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Unknown Maker, Chinese

Jiangyi (robe of descent)

Maker

Culture

Chinese, Qing

Title

Jiangyi (robe of descent)

Year

1800s

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

silk, metallic yarn

Geography

Place Made: China

Dimensions

Center back length: 143.5 cm (56 1/2 inches) (with collar)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Miss Lucy T. Aldrich

Object Number

35.415

Type

Costume

Exhibition History

From the Land of the Immortals

Chinese Taoist Robes and Textiles

Jan 13, 2012 – Apr 22, 2012

Label copy

In addition to the square patch traditionally associated with Taoist jiangyi robes, this robe features colorful butterflies (symbols of change and transformation as well as of love) and flowers (lotus or peonies) and is trimmed with black borders embroidered with yarn made of gold wrapped around a silk core.

The character Shou (longevity) appears at the back of the neck, and the Eight Trigrams fill the side borders. These ancient Chinese symbols are borrowed from the Yijing (I-Ching or Book of Changes), a divinatory text used in Taoist cosmology to illustrate fundamental elements of reality by different combinations of continuous (yang) and broken (yin) lines. At bottom are a variety of auspicious symbols, including eternity knots, dragons, and tigers.

Of Peonies and Dragon's Toes

Chinese Costume from the Xing Dynasty

Jun 24, 1998 – Sep 13, 1998

The Seductive Stitch

Asian Embroidery

Dec 15, 1995 – Mar 10, 1996

Image use

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This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Chinese

Jiangyi (robe of descent), 1800s

Silk, gilt paper, metallic yarn; satin weave, embroidered, satin stich, couching

Center back length: 143.5 cm (56 1/2 inches) (with collar)

Gift of Miss Lucy T. Aldrich 35.415

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