1821-50 (Ch'ing dynasty)
Embroidered silk, gold thread
The John R. Van Derlip Fund
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- In Chinese mythology the dragon has the power to bring rain.
- The dragon frequently appears on Chinese court robes as a
SYMBOL
of the emperor's power to mediate between heaven and earth.
- In keeping with the strict dress codes of the Ch'ing (ching) dynasty, the color, cut, and symbolic decoration of this empress's
dragon robe indicate that its wearer is royalty.
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