Blue silk gauze jifu summer dress decorated with five-clawed dragons chasing sacred beads, China, late 19th century The dress has Manchu-style "clog" sleeves, closed on the right side by four openwork metal buttons, and slits behind and on the sides. The bottom of the dress shows the classic waves of the Ocean, from which the rocks of the Earth emerge above a lishui band. The front and back feature the triad of frontal and two profile dragons embroidered with gold metallic thread amid lingzhi clouds, flowers, cranes, bats, swastika, Taoist objects and auspiciousness. A frontal dragon also adorns the top of each shoulder. A ninth dragon can be found on the inner flap of the dress. The collar and lower sleeves are adorned with small dragons above the waves in pursuit of the sacred pearl among clouds and bats. Max. height approx. 129 cm