Theatrical Robe

Unlike Western theater, in which plays are usually categorized as tragic or comic, Chinese plays are typically labeled either civil (wenxi) or military (wuxi). This robe would have been used in a military play, mimicking protective armor. Unlike real military wear, however, this robe is colorful and heavily embroidered with floral patterns, Daoist imagery, and qilin (unicorn-like creatures with dragon-like bodies and cloven hooves) in a celestial landscape.