Chinese Dragon Robes
Friendly yet dangerous, benign yet powerful, the Chinese dragon has long been worshipped as a dynamic symbol of vitality in the Far East. Rising into the heavens, the dragon would call forth the rains that kept life flowing within an ancient civilization dependent on agriculture. The dragon was believed to make an appearance in the sky whenever a new emperor was born, and in this way the dragon became a symbol of imperial Chinese leadership and authority. Dragons on robes began as a purely informal fashion during the Ming dynasty, quickly became the highest form of official dress. Dragon robes were adopted by the rulers during the Qing dynasty and became part of the wardrobe of the imperial court. Their use declined with the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1911, although members of the Imperial Family continued to wear them on formal occasions until departing the Forbidden City in 1924. Today, most Chinese Dragon Robes are found in the West, having been removed from China during times of ...