{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O121382"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O121382/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O121382","accessionNumber":"833A-1896","objectType":"Illustrated manuscript","titles":[{"title":"Explanatory text about the buckler at Shao dances at the offering of sacrifices","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"<i>The Illustrated Regulations for Ceremonial Paraphernalia of the Present Dynasty </i>is an illustrated manuscript commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor (reigned 1736-1795). The main body of the commission began in 1750 and was completed in 1759. It was a conclusion of the Emperor's decade-long efforts to regulate the ritual codes and procedures as a means of ruling since his enthronement.\r\n\r\nThe page bears an explanatory text about the Buckler at Shao dances at the offering of sacrifices. The text is arranged in 14 columns.\r\n \r\nAs a major imperial commission, the book is of monumental scale. As many as 27 court painters and calligraphers were working on the commission under five editors-in-chief, Yilu (1695-1767), Jiang Pu (1708-1761), Wang Youdun (1692-1758), Guanbao (?-1776) and He Guozong (?-1766). \r\n\r\nAfter editing and further expansion, the manuscript was printed by the Palace Publications Office in the Wuying Palace in 1766 It was finally included as part of the Four Treasures imperial library project in 1773. For that purpose seven copies were produced and stored in libraries across the empire. \r\n\r\nThe book consists of six parts - ceremonial vessels, scientific equipments, dress, musical instruments, insignia and weaponry. They contain more than 1300 leaves of illustrations and explanatory texts. \r\n\r\nThe V&A’s collection of the manuscript is incomplete. All its leaves, together with those in the British Library, in the National Museums of Scotland and in the National Museum of Ireland, may have been part of the version kept in the Wenyuan Pavilion library in the Yuanming yuan Summer Palace, Beijing.","physicalDescription":"A page of \"The Illustrated Regulations for Ceremonial Paraphernalia of the Present Dynasty\", an illustrated manuscript commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor (r.1736-1795). The book consists of six parts - ceremonial vessels, scientific equipments, dress, musical instruments, insignia, and weaponry, containing more than 1300 leaves of illustrations and explanatory texts. The page bears an explanatory text about the Buckler at Shao dances at the offering of sacrifices. The text is arranged in fourteen columns.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Leng Jian","id":"AUTH357288"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"silk","id":"AAT14072"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Ink on silk","categories":[{"text":"Illustration","id":"THES48938"},{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[{"text":"Qing","id":"AAT18478"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES393742"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Illustrated manuscript","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Beijing","id":"x32780"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1736-1795","earliest":"1736-01-01","latest":"1795-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"42.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"'The Buckler at Shao dances at the offering of sacrifices is carefully designed in accordance with the section on the arrangement of the buckler and other dancing paraphernalia in the chapters on the 'Spring Officials' in the Zhou Ritual. Zheng Kangcheng's commentary states that that which which the superintendent of the dancing carried was called a shield. And Gong Yang in his commentary on the Sprign and Autumn Annuals (by Confucius) says, 'With ten thousand (dancers) how can it controls the dancing.' In Ma Duanlin's 'Wenxian tongkao' and the 'Er ya' it is said to have been red and ornamented with Dragons as well as with various plumers, and bound with variegated leather thongs. The suborfinate variegated thongs were mixed. The Bucklers held held by the dancers were of this kind. By the present Dynasty it has been ordained that it should be made of wood with a pointed head. That it should be three feet six inches four-tenths and five-hundredths long in the centre, and three feet two inches and four-tenths at the sides. That in the upper part it should be seven inches two-tenths and nine-hundredths, and below six inches four-tenths and eight-hundredths. That at the top it should be ornamented with a Dragon's head with surrounding colours, and below by associated Dragons with five coloured plumes and ornaments. That down the centre in a column on painted ground there should be the following four characters in red, 'Rain,' 'Sunshine,' 'Seasons,' 'Alternating.' May be four seas be eternally unsullied, and may be eight quaters rest in peace. Of the three perpetuities the most important is that the ten thousand nations should come to Court. At the back it is varnished red with a bent wooden handle by which to hold it in the left hand. At the Imperial Altars and the Temples it is always used.'","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Purchased from Walter H Harris and accessioned in 1896. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. A letter from Mr Harris in the V&amp;A archive files states that the leaves were 'taken from the Summer Palace in Pekin' a reference to the Yuanming yuan, the imperial summer retreat located north of Beijing, which was plundered and destroyed by British and French troops during the Second Opium War in 1860. There is no further information in the file as to how Mr Harris acquired the leaves. \r\n\r\nThe main body of the manuscript commission began in 1750 and it was completed in 1759. As many as twenty-seven court painters and calligraphers were working on the commission under five editors-in-chief, Yilu (1695-1767), Jiang Pu (178-1761), Wang Youdun (1692-1758), Guanbao (?-1776) and He Guozong (?-1766). After editing and further expansion in the ensuing years, the manuscript was printed by the Palace Publications Office in the Wuying Palace in 1766, and it was finally included as part of the Four Treasures imperial library project in 1773. For that purpose seven versions in total were produced and stored in libraries across the empire.\r\n\r\nThe museum's collection of the manuscript is incomplete. All its leaves, together with those in the British Library, in the National Museums of Scotland and in the National Museum of Ireland, may have been part of the version kept in the  Wenyuan Pavilion library in the Yuanming Yuan (Summer Palace), Beijing.\r\n\r\nThese pages belong to the first of four groups of leaves from the manuscript acquired by the museum.\r\n","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Page of the illustrated manuscript \"The Illustrated Regulations for Ceremonial Paraphernalia of the Present Dynasty.\" It bears an explanatory text about the Buckler at Shao dances at the offering of sacrifices.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Medley, Margret. \"'The Illustrated Regulations for Ceremonial Paraphernalia of the Ch'ing Dynasty' in the Victoria and Albert Museum.\" in Transactionsof the Oriental Ceramic Society, vol.31, 1957/59, pp.95-105.\r\nLiu, Lu. \"An Illustrated Manual for Regulating the Qing Society: A Discussion of Several Issues Relating to 'Huangchao liqi tushi'.\" in Palace Museum Journal (Beijing), no.4. 2004, pp.130-44."}],"production":"Reason For Production: Commission","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"text","id":"AAT250810"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"sacrifice","id":"x36235"},{"text":"ritual","id":"x38263"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["833A-1896"],"accessionNumberNum":"833","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1896,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-21","recordCreationDate":"2006-02-27","availableToBook":false}}