ten thousand happinesses reaching heaven,
while red bats carrying peaches means:
happiness and long life in reaching heaven.
Title:Manchu Empress's Semiformal Twelve-symbol Court Robe (chi-fu)
Artist:Artist Unknown
Date:1821-1850
Creation Place:Asia, China
Credit Line:The John R. Van Derlip Fund
Accession Number:42.8.61
Artist:Artist Unknown
Date:1821-1850
Creation Place:Asia, China
Credit Line:The John R. Van Derlip Fund
Accession Number:42.8.61
In addition to the standard twelve symbols connoting imperial authority, this robe displays a combination of bats within the clouds carrying peaches and the wan character (swastika) in their mouths. The bat and wan motif forms a happiness rebus: