Woman's Robe
Chinese Changyi

This late Qing dynasty (1644-1911) blue wool women’s Changyi, donated by Mrs. George Matteson in 1958, was potentially originally purchased in China by her paternal grandfather. The ornate designs include eight different scenes displayed in roundels, a multitude of baskets of fruits and flowers surrounding the roundels, and intricately detailed imagery on the trim. This paper will analyze the different parts of the garment to appreciate its full splendor and significance in Qing-era China.

The garment consists of a rich, deep blue wool and features embroidered roundels and motifs of baskets and scrolls. It includes embroidered silk satin bands sewn along the garments edges with a narrower, second decorative band that echoes the lines of the cloud collar and torso trim. The wide sleeves have a graceful curve along the bottom edge and are further decorated with sleeve bands. These are a silk damask strips sewn onto the ends of the sleeves and used to display embroidery when the hands are clasped together inside the sleeves at the wearer's front. Sleeve bands would be considered replacable and not part of the garment's design.

The robe is lined with both gold and rose-colored, plain-weave silk fabrics. It closes on the proper right side with three golden buttons that fasten through loops. Seams have been sewn down the center front and back and around the ends of the sleeves. The side seams end in slits which would help when moving or sitting in the heavy garment.

The blue color may have held some significance regarding the social status of the original owner, as blue was the official color of the Qing dynasty and predominantly worn by nobility and those related to the imperial family. [1,2] The color was also associated with the woods, which coincides with the natural imagery displayed throughout its motifs.[3] Seasonally, this garment most likely was made for the Winter, as silks and gauze material tended to be more applicable to the hot and humid Summer, and warmer Spring and Autumn months.

The embroidery includes satin stitches, used to create the figures' faces and clothing, the shape of certain flowers, and other details such as the ribbons that surround the scroll motifs. Couching is another predominant technique employed, with red and white thread stitches used to hold the gold-metallic floss in place, seen in many of the intricate details such as the outlines of certain flowers and natural motifs as well as the scrolls. French knots are also used throughout the embroidery to create the color for certain details, especially many of the flowers. The star-shaped designs that can be seen on some of the basket motifs and other details like trousers were made through a combination of a satin stitch, straight stitch, and star stitch using varied colors of threads. The extremely small details, such as the faces of the figures, were done using single, intricately placed stitches to create the illusion of eyes and mouths.

Within the embroidery of the garment, many different scenes and motifs can be seen, holding symbolic significance and giving us further evidence of how or where the garment may have been traditionally worn. To begin we will examine the eight roundels found on the front, shoulders, and back of the garment as they hold a robust amount of symbolism. The roundels all feature two figures per scene; some feature both men and women, and others two women but none with solely male figures. Each scene demonstrates strong naturalistic elements, with common motifs of peony and plum flowers, peach and pomegranate fruits, along with butterflies, birds (probably swallows), or bats displayed in pairs (sometimes of the same color and other times with distinct colors). Along with these more common symbols, these scenes also display representations of other, less intuitively identifiable flowers (which may include irises, lilies, or roses), mountains, and water-like designs. Contrasting with the predominant natural symbols are human-made structures, including gold-colored pavilions, scrolls, red lanterns, and desks with vases or boxes on them. Beyond the obviously natural or man-made, these roundels also feature a red and green box held by a lady adorned with a flowing ribbon (left shoulder), an unidentified plant-like object that features the star-shaped embroidery mentioned earlier (right shoulder), and a totem placed on a natural-looking altar (back center).

Outside of the roundels, embroidered on the blue wool, we can see a symmetrical display of imagery that combines the natural and man-made. From the center outwards we see baskets/vases of peony flowers, pairs of scrolls wrapped in blue and pink ribbons, potted irises, baskets of vegetation, and duos of the Wan symbol wrapped in ribbons. On the cloud collar and wide embroidered trim on the sleeves, hem and proper right oopening, we see repeating imagery of natural symbols, especially peony and plum blossoms, along with trees, leaves, and rivers. Occurring in similar frequency are human-made objects such as pavilions and high-sloping bridges. Miniature roundels are also featured, each with a figure in its center surrounded by vegetation, usually peony or plum blossoms.

The narrow band running parallel to the wider trim at the hem and around the cloud collar is a brocade with intricate floral and  geometric patterns breaking the design up into sections. 

The sleeve bands have their own embroidered designs, including fine embroidery displaying many of the same designs within the rest of the garment, such as pavilions, trees, flowers, and a pair of people but, this time it's bordered by repeating four-sided floral patterns, rectangular bordering, diamond-shaped decorations, and a wonderful spade-esque tree design filled by squares which interlock by lines.

From this myriad of motifs, we can develop several central themes, the broadest being a contrast between man and nature. We see repeating representations of plum blossoms, peony flowers, irises, peaches, pomegranates, trees, baskets/vases, pavilions, along with pairs of people, bats, butterflies, scrolls, and the Wan symbol (today commonly known in the West as a swastika). The plum displayed throughout the roundels and trim was considered to be symbolic of Winter, the season in which it blossoms. [4] From this connection it also derived a representation for rejuvenation. Along with this meaning, when connected to the peach, it may represent children, due to the phrase “桃李” (Táo lǐ) which means “peaches and plums” and is a phrase that refers to school children. Peony flowers, like plum blossoms, are also associated with a season, this time being Spring. It likewise is connected to Winter through a mythical tale; Empress Wu Zetian ordered the peony plants to bloom in Winter, and had them burned when no blossoms appeared. The peony plants extinguished the flames by blooming. Peonies additionally have been tied to young girls. In general, the peony is considered to be one of the more loved flowers of China, so its inclusion is not surprising as many other garments from this period featured them [5, 6].

Peaches, besides their relationship with plums, have many different meanings. One association is with immortality, due to the idea that the Xiwangmu (Queen Mother of the West) grows peaches of immortality in her garden. The god of longevity (Shou) is often portrayed as emerging from a peach [7]. Pomegranates, like the peach and plum, are also associated with a wish for many children. It also has a similar association with marriage, as does the peach, and is common on wedding gifts with the inscription “榴开百子” (liú kāi bǎi zǐ) which means “the pomegranate brings forth a hundred seeds/sons.” The iris flower holds less important meanings, with connections to keeping evil at bay, especially in the context of the Dragon Boat Festival when they are employed as doorway decorations.

The man-made symbols depicted on the coat reflect different religious orders. Baskets are connected to Daoism, in which a basket of fruit or flowers represents the immortal Lan Caihe, a musician who is either depicted as a woman or hermaphrodite. Baskets are also connected to the Spring Festival where they are used to wish good luck. Vases are one of the eight Buddhist emblems, and hold either the elixir of life or contain treasures. Pavilions of gold and silver were used as representations of the places the immortals lived in the Isle of the Blest and when juxtaposed with Peony, provide the name of a famous Opera “牡丹亭” (mǔ dan tíng) which translates to “The Peony Pavilion,” a story about young love. Lanterns can be called “qingfeng shou” which means “good peace and harvest for all,” and pairs of scrolls are emblems of success, specifically in the realm of cultural pursuits. Interlocked coins (which decorate the sleeves of this garment) are also one of the eight treasures and a wish for wealth. Bridges can represent a journey or transition (whether in life or from life to death) [8]. The Wan symbol represents “ten thousand-fold wishes for good fortune and happiness,” as Wan on their own are similarly associated with good luck [9]. 

A bat's name in Chinese, “bianfu,” is a homophone for good fortune, and also represents longevity and happiness. Butterflies and swallows are considered to be the friends of flowers. The bats, butterflies, swallows, and human figures all coming in pairs are likely symbolic of the concept of yin and yang, the Chinese philosophical concept of balance [10]. This is especially true for much of the juxtaposition between natural (trees, flowers, animals, mountains) and man-made things (pavilions, bridges, fences, lanterns), as well as the scenes depicting both male and female figures. Other broader themes we can see communicated through these symbols include the general wishes for good luck and success, symbols of love and children, of life transition, of the immortals and longevity and rejuvenation. It's hard to say for certain what sort of event this garment would be worn for, but a few possibilities include marriage engagement (wishes for love and children, marriage symbology), the transition of seasons (transitory symbols and symbols of Winter and Spring), or pregnancy (wishes for success, for many children). This robe could represent wishes for success in life, with a happy marriage, and many children. It is impossible to tell decisively without further evidence or information about the garment's creation and original use.

To conclude the discussion of this robe, we will now move towards comparing it broadly to robes made around the same period and in similar styles. Of the many contemporary robes, especially other Changyi robes, observed in tandem with this one, it is startlingly clear that this robe in particular features a much broader range of symbology and more intricate designs (see The Metropolitan Museum of Art, woman's robe with peonies and Shou medallions, 46.187.6 and University of Alberta, Changyi, or informal court robe for woman). At the same time, there still are a few robes having a number of similarities to this particular garment, especially one late Qing era robe which features remarkably similar motifs on its trim and torso designs to that of the silk bands and cuff trimming on our robe (see LiveAuctioneers, Female robe 2023). However, in all of the additional pieces that were compared to it, the Changyi in the University of Rhode Island’s Collection reigns supreme in the sheer variety of its designs, making it quite the remarkable piece. Of course, this can be seen from the sublime beauty of the robe’s presentation, but its unique nature in tandem with its rich symbology and fantastic preservation make this particular Changyi a fantastic representation of the heights to which Qing embroidery could go.

Footnotes
 
1 “Collecting Chinese Robes — an Expert Guide,” Christie’s, March 6, 2022.

2 Lark Mason III, “Styles of Qing Dynasty Robes,” iGavel Auctions, January 18, 2023.

3 John Vollmer, Five Colours of the Universe: Symbolism in Clothes and Fabrics of the Ch’ing Dynasty (644-1911) (1980; repr., Edmonton Art Gallery, 1981).

4 “Symbols – USC Pacific Asia Museum,” USC Pacific Asia Museum, accessed October 20, 2023.

5 “A CHINESE LATE QING BLUE EMBROIDERED SILK FEMALE ROBE,” LiveAuctioneers, 2023.

6 “Woman’s Robe with Peonies and Shou Medallions,” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accessed October 20, 2023.

7 “Chinese Gods, Goddesses and Heroes,” China Sage, February 2022.

8 “Assorted Chinese Art Motifs,” China Sage, February 4, 2021.

9 “The Swastika or WAN Symbol in Asian Art,” The Heart of Buddha. 15 “Yin and Yang in Chinese Traditions,” China Sage, March 27, 2018.

10 “Assorted Chinese Art Motifs,” China Sage, February 4, 2021.

11 “The Swastika or WAN Symbol in Asian Art,” The Heart of Buddha.

12 “Yin and Yang in Chinese Traditions,” China Sage, March 27, 2018.