Yellow dragon robe

long pao 龍袍

The embroidered robe, woven in kesi technique, is decorated with a five-clawed dragon reserved for the emperor alone. With the hoof-shaped cuffs, the dragon robe makes reference to the Manchurian riding tradition. Beginning in the Qianlong period, these robes displayed the twelve imperial ornaments: sun, moon, the Pleiades, mountains, dragon, pheasant, Fu-symbol, axe, two sacrificial cups, water plants, fire, and millet.