was embellished with roundels but no wave pattern (Fig. 68).

      The semiformal dress of the empresses and imperial consorts was not complete without a ji guan or festive hat. The ji guan resembled the emperor’s winter hat, having red silk tassels and a fur brim, while for summer the brim was faced with black satin. The hats of empresses, or those women at court given the right, were topped with a pearl. The hat was worn over a silk band with a jewel at the center, which replaced the gold diadem.

      Lower-ranking noblewomen wore more elaborate hats, the crowns of which were covered with red or blue satin decorated with embroidery or semiprecious stones and topped with a red silk knot (Fig. 65). Two wide streamers, embroidered with dragons chasing the flaming pearl, were inserted through a horizontal slit in the brim and hung down the back to below the waist. Other designs on the streamers include the Eight Buddhist emblems. Two small bouquets of flowers were often tucked in the hat just above the ears.

      For official informal occasions, dragon robes were made of plain-colored silk damask edged with bands of embroidered dragons at the tou jin or curved opening at the neck, and on the sleeves, although they were cut in the usual dragon style with horse-hoof cuffs (Fig. 69). Being relatively plain, these robes are quite scarce.

      Fig. 65 Semiformal winter hat of a noblewoman, with a black sable fur brim (for summer, the brim would be made of black satin), the crown covered with red satin and embroidered in a design of bats and butterflies, a red silk cord knob at the apex, and two streamers decorated with couched gold dragons on blue satin chasing the flaming pearl and phoenixes.

      Fig. 66 First semiformal style five-clawed summer dragon robe, embroidered in counted stitch on silk gauze with gold couched dragons and the Twelve Imperial Symbols, made for an imperial consort, ca. 1875. The wider sleeves are a feature of the latter part of the 19th c.

      Fig. 67 Second semiformal style five-clawed dragon robe in turquoise satin and lined in yellow silk, with li shui at hem, made for a low-ranking imperial consort or imperial daughter-in-law, ca. 1800. Of the nine dragon roundels embroidered on the robe, the upper four contain front-facing dragons, the lower four, plus the one hidden on the inside flap, have dragons in profile.

      Fig. 68 Third semiformal style five-clawed dragon robe, no li shui at hem, in apricot silk gauze with eight dragon roundels, the four upper ones with front-facing dragons, the four on the skirt with dragons in profile (none on the inside flap), mid-19th c. The robe’s color indicates it was probably made for the consort of the crown prince.

      Fig. 69 Official informal robe for an imperial consort in turquoise, with embroidered facings and damask weave roundels.

      Fig. 70 High-ranking ladies surcoat in kesi, with four facing dragon roundels on the upper body, and four profile dragon roundels on skirt, early 19th c.

      In public, empresses, high-ranking consorts, and noblewomen were required to wear a long gua – a full-length, center-opening, wide-sleeved surcoat in blue-black satin or gauze with dragon roundels arranged over it – over their long pao or five-clawed dragon robe (Figs. 70, 71). They were of two types: the first had eight roundels of dragons displayed on the chest, back, shoulders, and front and back hem of the coat, together with the li shui pattern, similar to that on the second style of long pao (Fig. 73). The other style had eight roundels without the wave border, as in the third style of long pao. Several empresses in the nineteenth century added the first four of the Twelve Imperial Symbols to the upper four roundels.

      Imperial princesses were expected to wear the upper four or two roundels on a plain surcoat or pu fu to match their husbands’ rank, although it seems they preferred to wear the long gua with li shui. Lower-ranking noblewomen were required to wear the surcoat with eight roundels of flower motifs surrounding the shou character, with or without li shui, as with dragon robes (Fig. 74).

      Dragon jackets are not common (Fig. 72). They do not appear in the Regulations, but because of their similarity to dragon robes, with the dragons and li shui, they are clearly intended for formal use at important events within the family, such as weddings. It is likely Manchu women wore them, as the proportions of the jacket indicate they were worn over a long gown. Personal preference would dictate their use, and the fact they were cheaper to produce than a full-length

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