Blue Silk Tapestry Weave Surcoat for a Man

A dark blue silk surcoat (or bufu) with tapestry woven rank badges on the front and back. There is a crane, recognizable with a red cap on its head, depicted on the square rank badges, identifying the wearer as a first-rank civil official. The position of the sun on the left side of the badge (the wearer's right side) indicates that the wearer is a man. Auspicious symbols, including bats for good fortune and a geometric wan - multiplying good fortune by an infinite amount - in the background, surround the crane and there is a standing water and waves motif below. This surcoat has a typical front opening with five brass buttons, two side vents, and a standing collar. The standing collar is not a typical design feature on surcoats, which can be seen when compared to other examples in the collection, such as Blue Silk Gauze Surcoat for a Man (2005.5.93). This robe design has likely been modified from a traditional surcoat, including longer and narrower sleeves, and may not be typical official’s attire. The lining fabric is a pale blue plain weave silk.