The decorative patterns seen on semi-informal ‘dragon’ robes
produced before 1759 may have just been dictated by the wearer’s
preferences and the specific occasion for which they were intended.
In 1949, Schuyler Camman identified several types and sub-types
of semi-formal ‘dragon’ robes from the early Qing period and
acknowledged the possibility of additional variations; see S.Camman,
China’s Dragon Robes, New York, 1949, pp.35-49. It is thus plausible
to speculate that the present robe may represent one such additional
type of ‘dragon’ style that was not documented by Camman in 1949
but has since come to light.
Other indicators point to the early 18th century date, specifically
the Yongzheng period, as the likely time of production for this robe.
For example, the depiction of the dragons’ heads and bodies, the
intricate trailing clouds, and the relatively short lishui stripe at the
hem, characterised by large ruyi heads and rolling waves executed
predominantly in green and blue tones, closely resemble those found
on a yellow-ground silk-embroidered festive robe for an Imperial
Consort dating to the second quarter of the eighteenth century, in the
Mactaggart Collection, Edmonton, illustrated by J.Vollmer, Emblems
of the Empire, Edmonton, 2009, p.37, no.2005.5.7. See also a
yellow-ground festive robe, Yongzheng, in the Qing Court Collection
in Beijing, displaying similar stylistic elements, illustrated in The
Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Costumes
and Accessories of the Qing Court, Shanghai, 2006, n.30.
The embroidered decorative elements on the present robe carry deep
symbolic significance. The bats, symbolising happiness, and the Shou
characters, representing longevity, strongly suggest that the garment
was worn during birthday celebrations. Additionally, the incorporation
of waves and mountains at the hem, along with the Shou characters
and bats, forms a visual rebus conveying wishes for boundless
fortune and eternal life. Undoubtedly, this highly-symbolic message
would have come to life vividly as the wearer moved, animating the
designs of flying bats, writhing dragons, and undulating waves. Finally,
the inclusion of nine five-clawed dragons, iconic symbols of Imperial
power, adds another layer of imagery suggestive of eternity. The
number nine, revered in Chinese culture as a symbol of Heaven and
Infinity, gains further significance due to its homophonic relationship
with ‘timelessness’, deepening its symbolic resonance.
The embroidery on the present robe very closely compares with
the one making up a Buddhist Priest’s robe, Kangxi period, in the
Minneapolis Institute of Art, acc.no.42.8.135.
Compare with a related Imperial yellow-ground robe, in the Qing Court
Collection in Beijing, acc.no.42565, tailored for the grandmother
of the Kangxi Emperor, embroidered with ‘dragon’ roundels and
Shou medallions; see also a yellow-ground robe for an Imperial lady,
Qianlong or earlier, also embroidered with bats and Shou, as noted
on the present example, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in
Empresses of China’s Forbidden City, 1644-1912, Washington, 2019,
p.163, pl.11.
A related Imperial yellow semi-formal robe decorated with dragon
roundels, early 18th century, was sold at Christie’s New York,
22 March 2019, lot 1655.
Image Courtesy of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis
168 | BONHAMS
