Illustrated Regulations for Ceremonial Paraphernalia of the Qing dynasty 皇朝禮器圖式 ca. 1780-81 or later. Album; ink, color on silk; 44.1 x 45.2 cm. Mactaggart Art Collection 2004.19.1 Chapter 6, Imperial Hats and Robes, Part 3: Court dress for the Empress Dowager and Empress 卷六，冠服三 The Ministry of Board of Rites produced a manuscript copy in 1756. In 1759 the Qianlong Emperor ordered the book to be edited and expanded, and published at the imperial press (the Wuyingdian), which resulted in the print version published in 1766. The book was then revised a second time for inclusion in the imperial encyclopedia Siku quanshu (Complete Books of the Four Treasuries), completed in 1796, and expanded from 18 to 28 chapters (juan). Margaret Medley suggests that several fair copies of the illustrated album existed. It appears that these included only the original 18 chapters. The illustrated chapters on court costume for the imperial dowager and empresses in the Mactaggart Collection were viewed by the Qianlong emperor in or sometime after 1780-81 (and possibly date to that year), as indicated by his seal “Seal of the Son of Heaven Enjoying the Happiness of Having Five Generations under One Roof in His Seventies.” A second seal, the Yuanmingyuan seal, as well as the leather-bound gold-stamped box in which the album was stored (the title of which says “Costume of the Court of the Chinese Emperor Ch’ien Lung: The Original Paintings from the Summer Palace, Pekin, 18th Cent.”), indicate that the album most probably was kept in the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan), close to the Yuanmingyuan, until 1860. There are six sections in the 18 volumes: • ritual vessels (bronzes, jade, porcelain, lacquered wood) caiqi 蔡器 (2 volumes); • astronomical instruments to determine auspicious dates for ceremonies and festivals yiqi 儀器 (1 volume); • hats and robes guanfu 冠服 (4 volumes; the Mactaggart Art Collection includes 1 of these 4 volumes); • musical instruments yueqi 樂器 (3 volumes); • imperial household insignia lubu 鹵簿 (3 volumes); • military uniforms and weapons wuqi 武器 (5 volumes). The preface, attributed to the emperor, reads in part: We, [accordingly], have followed the old traditions of our dynasty and have not dared to change them, fearing that later men would hold us responsible for this, and criticize us regarding the robes and hats; and thus we would offend our ancestors. This we certainly should not do. Moreover, as for the Northern Wei, the Liao, the Jin as well as the Yuan, all of which changed to Chinese robes and hats, they all died out within one generation. Those of Our sons and grandsons who would take Our will as their will shall certainly not be deceived by idle talk. In this way the continuing Mandate of our dynasty will receive the protection of Heaven for ten thousand years. Do not change our traditions or reject them. Beware! Take warning! (The Manchu Dragon, 14) Imperial seals on pale blue, gold spangled end papers (2): 1 A. Wufu wudai tang gu xi tianzi bao 五褔五代堂古稀天子寶 (square intaglio) Treasure of the Son of Heaven Enjoying the Happiness of Having Five Generations under One Roof in His Seventies B. Yuanmingyuan bao 圓明園寶 (square intaglio) Treasure of the Yuanmingyuan Garden of Perfect Brightness album leafs: 1。 皇太后，皇后冬朝冠 Winter court hat chaoguan for the Empress Dowager and Empress 謹按，本朝定制： 皇太后，皇后冬朝冠，董貂為之，上綴朱緯。頂三層，貫東珠各一，皆承以金鳳, 飾東珠各三，珍珠各十七，上銜大東珠一。朱緯上週綴金鳳七，飾東珠各九，貓睛 石各一，珍珠各二十一。後金翟一，飾貓睛石一，小珍珠十六。翟尾垂珠，五行二 就，共珍珠三百有二，每行大珍珠一。中間金銜青金石結一，飾東珠，珍珠各六， 末綴珊瑚。冠後擭領垂明黃條二，末綴寶石，青緞為帶。 In accordance with the decree of the present dynasty: The winter hat of the Empress Dowager and Empress is made of sable fur, adorned above with rows of red floss silk tassels. There are three levels to the finial on top, each level separated by one eastern pearl [a freshwater pearl from Songhuajiang 松花江 Manchuria, also called “northern pearls”] supported by one golden phoenix (which are themselves each adorned with three eastern pearls, and 17 precious pearls), and the finial top is a great eastern pearl. The red floss silk tassels above are adorned with golden phoenix, seven in number, ornamented with nine eastern pearls apiece, and one cat’s eye stone [topaz] each [for the phoenix body], and pearls, 21 each [for the phoenix tail feathers]. [At the back of the hat] there is a long-tailed pheasant [an inverted gourd-shaped flap of fur], ornamented with one cat’s eye stone, and 16 small gems. The pheasant tail trails in pearls arranged in five strands and two registers, totalling 302. Each strand [of pearls] has one large pearl. At the center is a plaque made of gold-inlaid lapis lazuli from which hangs an eastern pearl and six precious pearls, with coral beads at the ends. At the back of the hat where it meets the collar trail two bright yellow ribbons, adorned with precious gems, and a sash of blue satin. imperial seal: C. Qianlong yulan zhi bao 乾隆御覽之寶 (oval relief) 2。 皇太后，皇后夏朝冠 Summer court hat chaoguan for the Empress Dowager and Empress 謹按，本朝定制： 皇太后，皇后夏朝冠， 青絨為之，餘俱如冬朝冠。 In accordance with the decree of the present dynasty: 2 The summer court hat of the Empress Dowager and Empress is made of blue velvet, and other ornamentation is like that on the winter court hat. 3。 皇太后，皇后金約 Golden diadem jinyue for the Empress Dowager and Empress 謹按，本朝定制： 皇太后，皇后金約，鏤金雲十三，鈽東珠各一，間以青金石，紅片金裏。後繫金銜 緑松石結，貫珠下垂，五行三就，共珍珠三百二十四，每行大珍珠一。中間金銜青 金石結二，每具飾東珠，珍珠各八，末綴珊瑚。 In accordance with the decree of the present dynasty: The golden diadem of the Empress Dowager and Empress is engraved with thirteen golden clouds, each ornamented with one eastern pearl, and with blue stones interspersed with golden stones and an [interior] red band that has gold [design] on the facing. At the back is a golden plaque inlaid with spaced green turquoise stones, from which pearls trail down in five strings and in three registers. Altogether there are 324 pearls, each string threaded with a large pearl. At the center there are ornaments of gold, lapis lazuli and precious gems that are combined in a knot, and each knot is decorated with eight eastern pearls and eight gems apiece, the ends adorned in coral. 4。皇太后，皇后耳飾 Drop earrings ershi for the Empress Dowager and Empress 謹按，本朝定制： 皇太后，皇后耳飾，左右各三，每具金龍銜一等東珠各二。皇貴妃，貴妃，妃，嬪 皆同。其東珠，皇貴妃，貴妃以二等，妃以三等，嬪以四等。皇太子妃亦同，珠以 二等。 In accordance with the decree of the present dynasty: The drop earrings of the Empress Dowager and the Empress are to be three to each ear, each earring with two first class eastern pearls held in the mouth of a golden dragon. The first-rank imperial consort, the imperial consort, the ordinary imperial concubines and ladies in waiting all have the same design. As for their eastern pearls, the imperial consorts have second class pearls, the concubines the third, and nobility the fourth. The earrings of the imperial consort of the imperial heir apparent are the same, with pearls of the second class. 5。 皇太后，皇后朝褂一 Court vest chaogua (1) for the Empress Dowager and Empress 謹按，本朝定制： 皇太后，皇后朝褂，色用石青，片金緣，繡文前後立龍各二，下通襞積，四層相間， 上為正龍各四，下為萬福萬壽。領後垂明黃縧，其飾珠寶惟宜。皇貴妃，皇太子妃 皆同。 In accordance with the decree of the present dynasty: The court vest of the Empress Dowager and Empress is azure blue in color, with bands of gold trim at the borders and an embroidered pattern [at the top] on front and back of two 3 standing dragons. The pleated skirt has four alternating registers. There are four frontally placed dragons in the first and third register while the second and fourth register have the characters for prosperity wanfu and bat patterns for long life wanshou. At the back of the collar trail bright yellow ribbons, adorned with pearls and gems as fitting. The vest of the imperial consort and the consort of the imperial heir apparent is the same. 6。 皇太后，皇后朝褂二 Court vest chaogua (2) for the Empress Dowager and Empress 謹按，本朝定制： 皇太后，皇后朝褂， 色用石青，片金緣。繡文前後正龍各一，要帷行龍四，中有 襞積。下幅行龍八。 領後垂明黃縧，其飾珠寶惟宜。緞，紗，單 ，袷各以其時。 皇貴妃，皇太子妃皆同。 In accordance with the decree of the present dynasty: The court vest of the Empress Dowager and Empress is the color of azure blue, with bands of gold trim at the borders, and an embroidered pattern on front and back of one standing dragon, with four moving dragons lying horizontally at the waist sash and an attached pleated skirt. At the bottom hem there are eight moving dragons lying horizontally. At the back of the collar trail bright yellow ribbons adorned with pearls and gems as fitting. Satin, gauze, lined and unlined garments are worn according to the season. The court vest of the imperial consort and the imperial heir apparent’s consort is the same. 7。 皇太后，皇后朝褂三 Court vest chaogua (3) for the Empress Dowager and Empress 謹按，本朝定制： 皇太后，皇后朝褂， 色用石青，片金緣。繡文前後立龍各二。中無襞積。下幅八 寶平水。 領後垂明黃縧，其飾珠寶惟宜。緞，紗，單 ，袷各以其時。 皇貴妃，皇 太子妃皆同。 In accordance with the decree of the present dynasty: The court vest of the Empress Dowager and Empress is the color of azure blue, with bands of gold trim at the borders, and an embroidered pattern on front and back of two standing dragons. It does not have a matching pleated skirt. At the bottom hem there is the design “eight treasures, level waters” [babao pingshui, the name of a pattern imitating mountains and rivers]. At the back of the collar trail bright yellow ribbons, adorned with pearls and gems as fitting. Satin, gauze, lined and unlined garments are worn according to the season.