78001 Emperor’s Robe

Description

Based on circular-collar robe, dragon robe was first adopted by the Tang dynasty (618–906 CE), which embellished the robe with dragons to symbolize imperial power. The Mongols were the first to codify their use as emblems on court robes. As a result, the subsequent Ming emperors shunned them on formal occasions. Though only royals could wear dragons, honoured officials could be granted the privilege of wearing “python robes” (蟒袍 or 蟒衣), which resembled dragons, only with four claws instead of five.

朝袍是皇帝在登基、大婚、万寿圣节、元旦、冬至、祭天、祭地等重大典礼和祭祀活动时所穿的礼服，根据不同的季节，又有四季适用的皮、棉、夹、单、纱多种质地，颜色也并不是只有人们普遍认为的明黄色一种，而是有明黄、红、蓝和月白（浅蓝）四种颜色。按清朝《大清会典》规定，皇帝的朝服一般“色用明黄”，还用于御殿朝贺及地坛祭地、先农坛和祭太庙等场合。至于其他颜色朝服的穿用，则在祭天和天坛祈谷时用蓝色，日坛朝日用红色，月坛夕月时用月白色，即浅色蓝。
此外，朝袍的基本款式是上衣、下裳相连的长袍相配而成，通身绣三十四条金龙，两袖各绣金龙一，披领绣金龙二。另配箭袖和披领，二者是清代朝服的显着特色。此外清代服饰制度还规定，穿不同的服装，要与不同的冠帽如朝服冠、吉服冠、常服冠、行服冠相应，且腰间都要系相应的腰“带”，穿朝服系朝服带、穿吉服时系吉服带等。