Late-Qing Umbrella with Signatures from “Ten-thousand People”

It was a tradition in ancient China that officials who were leaving their job would receive an umbrella with signatures from local people as a gift of gratitude for their good governance and contribution, hence the nickname “ten-thousand people umbrella”.
On the silk canopy of this umbrella there are four gold dragon medallions located in symmetry, among these round patterns names from 142 local people with surnames of Zheng, Wang, ect., were inscribed by gold couching embroidery. A Chinese calligraphy inscription meaning “an auspicious hour, mid-summer, the 14th year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign” can be found to mark the time this umbrella was made. The edge of canopy is decorated with 24cm-wide sequin-embellishing fringes knit by green silk threads.