Chinese woman's wedding skirt

Informal modes of Manchurian dress blended with formal Han Chinese dress during the Qing dynasty and evolved into new styles based on ethnicity and class. This loose skirt, with wide sides and rectangular panels in front and back, reflects that innovation.

Made of woven-patterned silk, the skirt is tailored into a single piece to fit all sizes when tied around the waist. It is partly embroidered in blues, with auspicious symbols combining scholars’ objects and flower arrangements. The wearer would have undergone a symbolic celebration and, through the symbols, learned the expectations assigned to her, namely to form a happy marriage and give birth to many sons.

The lavish peony blossoms in a vase on the center panels are highlighted by gold threads. To the left is a cylindrical container holding corals, scrolls, and a wish-granting wand. From the right emerges a lotus and platters of chrysanthemum and plum branches. Scattered on the sides of the skirt are butterflies weaving through sprays of peony, magnolia, plum, and lotus. The edges and hems are bordered with black trims decorated with bats and flowers.