Manchu Man's Semiformal Court Robe (jifu)

This robe depicts the celestial landscape, a diagram of the Chinese universe. The motifs depict a scene of dragons flying among mountains, oceans, and clouds. The swirling clouds represent the heavens, and the dragons stand for imperial authority. The motif at the base of the robe is a rock formation, symbolizing the mountains of the earth. The curling waves represent the earth’s oceans. The diagonal stripes that line the hem of the robe are called li-shui (standing water), and often appear beneath the rolling waves.