19th – 20th Century A.D.
“Mangpao” (蟒袍) is a traditional Chinese theatrical costume embroidered with a dragon and phoenix design. The robes are made of thick silk and come in a variety of colors. Each color signifies the type of character wearing the robe. For example, the red “mangpao” are worn by characters that are important royal family members or officials who dominated the imperial court.
An interesting detail of this “mangpao” is that the dragons have five claws. In Chinese tradition, the five-clawed dragon was reserved for the emperor. The presence of the 5-clawed dragon on this theater robe signifies that the robe was made for the imperial theater.
The embroidered design also provides insights into the type of role the character had in Chinese theater. The few, but large dragons that stretch over the entire surface of the robe signify that the robe was worn by an actor in a jing (净) role. In Peking Opera, a jing is a prominent male character with striking looks and of high social status.
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