Emperor’s twelve-symbol festival robe

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Official costumes in imperial China were highly regulated, and the decorative motifs of court outfits were specific to rank. Among the emblems used on the emperor’s ceremonial robes were the twelve imperial symbols, as seen on this example: the sun, the moon, constellations, mountains, a pair of dragons, birds, ritual cups, water weeds, millet, fire, an ax, and the symmetrical fu symbol. These symbols, said to have been used since ancient times, represent the emperor’s righteous rule over the universe. The festival robe, also known as a dragon robe, was used for various ceremonies, such as festival banquets and military inspections.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art