Period:Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Date:18th century
Culture:China
Medium:Silk and metallic thread embroidery on silk satin
Dimensions:56 1/2 in. (143.5 cm)
Classification:Costumes-Embroidered
Credit Line:Rogers Fund, 1943
Accession Number:43.137
When the Manchus of the Qing dynasty came into power, they incorporated roundels with dragons into their official court dress, as seen on this woman's coat. This coat, called “ jifu gua ” or “ longgua ” , was designed to be worn over a festival robe. This overcoat is a rare example that can be dated to the early part of the eighteenth century by comparison to garments excavated from the tomb of Prince Guo, who died in 1738. After standardization in the mid-eighteenth century, coats with eight dragon roundels, such as this one, were reserved for the empress dowager, the empress, imperial concubines of the first, second, and third rank, and the consort of the crown prince.