Mandarin Duck, Seventh Rank Civil Official
This silk rank badge was worn by an official during China’s Qing (CHING) dynasty. The style of the badge indicates that its wearer was a civil official of the seventh rank (the smaller the number, the higher the rank), someone responsible for the day-to-day affairs of government.
Badges were usually made by men and young boys in commercial establishments, although some were stitched by upper-class women in the households of the officials. Studios that produced badges typically specialized in one or only a few designs and used stencils and templates to produce large quantities of badges more efficiently.
This square primarily uses the satin stitch. To create the desired smooth appearance, the embroiderer has to lay the stitches down next to each other without twisting the thread.
Every official wore two badges: one on the front and one on the back of a plain overcoat. Civil officials wore badges with birds (like this mandarin duck), while military officials wore badges with animals. Since birds could fly into the heavens, they were considered superior to animals, and Qing society valued the erudition of scholars over the bravery of the military. The imperial government published books of rules about what officials should wear and how badges should be decorated.
By becoming an official a man could rise to the upper ranks of society. To be awarded a badge by the emperor men qualified by passing a series of rigorous examinations. In theory even the poorest man could become an illustrious official, although most who passed the exams had the benefits of wealth and the education that could buy.
Details
Roses
Roses stood for eternal youth because the rose has a long blooming season.
Peaches
Peaches are symbols of longevity. Including them in a badge brings wishes for a long life to the wearer.
Red Bat and Clouds
The Chinese consider bats auspicious because their name, fu, sounds just like the Chinese word for “blessings.” Similarly, the Chinese words for “clouds” and “fortune” are both pronounced yun, so clouds are lucky, too. Bats and clouds together stand for “May you have good fortune!” Red is the color of happiness, so red bats signify double happiness.
Narcissus
The narcissus stands for purity and cleanliness since this plant needs only water and pebbles to grow.
Long and Short Satin Stitch
The embroiderer used a technique called long-and-short satin stitch for the duck’s wings. The first row of stitches contains alternating long and short stitches. Although flat, the stitches create the illusion of texture through subtle changes in thread color.
More Resources
“How To Do” Basic Embroidery Stitches
This video shows how to make a French knot and chain stitch while embroidering a flower. While not about Chinese embroidery, the video shows similar stitches. About 4 minutes.
Making Silk
Learn about the tradition of silk making and how it is done today. This video from the American Museum of Natural History is illustrated with old images of how silk making was done in the past, and has an interview with an expert. About 3 minutes.
Silkworm Care, Part 1
Silkworm Care, Part 2
This two part (each part is about 6 minutes) video features a young boy telling, in detail, how he cares for his silkworms. Great information that might be interesting for students to watch.
Websites
Cranes and Peacocks: Rank Badges for Civil Officials
A PDF to print that describes and shows pictures of the different types of civil rank badges and explains their symbolism.
Power|Play: China's Empress Dowager
Learn about a recent exhibition at Smithsonian's Sackler Museum of Asian Art about the Empress Dowager Cixi (1835–1908) , who was the dominant political figure of China's Qing dynasty (time when this rank badge was made).
Books
Vollmer, John E. Ruling from the Dragon Throne: Costume of the Qing Dynasty. Berkley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 2003.
An in-depth look at the dress of the people of the Qing dynasty, focusing on the robes of the imperial court and also their accessories and symbolism.
Jackson, Beverely, and David Hugus. Ladder to the Clouds: Intrigue and Tradition in Chinese Rank. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 2002.
A thorough analysis of symbols, styles, and techniques used in rank badges. An exploration of Chinese symbols and customs and the textiles that express them.
Garrett, Valery. Mandarin Squares. Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, 1999.
This book goes in-depth to the symbolism and the function of the rank badges.
Children’s Books
Wang, Qicheng. The Big Book of China. San Francisco: Long River Press, 2010.
A history of China presented in a non-traditional comic-book way, focusing on cultural and military history. Best for ages 9-12.
Baldwin, Robert F. Cities Through Time: Daily Life in Ancient and Modern Beijing. Minneapolis: Runestone Press, 1999.
This book tells the story of China’s history in a story-like narrative with full-page illustrations. It focuses on daily life for the military and civilians. Skips from topic to topic but is a fun read for those with little or no background. Best for grades 4-7.
Friedman, Mel. Ancient China. New York: Children’s Press, 2010.
Fun facts about China and its culture including inventions, military history, traditions and dress. Best for ages 9-12.
Funding for object education resources provided by a grant from the Morgridge Family Foundation. Additional funding provided by the William Randolph Hearst Endowment for Education Programs, and Xcel Energy Foundation. We thank our colleagues at the University of Denver Morgridge College of Education.
The images on this page are intended for classroom use only and may not be reproduced for other reasons without the permission of the Denver Art Museum. This object may not currently be on display at the museum.
