Manchu man's semiformal court robe

The five-clawed dragon design and the rich use of gold on a red silk background define this robe as a semiformal attire worn by a man of high rank. The robe is intricately patterned with sacred symbols woven by supplementary threads in multiple colors. The tailoring, choice of motifs, and layout are worked in a manner consistent with the style of semiformal garments of the nobility. Eight dragon medallions account for the Eight Auspicious Treasures of Buddhism, and the attributes of the Eight Immortals of Daoism. This world is said to float above an isle in the Eastern Ocean, set along the robe’s hem. The symbols suggested that dynastic reign would last forever.

Dragon robes like one this were part of the court uniform worn by emperors and members of the nobility, who were considered legitimate wearers of the supreme dragon with five claws. This symbol of the Son of Heaven was not intended for merchants, but eventually the symbol lessened in value in the nineteenth century, as the court gradually lost central control. Anyone wealthy was able to purchase or commission goods with the emblem of the five-clawed dragon, and could get away with this illicit act.