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Dragon
robe (long pao)
China
Qing dynasty, 19th - early 20th centuries
Dragons
could symbolize the emperor and imperial authority in
Ming- (1368-1644) and Qing- (1644-1912) dynasty China,
and sumptuous dragon-patterned robes signified the wearer's
high social status. The colors of the robes were determined
by political as well as cosmological concerns. Chinese
cosmology explained all worldly phenomena as the interaction
between five fundamental elements: metal, wood, water,
fire and earth. The Ming adopted fire as their dynastic
element, so Ming princes and officials usually wore
dragon robes of red, the color correlated with fire.
The Qing conquerors chose water, the element that douses
fire, to represent their dynasty. While the imperial
family reserved the right to wear shades of yellow,
Qing-dynasty noblemen and officials typically wore robes
and surcoats dyed dark blue or black, colors associated
in Chinese cosmology with water.
Warp:
silk. Weft: silk. Plain-weave with supplementary weft
patterning
The Textile Museum 1961.15.1, gift of Ethan W. Judd
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