QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)

Stylistically this imperial longgua (dragon surcoat), embroidered with floss silk worked in satin stitch and with couched gold-wrapped threads on silk twill dates from the reign of the Qianlong emperor (1735-1795). In accordance with the 1759 edicts affecting court attire, the dowager empress, the empress and the first three ranks of imperial consorts were assigned two styles of surcoats. The first style, like this example, featured eight dragon roundels above a water and wave border at the hem and at the edges of the sleeves. A second style was similar but without the water and wave borders. For the empresses and the first two ranks of consorts, the roundels featured five-clawed dragons. Those on the longgua for the empresses were identified as long; for the consorts the same types of dragons were called mang. The roundels on the lower skirts of longgua for consorts of the third to fifth rank were further differentiated from those of higher ranking court women by substituting “walking dragons” with curly-bodied archaic dragons called gui.

The refined embroidery reflects the best workmanship for the imperial court. The present colour of the ground fabric is highly unusual for an Imperial consort’s robe and may be unique, as many of the known examples are in the typical midnight blue.