




Imperial edict, unrolled in handscroll format, tied by a silk cord. Ink and colour on silk, mounted on brocade and paper. It has two texts written in Chinese and Manchu script, both in yellow, blue, red, green and black ink. The Chinese script is read from right to left, while the Manchu script is from left to right. Two red, squared imperial seals stamped in between the Chinese and Manchu script reading: "chi ming shang bao" (order descended from the Emperor). Dated to the 1st day of the 1st lunar month in the 50th year of the Qianlong reign period (1785). The main content of this edict was to bestow an honorable title 'ru ren' on the wife of Guo yu. Guo yu was a 'ba zang' (junior military official title). 'Ru ren' was a title only bestowed on the mother or wife of an official of a 7th rank or below.