rank insignia

A pair of mandarin squares or rank badges, 'buzi', made of silk and woven in slit tapestry, 'kesi' or 'k'o-ssu' technique, which would have been sewn to the surcoat of an official. The one for the front is made in two equal sized sections and has been sewn together along one selvedge. Each depicts a mandarin duck, the emblem of rank of a civil official of the seventh rank. The bird, woven in pink, blue and white silk, is looking upwards towards a red sun in the top left hand corner, surrounded by various symbols of good fortune including a bat, fan, 'ruyi' sceptre, fish and umbrella.

object
MUSEUM NUMBER
1970.581
PLACE
COLLECTION
MEASUREMENTS
overall: 298 x 305 mm; overall: 295 x 295 mm
MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE
silk; thread; plain weave; slit tapestry
CATEGORY
Anthropology: Ethnography
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Collection Information

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