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Family Works: A Multiplicity of Meanings and Contexts | http://www.concordia.ca/familyworks
Anonymous, Manchu Bride’s Robe, late 19th c., silk tabby, tapestry (kesi) ornaments, details in black paint, 202 x 141 cm, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
Multicoloured silk coats were commonplace throughout Imperial China, and were worn on both
formal and everyday occasions. Each coat’s colour palette, decorative pattern and function are
symbolic and adhere to the stylistic conventions of their respective dynasty and specific time
period. This piece is a noble lady’s celebratory garment from the Guangxi period (late nineteenth
century) of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912), and is distinguished by nine multicoloured floral
roundels, called kesi, across the front and back. The intricate medallions contain symbolic value:
the flower and butterfly motifs signify fidelity; two winding gourds represent fertility; and a bat
carrying a swastika symbolizes abundance and the mantra “May you have the greatest joy.” The
coat’s wave borders, flowered sleeves and decorative cuffs are traditional designs of the Qing
Family Works: A Multiplicity of Meanings and Contexts | http://www.concordia.ca/familyworks
Dynasty’s ruling elite, the Manchu. The red silk and fine black painted details indicate the coat’s
celebratory function and its suitability for a wedding or a birth ceremony.
Sarah Amarica