Mangfu

Mangfu (Chinese: 蟒服; pinyin: Mǎngfú; lit. 'Python robe/clothing'), also known as mangpao (Chinese: 蟒袍; pinyin: Mǎngpáo; lit. 'Python robe'), huayi (Chinese: 花衣; pinyin: Huāyī; lit. 'Flower clothing'), and Python robe in English, is a type of Hanfu robe decorated with a python embroidery, called mang (Chinese: 蟒; pinyin: Mǎng; lit. 'Python'), although the python embroidery is not a python as defined in the dictionary but a four-clawed Chinese dragon-like creature.[1] The mangfu was derived from the dragon robe in order to differentiate monarchs and subjects; i.e. only the Emperor is allowed to wear dragon (5-claws) while his subjects wears mang.[2][3]: 18, 20  Mangfu were worn in the Ming and Qing dynasties.[1][4] They had special status among the Chinese court clothing: they were only second to the dragon robe;[5][6]: 204  their use were restricted; and they were clothing which could only be awarded by the Chinese Emperor (cifu 賜服, lit. "bestowed clothing") (or by the Empress Dowager on the behalf of the Emperor) in the Ming and Qing dynasties, becoming "a sign of imperial favour".[5][3]: 18, 20  People who were bestowed with mangfu could not exchange it with or gifted it to other people.[5] They were worn by members of the imperial family below of crown prince, by military and civil officials, and by Official wives.[1][3]: 18, 20  As an official clothing, the mangfu were worn by officials during celebration occasions and ceremonial events.[1][3]: 18, 20  They could also be bestowed by the Emperor to people who performed extraordinary services to the empire as rewards, to the members of the Grand Secretariat and to prominent Daoist patriarchs, imperial physicians, tributary countries and local chiefs whose loyalty were considered crucial to secure the borders.[5] The mangfu is also used as a theatrical costume in Chinese opera, it is typically found in the form of a round-necked robe.[7]: 300 

Mangfu
A form of mangfu in the Ming dynasty
A court robe with mang (python) pattern in the Qing dynasty, c. 1890s
Chinese name
Chinese蟒服
Literal meaningPython clothing/ Python robe
Mangpao
Chinese蟒袍
Literal meaningPython robe
Huayi
Chinese花衣
Literal meaningFlower clothing
English name
EnglishPython robe/ Dragon robe

History

In the Ming dynasty, the mangfu was a form of cifu (赐服) along with feiyufu and douniu robes;[5] therefore, the right to bestow mangfu was only reserved to the Emperor who would bestow the robes to those he favoured.[4] According to the Ming shi, mangfu was prescribed for certain officials on specific occasions.[5]

When Emperor Yongle became emperor, he relaxed the clothing regulations for the eunuchs; therefore, the eunuchs around the emperor wore yesa-style robes which were decorated with mang pattern tied with luandai (lit. "Luan belt") and the eunuchs who were of high ranks were often found wearing mangfu. However, the wearing of mangfu by the eunuchs were improper.[8]

According to Shen Defu, during the early reign of Zhengtong, the mang robe was bestowed to foreign rulers.[8] In 1447, there was an imperial edict by Emperor Zhengtong which prohibited the production of mang patterns (along with feiyu and douniu patterns) by unauthorized people; it was therefore a capital offence for artisans:[4]

There are clothing regulations for both officials and commoners. Now some people have custom-made robes embroidered with the prohibited patterns of four-clawed dragon, five-clawed dragon, flying fish, and “Big Dipper bull”. Put the artisans to death and send their families to frontier garrisons as soldiers. People who wear them are to be punished without pardon

— Shen Dufu, Wanli yehuo bian [Unofficial Gleanings of the Wanli Era], translated version from the 2019 article "Wearing The Hat Of Loyalty: Imperial Power And Dress Reform In Ming Dynasty China" by Chen Buyun, p. 422

According to the Wanli yehuo bian by Shen Defu, during this period, eunuchs were parading in the streets of the capital wearing mangfu and douniu robes and women (especially wives of the elite class) who were wearing embroidered robes with designs, such as qilin, feiyu and seated mang (坐蟒) in front of the senior officials.[4][8] According to Shen Dufu, the sumptuary laws were being trespassed and the fault was that of the Emperor who was failing at regulating the possession robes adorned with imperial insignia.[4][8]

During the 16th year of Emperor Hongzhi (1504), the customs of bestowing mangfu to the Grand Secretariat began.[5]

The Jiajing emperor also bestowed mangfu to prominent Daoist patriarchs several times during his reign.[5] According to the Ming shi, in 1530, it was decreed that the Head of the jinyiwei had to wear a red mangfu or feiyufu with a black gauze hat and a phoenix belt on sacrificial and ceremonial occasions.[5] In 1538, under the rule of Emperor Jiajing, gradations of bestowed clothing (cifu) when it was stipulated that only ministers from the first to third rank were allowed to wear mangyi (python clothing), which consisted of mangfu, feiyu mangyi, and douniu mangyi.[5] The mang patterns on the clothing insignia were also gradated based on a particular rank; according to Shen Defu, the most valued form of mang pattern was the zuomang (坐蟒; lit. "seated python") which a frontal view mang on the back and front region of the robe. Mang which faced on the right side were called danmang (單蟒).[5] In 1578, Great Empress Dowager Li bestowed mangfu to Zhang Juzhen on behalf of the Emperor.[5]

During the reign under Emperor Wanli, many python robes were bestowed.[1] According to Xie Zhaozhe in the Five assorted offerings《五雜俎 –Wu zazu》, more than 10,000 eunuchs were wearing mangfu and jade belts in the Forbidden City.[8] However, the python robes did not become a common form of clothing.[1]

  • Robe with mang pattern, Ming dynasty.
  • A robe with mang pattern on a square insignia.
  • Mang patterns

Qing dynasty

Mangfu continued to be worn in the Qing dynasty as an official uniform and continued to be worn by only those who were awarded by the Emperor.[5][3]: 18, 20  The structure of the Manchu mangfu worn in the Qing dynasty differed from those worn in the Ming dynasty as the mangfu worn in the Qing dynasty was derived from the early male clothing of the Manchu, thus retaining original features while making new changes to the robes (e.g. horse hoof-shaped cuff).[9]

  • jifu robe with mang pattern
  • Qing courtier
  • Portrait of Oboi.
  • Portrait of Yintang (1683-1726)
  • 65th generation of Duke Yangsheng
  • Wife of the 69th generation of Duke Yansheng, wearing mang ao and skirt

Construction and design

Mang embroidery design

In ancient China, there is a clear difference between monarchs and subjects; therefore, the Emperor wears dragon patterns on their clothing (i.e. dragon robes) while officials wears the mang.[1] The mang embroidery is actually an imaginary creature in the form of a four-clawed dragon, called mang (蟒),[1] which was derived from the imperial (5-clawed) dragon pattern.[5][6]: 204  In the Ming dynasty, Bian Yong, the Chief Censor of the Emperor Hongzhi, described the mang as having "no horns and legs"; however, during his time, "the mang robe worn by internal officials (eunuchs) is very similar to the image of the dragon", therefore not fitting the regulations.[8] According to Shen Defu, "The mang robe is a garment with an image close to a dragon, similar to the dragon robe of the top authority (the emperor), except for the deduction of one claw".[8]

After the Ming dynasty, it was expressed that a dragon would be demoted to a python if it lost 1 claw.[1]

Mangfu as court clothing

There is also strict regulations on the robes' colour and the numbers of mang that were allowed to decorate the mangfu:[1][3]: 18 

Characteristics of Court Mangfu
Rank Number of Mang Stipulated colour
Crown prince 9 Apricot yellow
Princes Golden
Civil and military officials 1st rank Blue and azurite
2nd rank
3rd rank
4th rank 8
5th rank
6th rank
7th rank 5
8th rank
9th rank

Theatrical mangfu

In Chinese opera, the theatrical mangfu is the highest of formal, ceremonial robe worn by performers in the roles of emperors, princes, officials (ministers for specific occasions, such as court audience), and generals.[7][10]: 300 

Chinese opera costumes were made based on the clothing style of the Ming dynasty while also absorbing clothing features of the Song, Yuan, and Qing dynasties.[2] On stage, the theatrical mangfu is typically a round-necked robe.[10]: 300 

The theatrical mangfu has a male and female version; the dragon patterns on the robes vary and can be found in : dragon medallions, front-viewed dragon and flying dragon.[7] When decorated with flying dragon patterns, the robe is typically also decorated with patterns of waves and mountain peaks.[7] There is also strict regulations on the colours used in the theatrical mangfu; the colours are divided into "upper five colours" and "lower five colours", minghuang (bright yellow) colour is exclusively reserved for imperial usage.[7] Other colours included: red.

Subtypes of theatrical mangfu
  • Jianmang (Arrow python robe) - A round collar robe for the role of Emperor Zhu Di of Ming invented by Ma Lianliang; it is the combination of an arrow robe and a python robe.[11]: 14 
  • Man's python robe costume, Cantonese opera.

List of people who were bestowed Mangfu
  • Liu Jian (劉健) (1433–1526), Grand Secretary from 1492 to 1513, was bestowed with a red mangfu.[5][8]
  • Li Dongyang (1447–1516), Grand Secretary from 1494 to 1513, was bestowed with a red mangfu[5][8]
  • Xie Qian (1450–1531), Grand Secretary from 1495 to 1506 and from 1527 to 1528, was bestowed with a red mangfu[5][8]
  • Shao Yuanjie (1450–1531), a Daoist patriarch, was bestowed a mangfu with a jade belt by Emperor Jiajing in 1536,[5]
  • Zhang Juzhen (1525–1582), a Ming dynasty imperial tutor and senior grand secretary; mangfu were also bestowed to Zhang Juzhen's parents as a symbol of extreme favour.[5]

Depictions and media

Similar clothing

See also

References
  1. "It is not a real python, it is a dragon with five claws and a python with four claws, respected by apricot and golden yellow". iMedia. 2022.
  2. 刘冬. "Peking Opera Costumes: A Display of History, Culture, and Fine Craftsmanship". China Today. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  3. Yang, Shaorong (2004). Traditional Chinese clothing : costumes, adornments & culture (1st ed.). San Francisco: Long River Press. ISBN 1-59265-019-8. OCLC 52775158.
  4. Chen, BuYun (2019-01-01). "Wearing The Hat Of Loyalty: Imperial Power And Dress Reform In Ming Dynasty China". The Right To Dress: Sumptuary Laws In A Global Perspective, c.1200–1800: 416–434. doi:10.1017/9781108567541.017.
  5. Volpp, Sophie (2005). "The Gift of a Python Robe: The Circulation of Objects in "Jin Ping Mei"". Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies. 65 (1): 133–158. doi:10.2307/25066765. ISSN 0073-0548.
  6. Ma, Ning (2017). The age of silver : the rise of the novel East and West. New York. ISBN 978-0-19-060656-5. OCLC 951833097.
  7. "Man's Python Robe of Yellow Satin Woven with Pattern of Colored Clouds and Golden Dragons|The Palace Museum". en.dpm.org.cn. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  8. Yuan, Zujie (2007). "Dressing for power: Rite, costume, and state authority in Ming Dynasty China". Frontiers of History in China. 2 (2): 181–212. doi:10.1007/s11462-007-0012-x. ISSN 1673-3401.
  9. "Robe with Python Design, Manchu". www.shanghaimuseum.net. 2015. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  10. Lei, Daphne Pi-Wei (2006). Operatic China : staging Chinese identity across the Pacific. [New York]. ISBN 978-1-137-06163-8. OCLC 960815831.
  11. Ye, Tan (2020). Historical dictionary of Chinese theater (Second ed.). Lanham. ISBN 978-1-5381-2064-4. OCLC 1128888776.
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