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2005.5.548 - Front and Back Panels of a Rank Badge for a Fifth Rank Civil Official

Mactaggart Art Collection Read more about this collection »

Object Typerank badge Artistunknown Date Made1796-1820

Item Details

Object Typerank badge Artistunknown Date Made1796-1820
Accession Number 2005.5.548 Title Front and Back Panels of a Rank Badge for a Fifth Rank Civil Official Category textiles Object Type rank badge Artist unknown Date Made 1796-1820 Place Made China Culture Chinese Period Qing 18th-19th centuries Materials gold wrapped silk thread; silk damask; silk floss; silk satin; embroidery Materials Glossary Damask; Embroidery View Materials Glossary Details » View Materials Glossary Details » Description
Rank badges, always made in pairs, were placed on the front and back of surcoats in order to communicate their wearer’s rank during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911). Different motifs were…
Rank badges, always made in pairs, were placed on the front and back of surcoats in order to communicate their wearer’s rank during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911). Different motifs were regulated by the imperial court, including bird motifs used only for civil officials while beasts were used for military officials. The hierarchy of ranks within these categories was represented by specific birds and beasts. This pair of rank badges features a silver pheasant representing the fifth rank of a civil official. This bird is identified by its white feathers, white crown with a red stripe and long tail.

The front badge is made into two separate panels to accommodate the front opening of a surcoat, while the back badge is made in one piece. The patterns on the front and back badges are identical. This rank badge pair was decorated with delicate seed stitches, also referred to as “Peking knots” or ta tzu. Gold metal-wrapped thread is couched around some of the colourful motifs as a border. In the centre of the badge, a silver pheasant, standing on rocks above waves, looks toward a red sun in the upper left corner. An embellished canopy floats above the bird, while the Eight Buddhist treasures surround it, including lotuses, the wheel, the parasol, the vase, the conch, the fish and the endless knot. The border of the badge is decorated with blue and white floral motifs and gold geometric patterns.

Credit Line Gift of Sandy and Cécile Mactaggart
© 2019 University of Alberta
© 2019 University of Alberta

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Page Citation for 2005.5.548 - Front and Back Panels of a Rank Badge for a Fifth Rank Civil Official

Page Citation

"2005.5.548 - Front and Back Panels of a Rank Badge for a Fifth Rank Civil Official, Mactaggart Art Collection." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/21-19770. Accessed 08 Dec. 2024.


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2005.5.548 - Front and Back Panels of a Rank Badge for a Fifth Rank Civil Official

Object Type rank badge Artist unknown Date Made 1796-1820