Dragon Robe

18th Century (Qing Dynasty)

Qianlong Period (1736-1796)

Embroidered Silk, 71 x 75 inches

Naples Museum of Art

The Gow Family Collection

On-site in the Museum: Finding the Symbols in the Dragon Robe

Grades PreK-2

Sunshine State Standards: VAB111, VAB112, VAB113, VAC111, VAC112, VAE111, VAE113

Goal: These various activities will be useful for Grades PreK-2 students when they visit the Naples Art Museum where the Gow Collection will be explored. Click here for a lesson on the "Song of the Dragon."

Key Ideas:

• 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 Qing (pronounced like our word king) dynasty, the color, cut, and symbolic decoration of this emperor’s dragon robe indicate that its wearer is royalty.

Background:

Dragons
The Chinese dragon was a divine bringer of rain, necessary for the good of all. The dragon was also a symbol of the good emperor whose wisdom and divine power assured the well-being of his subjects. Many legends draw connections between the dragon and the emperor. Some emperors even claimed to have descended from the dragon. For others, dragons were special protectors.

Chinese dragons could make themselves as large as the universe or as small as a silkworm. They could also change color and disappear in a flash. People thought that dragons were rarely seen because they cleverly hid in caves burrowed into the lofty mountains or coiled up on the bottom of the deepest seas. Any sighting of a dragon boded well; it meant that Heaven was letting the people know that their ruler was doing a good job. Obviously, rulers were eager to hear of any reports of dragons in their domain.

Qing Dynasty
In 1644, the nomadic Manchu (man-CHEW) warriors from northern China overthrew China's Ming rulers and established the Qing dynasty. The Manchu admired and quickly adopted the culture and government of the native Chinese they had conquered. Still, in their official clothing styles, the Manchu emphasized their own distinctive cultural heritage. Inspired by the riding garments of their nomadic days, Qing robes had long tapered sleeves, tight cuffs, narrow neck openings, side closures, and slit skirts. Although the cut was new, Qing robes were decorated with symbols from traditional Chinese mythology, most notably the dragon.

Everyone who attended and served at court during the Qing dynasty wore symbolic robes. Rank and status within the court were indicated by the cut, color, and symbolic decoration of one's robe. The highest rank was that of emperor, empress, or empress dowager. Only they were allowed to wear these robes bearing the five-toed dragon motif (moe-TEEF). (www.artsMIA.org/mythology/slide22.html)

Dragon Robe
The dragon robe is a special costume worn by the emperor and princes at important ceremonies. This blue silk robe is decorated with the twelve imperial symbols and nine dragons couched in very fine gold and silver-wrapped silk floss. These dragons pursue the auspicious flaming pearl against the background of scrolling lotus. (Chang, 2000)

Description
The dragon on this robe is a distinctive type associated with the emperor. Its wide, flat head is topped by horns and flanked by wiry whiskers. Scales and sharp spines cover its curving body. Five short legs with powerful claws emerge from the dragon's snakelike torso. Flames spark outward from its joints. The dragon tosses a flaming pearl between its claws.

The dragon cavorts in a celestial landscape above a diagonal ocean whose frothy waves crash against three rocky mountains, all of which represent the earth. The heavens are represented by a band of stylized, stringy clouds that curl on top of the waves and float up in little ovals through the robe. (www.artsMIA.org/mythology/slide22.html)

Symbols
The dragon is the centerpiece of an elaborate set of images that symbolize the emperor's authority as an intermediary in the universal order between heaven and earth. The great and beneficial power of the dragon could be brought to the people by the good governance of the emperor. The pearl within the dragon's grasp is a symbol of wisdom. Like a worthy emperor, the dragon always seeks wisdom.

The appearance of the twelve symbols on this robe has cosmic significance. A floating ruyi (scepter) on the waves symbolizes fulfillment of the emperor’s wishes and his right to rule. When the emperor wears this robe, he occupies the center; these twelve symbols then signify his control, as regent for the Lord of Heaven, over all creation.

This rare dragon robe, with its imperial symbols on dark blue silk, was made for the Qian long emperor to use in one of the yearly sacrificial ceremonies for rain and good harvest. It is recorded in the classics that when the weather was not in good order, the emperor must personally lead the temple ceremony to pray for rain or good weather. In the ceremony sheep are usually offered and jade immersed in water. At that time, the emperor must also fast to show his sincerity.
(Chang, 2000)

Activity:
Read or tell the story below.

Wu Wei (pronounced woo way) and the Dragon

A T'ang (pronounced tahng) dynasty emperor visited the Chinese city of Loyang (pronounced low-yang) during a long spell of very hot, dry weather. There, in a temple, lived an Indian priest named Wu Wei , who knew how to call forth the dragon who brings rain. The emperor begged Wu Wei to bring rain to his scorched land. The priest refused. The heat was seasonable, he said, and summoning the dragon would do much damage. The emperor said that the people were suffering because of the drought. Any rain, he pleaded, even if accompanied by roaring winds and crashing thunder, would be good. Finally, Wu Wei agreed.

Wu Wei ordered everything from the temple except for one bowl of water to be removed. Stirring the water, he repeated magical words hundreds of times. Presently, a red, finger-sized dragon appeared, raising its head slightly above the water's surface. Then it slowly disappeared. Wu Wei stirred the water again, chanting a spell three times. From the bowl a white vapor rose several feet into the air and floated toward the temple door.

"Go," Wu Wei ordered the emperor's messenger, "for the rain is coming!" As he fled to alert the emperor, the messenger glanced back to see the vapor roll like white silk out of the temple. Then darkness fell, bringing with it thunder and rain. Gale winds uprooted giant trees along the road as the storm overtook the terrified messenger. At last he reached the emperor, drenched but safe.

***

Activity continued:
1. The dragon frequently appears on Chinese court robes like this one as a symbol for the emperor's power to mediate between heaven and earth for the well-being of the people. What is a symbol? (Something that stands for or represents another thing or idea.) In the story, how did the emperor mediate between heaven and earth in the story? (He persuaded a priest to summon a dragon in order to bring rain.)

2. This dragon robe is covered with symbols that stand for the emperor's authority to mediate between heaven and earth.

Find frothy ocean waves. (Semicircles above the diagonal stripes.)

Find three prism-shaped rock formations that symbolize mountains. (Above the ocean waves.)

Find colorful, stringy clouds that float throughout the robe.

Find three pearls that symbolize wisdom. (Circles with flames held by each of the three central dragons.) (www.artsMIA.org/mythology/slide22.html)

3. There are twelve Chinese symbols representing imperial authority that have appeared on the sacrificial robes of emperors since the Western Zhou Dynasty (1050-771 B.C.). The twelve symbols can be grouped according to their location on robe. The four symbols found in the first group below can be located at the shoulder and around the upper portion of the robe. The second group can be located around the waist and above the wave border of the lower portion of the robe. Try to locate all twelve. (Chang, 2000)

(chart above from Chang, 2000)
Also see:
(www.sandiegomueum.org/dragonrobes/glossary.html)
(www.artsMIA.org/mythology/slide22.html)

4. What is this robe made of? (Fabric.) How are the symbols and patterns applied? (Embroidery: the technique of sewing decorative designs on fabric with needle and thread.) How can you tell? (Thread creates tiny lines within each design, uneven edges of designs show where the thread has gone through the fabric.)

Think
1. All of the decorations on this robe were embroidered by hand. How long do you think it took to make this robe? (Years!)

2. Chinese dragons were magical, mythical animals that could make themselves as large as the universe or as small as a silkworm. They could change color and disappear in a flash. Dragons were rarely seen because they hid in caves or at the bottom of the sea. Any sighting of a dragon foretold happiness and good fortune. Can you think of other magical, mythical characters who bring good luck and good fortune? (Leprechauns, fairies, elves, angels, a genie in a lamp.)
(www.artsMIA.org/mythology/slide22.html )