Heir Apparent's Robe

The jifu, the ensemble worn by Qing courtiers and officials as semi-formal attire, featured the longpao, or dragon robe. Although its narrow sleeves reflect native Manchu costume traditions, the semiformal robe's flared tailoring, extending unbroken from the shoulder to hem, resembles the cut of Chinese garments. The color of the base fabric indicated the wearer's court rank. While the emperor reserved the right to wear bright yellow (minghuang), his sons wore shades of yellow that indicated their positions relative to the imperial throne. The apricot-yellow color of this robe indicates that it was worn by the heir apparent.