Dragon Robe Item Number: 3550/1 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Dark red robe with a round neck, long sleeves, hoof cuffs, and a side opening with gold frog closures. There are slits in the centre front and back. Collar, side opening and cuffs are bordered with black and trimmed with dark gold floral motifs. Dragons, clouds and waves embroidered in silver throughout borders. The front, back and upper sleeves of the robe have five-toed dragon, pearl, fish, cloud, crane, gourd, mountain, Taoist symbols, and floral motifs; all done in silver embroidery. The lower sleeves are black and decorated with silver lines; cuffs and lower sleeves edged with a gold braid. Inner lining of cuffs is dark blue silk with circular symbols embroidered throughout; the rest of robe interior is plain light blue silk.
The robe was given to the donor by one of her aunts, Constance Ward (1884–1969) who was a missionary in West China from 1918–1951. She was located for a time in Chengdu, and later in Chongqing. The robe is thought to be from the late Qing or early 20th century.