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Lot Essay
Manchu men’s formal attire, known as chaofu or robes of state, was worn during the most important court ceremonies by the emperor, princes, nobles, and high-ranking civil and military officials. These occasions included major Grand Audiences in the Forbidden City, such as imperial enthronements, the presentation of felicitations by officials, imperial weddings, and major ritual sacrifices.
The robe’s two-part construction, an upper body section joined to a pleated skirt, was inherited from Ming-dynasty court dress, which the Manchu adapted by altering the broad sleeves into tapered ones with narrow cuffs, a stylized reference to their nomadic origins.
At the Qing court, the colour blue held important ritual meaning. It was associated with the ceremonies at the Altar of Heaven, located south of the Forbidden City, where the emperor made offerings during the winter solstice and prayed for rain during the summer. Cobalt blue was specifically designated for the robes of Manchu princes of the first through fourth ranks. Other nobles and high officials who were permitted to attend the most formal state ceremonies requiring chaofu wore dark blue or black.
The robe’s two-part construction, an upper body section joined to a pleated skirt, was inherited from Ming-dynasty court dress, which the Manchu adapted by altering the broad sleeves into tapered ones with narrow cuffs, a stylized reference to their nomadic origins.
At the Qing court, the colour blue held important ritual meaning. It was associated with the ceremonies at the Altar of Heaven, located south of the Forbidden City, where the emperor made offerings during the winter solstice and prayed for rain during the summer. Cobalt blue was specifically designated for the robes of Manchu princes of the first through fourth ranks. Other nobles and high officials who were permitted to attend the most formal state ceremonies requiring chaofu wore dark blue or black.