item details
NameCourt gown (jifu)
ProductionUnknown; Late Qing dynasty, late 1800s/early 1900s; China
Classificationrobes, dressing gowns
Materialssilk
Materials SummaryEmbroidered silk
DimensionsCentre front: 1475mm (height)
Registration NumberFE001939
Credit linePurchased 1926
Overview
During the Qing Dynasty China (1644–1911), it was not warriors who represented the masculine ideal; it was distinguished scholars and court officials.
This jifu (man's semi-formal court gown) was worn for official duties at court. Its design shows a symbolic universe. The diagonal bands and billowing waves represent the ocean. At the centre front, sides, and back are mountains, while nine dragons inhabit the heavens. In Oriental mythology, dragons represent imperial power, wisdom, and strength.
To determine the wearer’s rank, we can count the dragons’ claws. They each have five, so he may have been a high-level official or a member of the Imperial Family.