{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O107165"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O107165/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BB1835/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BB1835/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BB1835","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O107165/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O107165","accessionNumber":"FE.26-1971","objectType":"Panel","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This textile was made as a temple banner, as verified by a temple name on the reverse of the piece (Beizi Wang Temple). It depicts the dramatic history of the Three Kingdoms Period.  Theatrical conventions, including costume and make up, have influenced the design. Theatrical performances of such scenes as are found on this banner were staged during religious festivals to entertain the gods.","physicalDescription":"Hanging with embroidered scenes from the 'Three Kingdoms'.\r\nA set of four horizontal embroidered panels mounted as a single hanging. Each panel has black silk borders embroidered with gilt thread.\r\nThe panels are embroidered with white, red, black, pale green, ice blue, tan, pink and pale lilac silks with some couched gilt threads against a background of couched gold thread. The scenes depicted are based on battles from the 'Three Kingdoms' period (3rd century AD). The stylisation and mask-like faces worn by some of the figures suggests that this particular interpretation was taken from a theatrical version of this popular subject.\r\nEach panel is lined with a coarse red cotton material which is embroidered in gilt thread with stylised <i>shou</i> and endless knot emblems and four medallions, also outlined with couched gilt thread. Characters meaning ‘the king’s cowrie temple’ (<i>beizi wang miao</i>) are embroidered on the reverse in black silk, verifying that this is a temple banner.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silk (textile)","id":"AAT243428"},{"text":"silk thread","id":"x30127"},{"text":"metal thread","id":"x30421"},{"text":"cotton (textile)","id":"AAT14067"}],"techniques":[{"text":"embroidering","id":"AAT53653"},{"text":"weaving","id":"AAT53642"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Woven silk with silk and gilt thread embroidery","categories":[{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"},{"text":"Embroidery","id":"THES48960"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"}],"styles":[{"text":"Qing","id":"AAT18478"},{"text":"Republican China","id":"x44957"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2006BB1835"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES313048"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Panel","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"China","id":"x29398"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1850-1940","earliest":"1850-01-01","latest":"1940-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Miss B. Clapham","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"113","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"94","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'beizi wang miao'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"beizi wang temple, or the king's cowrie temple","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Registered File number 1971/3046.","historicalContext":"There is a ‘Cowrie Temple’ in Inner Mongolia, built in the eighth year of the Qianlong emperor’s reign (1743) which was sacked during the Cultural Revolution in 1966.\r\n\r\n'Cowrie' may refer to the name of a rank conferred upon the Fifth Grand-generation of a Prince.","briefDescription":"Temple banner, woven silk with coloured silk and gold thread embroidery; lined with cotton, China, 1850-1940","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Wilson, Verity. Chinese Textiles, 2nd edition, London: V&A Publications, 2005, page 71. Illustrations: plate 78 and frontispiece."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"knots (motifs)","id":"AAT9724"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"battle","id":"x35625"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":["History of the Three Kingdoms Period"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["FE.26-1971"],"accessionNumberNum":"26","accessionNumberPrefix":"FE","accessionYear":1971,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-10-27","recordCreationDate":"2004-11-10","availableToBook":true}}