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Qing Imperial Necklace

These elaborate necklaces were a unique feature of the official Qing dress. It is a familiar sight in imperially commissioned portraits, but why do we suddenly see them after the Qing conquest over the Ming? These necklaces have evolved over more than a thousand years, and are found in similar traditions all over the world. In the Qing imperial court, they were adapted from a religious aid to a rigidly stratified symbol of rank.

Stories

  • A New Attribute in Qing Court Dress

    story by Juul Eijk.

    Necklaces like this one made a sudden appearance in the dress of emperors and high officials at the Qing court in the early years of the dynasty (1636-1911). It was not adopted from the dress of Chinese officials, and it was not a Manchu attribute. What purpose did it serve, and where did it so suddenly come from?

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