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China Formal Court Robe (chao-fu) Embroidery on silk, ca. 1875-1900 Qing dynasty 51" H Gift of Mrs. John Sheafe Douglas 1954: 24

Of all the Qing dynasty garments, the chao fu (court garment) was the most formal Manchu court robe and was worn only during the most important court functions. The chao fu consists of two separate sections: the upper part is a hip-length riding coat, and the lower part is a pair of aprons that overlap at the sides. The design was brought to China by the Manchu tribes, who wore aprons over their regular garments on festive occasions. Court officials wore dark colored robes such as this one.

The chao-fu is the most common robe depicted in Manchu royal portraits, but it is the rarest type of royal robe found in modern collections because the robes were often used by the Manchus as burial garments.

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