Woman's Padded Jacket, China

Clothing and Dress

Woman's Padded Jacket, China

Qing Dynasty, 20th century

The jacket measures approximately 59.5 inches across the top from cuff to cuff (151.1 cm)
59 inches around the bust (151 cm)
65 inches around the waist (165.1 cm)
75 inches around the hips (190.5 cm)(the jacket could accommodate larger due to slits in the sides) 
34 inches long (86.3 cm)

The sleeves are approximately 15 inches long measured along the bottom from armpit to cuff (38 cm)
The cuffs of the sleeves have 8 inch wide embroidered sleeve bands made of pink plain-weave silk fabric (20.3 cm)

This Qing Dynasty Chinese silk padded jacket was donated to the University of Rhode Island’s Historic Textile & Costume Collection (URI HTCC) in 1975 by Mary C. Whitlock after her retirement to East Brewster, Massachusetts. The accession number is 1975.03.01. The material analysis that follows is using Fleming’s Artifact Study Model. 

Mary Cecelia Whitlock arrived at the University of Rhode Island in 1951, as the Head of Textiles and Clothing in the College of Home Economics. Miss Whitlock earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1921 and a Master of Arts degree in 1923, both from Columbia University. She worked at URI for eleven years, retiring in 1962, and continued to be listed as a Faculty Emerita until 1977-78, around the time of her death. Miss Whitlock donated hundreds of pieces to the HTCC, including historic clothing pieces, some from different countries, textiles, and historic accessories. Additionally, Miss Whitlock purchased pieces specifically for the collection, specially choosen to meet the goals of the department.

According to her obituary, found online through the Whitlock Family Association website, Miss Whitlock died on July 8, 1977, in Orleans on Cape Cod, MA. There is record of Miss Whitlock having a sister, Sarah Whitlock, whose obituary states that she passed away on April 28, 1957, in Wakefield, RI at the age of 82. The original accession information suggests that this Chinese padded jacket was most likely worn by Sarah Whitlock during the 1950s as an evening wrap.

This Chinese padded jacket is made of bright teal blue silk damask fabric with a deep magenta, plain weave silk lining. The jacket has a round neckline that would fit snugly around the base of the neck. The jacket is cut in a T-shape with no shoulder seams; the front, back and sleeves are cut as one piece with the fabric folded over and then sewn across the bottom edge of the sleeves and down the sides. It opens in the front with the proper left front flap crossing over the proper right, and closing with five metal gold-tone buttons; one at the middle of the neck, two next to each other by the right shoulder, one in the right armpit, and one at the top of the slit on the right side. These buttons have a flower and a bird carved onto the front with “Rich Treble Gilt, T.W.&W.” imprinted on the back. There is an 8.75 inch (22.2 cm) slit along the bottom of both side seams of the jacket.

Around the neck, down the front opening, and around the hem the jacket is trimmed with black, light pink, and pastel blue silk, satin-weave fabric. These decorative borders have a curvy, curly shape that is reminiscent of stylized cloud motifs. These areas are trimmed with eighth-inch wide (0.5 cm), multicolored braided trim. Each bottom corner has an area of reverse applique with a visible a dark blue brocade silk.

On top of this dark blue damask is sewn an applique in the shape of a stylized bat. These appliques are made of the same black silk that decorates other parts of the jacket, with piping around the edges. Black silk satin piping edges the decorative section of the neck.

The sleeve cuffs have eight-inch wide embroidered sleeve bands made of a light pink, plain-weave silk. The sleeve bands are embroidered with multicolored flowers and birds using satin stitch, couching stitch, and Pekinese knot embroidery. There is also decorative bright teal blue stitching in a zigzag pattern around the edge of the sleeve band where it is sewn to the jacket. 

There are several indications that this padded jacket is an authentic Qing Dynasty Chinese jacket. The Qing Dynasty lasted in China from 1644 to 1911. The jacket is made of only natural fiber fabrics, which would be appropriate for this time frame. The loose fitting, T-shaped silhouette where the sleeves and bodice are cut in one piece rather than the Western style of having set in sleeves also indicates this time period. The jacket opens in the front with the left panel crossing over the right and fastening on the right side, which was part of the silhouette of the time.[1]

A photograph in 5,000 Years of Chinese Costumes shows a Qing Dynasty jacket with very similar styling to the jacket from the URI. The T-shaped silhouettes are identical, with wide loose-fitting sleeves, short bodice with slits on each side, and the left panel crossing over the right to fasten on the right side. Both jackets feature a close fitting, modest neckline as well as five closures in the same arrangement along the right side where the left flap fastens to the right side of the bodice. The jackets also have wide sleeve bands decorated with embroidery as well as decorative borders around the neck and hem. The decorative borders on each of the jackets have the same curly, curvy shape that looks like a stylized representation of clouds. 

During the Qing Dynasty, the Manchu people overthrew the Ming Dynasty rulers. These new rulers maintained Manchu-style dress and customs to prevent their people from assimilating into the broader Chinese culture.[2] This Manchu-style dress featured short, close-fitting robes and trousers or wide skirts for men, the “banner robe” or qipao which was a long, straight-cut robe worn by Manchu troops, and the “long gown” or chang-han, a straight, ankle-length gown worn by Manchu women.[3] Though wide, loose-fitting sleeves were typical of Han women’s attire, Manchu women also adopted this style for informal day wear. The main difference between Han women’s and Manchu women’s garments was that Han women wore short jackets with wide sleeves paired with skirts or trousers to show off their bound feet, while Manchu women wore long robes with narrow sleeves.[4] Based on these descriptions, the jacket being studied from the URI HTCC collection is more akin to the styles worn by Han Chinese women. This jacket represents the cultural divide that was occurring in China during this time, with both ethnic groups fighting to maintain their individual identities.

There are numerous motifs in this Qing Dynasty Chinese padded jacket that reveal insight into China's cultural values. One motif present in the jacket is the bat appliqued in the four lower corners of the hem. Bats, referred to as bianfu in Chinese, symbolize longevity and happiness. The second character in the word, “fu,” is a homophone for the word for good fortune.[5] The bat is also associated with longevity because body parts from bats were known to be used in medicines according to the 16th century book Compendium of Materia Medica.[6] Longevity is one of the five elements for a good life in Chinese culture, which also include wealth, health and peace, love of virtue, and a natural death. In the Book of Documents, these five aspects were depicted as five bats symbolizing five blessings.[7] Someone who possessed the five blessings was said to have achieved complete happiness. This “complete” happiness was thought of as “happiness as vast as the heavens,” symbolized by images of bats among clouds.[8]

Bird motifs are also present in the padded jacket, seen in the embroidery on the sleeve cuffs. In Chinese culture, birds are often associated with celestial beings, with birds being regarded as messengers between heaven and earth.[9] Birds are also seen as symbols of freedom, as their ability to fly frees them from earthly constraints. Bird symbolism inspires liberation and the pursuit of aspirations among Chinese people.[10] Birds are also associated with auspiciousness in Chinese culture, with their presence bringing good fortune and blessings.[11]

The symbolism used in Chinese culture has a very different meaning in Western cultures. In Western culture, bats are most often associated with vampires and rabies. In the 1500s, European colonists discovered the Desmodus Rotundus bat in the Americas. This bat became associated with the mythical vampire because, like other creatures of the night, these bats feed on blood.[12] Vampires were popular in European folklore at the time, and thus the association was made. By 1810, this species of bat became known as the vampire bat.[13] Bram Stoker cemented this idea in 1897 with the publication of his novel Dracula, which depicted the vampire Dracula turning into a bat. This has given bats a rather negative connotation in Western culture.

Bats also have a negative connotation in the West from their association with spreading rabies.[14] There is also the misconception that bats attack people; however, bats are docile animals that will only attack people if provoked. Most people that have been “attacked” by bats have attempted to pick them up, resulting in the bat expressing self-defense measures.[15] However, even if the relationship between bats and rabies has been grossly overestimated, it is still strongly present in western culture. Overall, bats in Western society have a rather negative connotation whereas bats in Chinese culture have an overwhelmingly positive connotation.

Footnotes

[1] “The Collection of Chinese Clothing from the Qing Dynasty,” Muzeum Narodowe w Krakowie. National Museum in Krakow, Accessed October 19th, 2023, https://mnk.pl/collection/the-collection-of-chinese-clothing-from-the-qing-dynasty#:~:text=The%20main%20difference%20lay%2C%20however,with%20wide%20sleeves%20and%20skirts.

[2] John S. Major, “China: History of Dress,” in Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion, edited by Valerie Steele, (Farmington Hills: Thomson Gale, 2005), 264.

[3] Major, “China: History of Dress,” 264.

[4] “The Collection of Chinese Clothing from the Qing Dynasty.”

[5] Ilina Tatiana, “Bet on the Bat: The Bat in Chinese Art,” Cultural Keys, Cultural Keys Chinese Cultural Company, June 20, 2022, https://www.culturalkeys.cn/2022/06/20/bats-art/.

[6] Tatiana, “The Bat in Chinese Art.”

[7] Tatiana, “The Bat in Chinese Art.”

[8] Tatiana, “The Bat in Chinese Art.”

[9] Alexie Juagdan, "Birds in Chinese Culture: Symbolism and Significance of Alpha Persei," Asian Journal USA, August 1, 2023, https://asianjournalusa.com/birds-in-chinese-culture-symbolism-and-significance-of-alpha-persei/.

[10]Juagdan, "Birds of Chinese Culture."

[11] Juagdan, “Birds in Chinese Culture.”

[12] Phoebe Codling, “Why are Bats Associated with Vampires? A Peek into the Realm of these Misunderstood Mammals this Halloween,” The Great Projects, The Great Projects, October 27th, 2017, https://www.thegreatprojects.com/blog/bats-associated-with-vampires.

[13] Coldling, “Why are Bats Associated with Vampires?”

[14] Idaho fish and game staff, “Bats and Rabies: Just the Facts,” Idaho Official Government Website, Idaho Fish and Game, September 2, 2005, https://idfg.idaho.gov/press/bats-and-rabies-just-facts.

[15] Idaho fish and game staff, “Bats and Rabies.”

References

Chen, Kun, Dan Lu, Zimin Jin, Miao Su, & Jing Jin. “Song Brocade in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.” Clothing and Textiles Research Journal 38, no. 4 (2020): 285-297.

Chunming, Gao and Zhou Xun, 5000 Years of Chinese Costumes. Shanghai: The Commercial Press, Ltd, Hong Kong Branch and Xue Lin Publishing House, 1987.

Codling, Phoebe.  “Why are Bats Associated with Vampires? A Peek into the Realm of these Misunderstood Mammals this Halloween,” The Great Projects, The Great Projects, October 27th, 2017.  https://www.thegreatprojects.com/blog/bats-associated-with-vampires.

“The Collection of Chinese Clothing from the Qing Dynasty.” Muzeum Narodowe w Krakowie. National Museum in Krakow. Accessed October 19th, 2023. https://mnk.pl/collection/the-collection-of-chinese-clothing-from-the-qing-dynasty#:~:text=The%20main%20difference%20lay%2C%20however,with%20wide%20sleeves%20and%20skirts.

Idaho fish and game staff. “Bats and Rabies: Just the Facts.” Idaho Official Government Website. Idaho Fish and Game, September 2, 2005.  https://idfg.idaho.gov/press/bats-and-rabies-just-facts.

Juagdan, Alexie. “Birds in Chinese Culture: Symbolism and Significance of Alpha Persei.” Asian Journal USA. Asian Journal USA, August 1, 2023. https://asianjournalusa.com/birds-in-chinese-culture-symbolism-and-significance-of-alpha-persei/.

Mayor, S. John. “China: History of Dress.” In Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion, edited by Velerie Steele, 260-266. Farmington Hills: Thomson Gale, 2005.

Roseberys London. A Chinese Silk Brocade Lady’s Jacket, 19th Century. Photograph.  Accessed October 19th, 2023. https://www.roseberys.co.uk/a0567-lot-531266.

Tatiana, Ilina. “Bet on the Bat: The Bat in Chinese Art.” Cultural Keys. Cultural Keys Chinese Cultural Company, June 20, 2022. https://www.culturalkeys.cn/2022/06/20/bats-art/.

Donor: Mary C. Whitlock
Whitlock Collection

URI 1975.03.01

Arianna Gutierrez
Susan J. Jerome, M.S. '06