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Lot Essay
The 1748 review of all previous Qing dynasty costume regulations ordered by the Qianlong emperor culminated in a comprehensive set of costume edicts in 1759. Promulgated in 1761, the Huangchao liqi tushi (Illustrated precedents for the ritual paraphernalia of the [Qing] imperial court) classified all clothing and accessories used by the court, from the emperor to the lowest functionary. It affirmed the determination of the Manchu as conquerors to resist increasing pressures to restore native Chinese costume. Nonetheless, the restyling of the official wardrobe also reflected the efforts of the Office of the Imperial Household to transform the image of the Manchu sovereign from barbarian chieftain to the emperor of a Confucian Chinese state.
Among the profound changes to the Manchu wardrobe were the introduction of the Twelve Symbols of Imperial Authority, which were reserved for the emperor's use. Although these symbols have a long history in Chinese imperial costume, they only appeared on the Manchu emperor's clothing after 1759. This was part of a plan to legitimize Manchu power by linking it with the ancient ritual iconography associated with the Chinese emperor. The first four symbols - the sun, moon, constellation and rock - were placed respectively on the shoulders, chest and back of the coat. These emblems referred to the celestial and terrestrial powers to which the emperor made sacrifices during the year. These sacrifices were conducted at four imperial altars which were aligned with the cardinal points of the compass and located outside the walls of the capital: the sun to the east, the moon to the west, Heaven (represented by the constellation of three linked stars) to the south, and Earth (represented by the rock) to the north.
On the emperor's court garments, eight additional symbols were placed on the robe, four on the upper torso, four on the skirts, each aligned in accordance with astronomy and the seasons. The four symbols on the torso were: at the front, the fu (a pair of mirror image characters) and an ax head; in corresponding positions on the back, a pair of dragons and the 'flowery creature' (usually shown as a golden pheasant). These four symbols are related to the four major astronomical events of the year: the fu symbol, sometimes translated as 'symbol of distinction', can also be linked to the homophone character for 'return', a term used in connection with the winter solstice when days begin to grow longer. The paired dragons are placed diametrically opposite the fu symbol. They reflect the polarity of increasing and decreasing changes in light and darkness at the summer solstice. The ax head and 'flowery creature' are located equidistant from the markers of the solstices. The ax, traditionally the symbol of the emperor's power over life and death, occupies the position of the autumn equinox, when all executions took place in ancient times. The 'flowery creature' marks the spring equinox, linked to the appearance of the Red Bird Constellation in the late spring.
Another group of four symbols appear just above the lishui or standing water border: temple cups, aquatic grass, grains of millet and flames. These correlate with four elements included in the Daoist notion of wuxing (Five Phases) as metal, water, wood and fire. These symbols align with the four above: temple cups below the ax head are linked to the autumn equinox; aquatic grass represents the ascendant element during the winter solstice and relates to the fu symbol; grains of millet, symbolizing spring and wood, align with the 'flowery creature' of the spring equinox; flames, representing fire, are aligned with the dragons marking the summer solstice; the rock, symbolizing earth, the fifth element, is placed at the center of the compass. Following the ideal formulated by the Confucian philosopher Mencius (370-290 B.C.), the Son of Heaven was to "stand at the center and stabilize the four quarters."
In accordance with stylistic changes of the first third of the 18th century, this robe is constructed of multiple fabrics, standard practice for Qing court attire after the 1759 edicts. Here a yellow silk gauze constitutes the body of the robe. Dark blue gauze patterned to complement the ground fabric is applied as facings at the neck, the top edge of the overlap and the cuffs. A third fabric, patterned with supplementary gold thread weft patterns, was used to bind the coat edges. A fourth fabric used for the sleeve extensions is yellow silk gauze.
Among the profound changes to the Manchu wardrobe were the introduction of the Twelve Symbols of Imperial Authority, which were reserved for the emperor's use. Although these symbols have a long history in Chinese imperial costume, they only appeared on the Manchu emperor's clothing after 1759. This was part of a plan to legitimize Manchu power by linking it with the ancient ritual iconography associated with the Chinese emperor. The first four symbols - the sun, moon, constellation and rock - were placed respectively on the shoulders, chest and back of the coat. These emblems referred to the celestial and terrestrial powers to which the emperor made sacrifices during the year. These sacrifices were conducted at four imperial altars which were aligned with the cardinal points of the compass and located outside the walls of the capital: the sun to the east, the moon to the west, Heaven (represented by the constellation of three linked stars) to the south, and Earth (represented by the rock) to the north.
On the emperor's court garments, eight additional symbols were placed on the robe, four on the upper torso, four on the skirts, each aligned in accordance with astronomy and the seasons. The four symbols on the torso were: at the front, the fu (a pair of mirror image characters) and an ax head; in corresponding positions on the back, a pair of dragons and the 'flowery creature' (usually shown as a golden pheasant). These four symbols are related to the four major astronomical events of the year: the fu symbol, sometimes translated as 'symbol of distinction', can also be linked to the homophone character for 'return', a term used in connection with the winter solstice when days begin to grow longer. The paired dragons are placed diametrically opposite the fu symbol. They reflect the polarity of increasing and decreasing changes in light and darkness at the summer solstice. The ax head and 'flowery creature' are located equidistant from the markers of the solstices. The ax, traditionally the symbol of the emperor's power over life and death, occupies the position of the autumn equinox, when all executions took place in ancient times. The 'flowery creature' marks the spring equinox, linked to the appearance of the Red Bird Constellation in the late spring.
Another group of four symbols appear just above the lishui or standing water border: temple cups, aquatic grass, grains of millet and flames. These correlate with four elements included in the Daoist notion of wuxing (Five Phases) as metal, water, wood and fire. These symbols align with the four above: temple cups below the ax head are linked to the autumn equinox; aquatic grass represents the ascendant element during the winter solstice and relates to the fu symbol; grains of millet, symbolizing spring and wood, align with the 'flowery creature' of the spring equinox; flames, representing fire, are aligned with the dragons marking the summer solstice; the rock, symbolizing earth, the fifth element, is placed at the center of the compass. Following the ideal formulated by the Confucian philosopher Mencius (370-290 B.C.), the Son of Heaven was to "stand at the center and stabilize the four quarters."
In accordance with stylistic changes of the first third of the 18th century, this robe is constructed of multiple fabrics, standard practice for Qing court attire after the 1759 edicts. Here a yellow silk gauze constitutes the body of the robe. Dark blue gauze patterned to complement the ground fabric is applied as facings at the neck, the top edge of the overlap and the cuffs. A third fabric, patterned with supplementary gold thread weft patterns, was used to bind the coat edges. A fourth fabric used for the sleeve extensions is yellow silk gauze.