Cixi Dragon Robe And Other Textile Treasures In The Eastern Tomb Of The Qing Dynasty

Recently, 20 pieces of Qing Dynasty Royal textiles woven by Jiangning (Nanjing) were successfully restored by the cultural relics management office of Qingdong mausoleum in Zunhua City, Hebei Province, including precious cultural relics and handed down treasures unearthed from Cixi mausoleum and Rongfei (Xiangfei) cemetery palace.

According to reports, in 2014, the Cultural Relic Management Office of the eastern Tomb of the Qing Dynasty commissioned the China Silk Museum to start the restoration and protection project for the collection of textiles. The 20 cultural relics are all woven by Jiangning (Nanjing) of the Qing Dynasty. They are of great cultural and artistic value because of their excellent materials, exquisite patterns and superb workmanship. In particular, the tuoluojing quilt, female dragon robe and lotus mattress unearthed from Cixi underground palace represent the highest level of textile technology at that time, and profoundly reflect the characteristics of Royal funeral customs.

During the implementation of the restoration project, the China Silk Museum, in accordance with the principles of "repairing the old as it is" and "minimal intervention and maximum protection", has employed experts to demonstrate the restoration plan for many times, and organized professional craftsmen to repair them carefully, so that the cultural relics have regained their original style. It was unearthed from Cixi underground palace and originally covered Cixi. The quilt is 275 cm in width and 288 cm in length. The frame is four fold inside and outside. The auspicious pattern of "Wan Fu Wan Shou" is decorated. The center of the quilt is embroidered with Lama pagoda and Chinese scriptures, with more than 25000 characters.

The eastern Tomb of the Qing Dynasty is the largest, the most complete and the most appropriate layout of Imperial Mausoleums in China. It was listed as a world cultural heritage in November 2000.

(source: Beijing Daily)

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