{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O121450"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O121450/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O121450","accessionNumber":"851A-1896","objectType":"Illustrated manuscript","titles":[{"title":"Explanatory text about the rattan shield of the rattan-shield division of the army","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 rattan shield of the Rattan-Shield Division of the Army. The text is arranged in 12 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 Rattan-Shield of the Rattan-Shield Division of the Army. The text is arranged in twelve 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 Rattan-Shields of the Rattan-Shield Division are carefully modelled on the pattern given by Tseih Ke-kwang in his work on military matters entitled 'Ke heaou sin shu', and hitherto have been some round and some long. They are used for defence, and not for offence. At the beginning of the Dynasty wood was added to give weight but this was found be unprofitable, and the practice of the infantry making their shield with rattan was introduced from Fujiang. Although they are not proof against gingall balls, they are able to withstand arrows, stones, spears, and swords, and they are therefore employed as a defence. Maon Yuen-e in his work on military matters entitled 'Wu pei zhi' recommends coarse peices of rattan a finger in thickness as ribs of the framework. The strips of rattan-are bound closely together, the centre part being projected outwards leaving a hollow on the inside. By this means arrows entering fail to reach the hand of the carrier, while the outer edge is turned up so that a glancing arrow cannot reach the solider. Inside, one above the other, are placed two rings for the hand and arm. These shields are made of rattan, and are round in shape with a protuberance in the middle. The diameter of the brim is two feet six inches, and the height eight inches. A tiger's head is drawn in colours on it, while from the centre hangs a red tassel. On the back are two rings for carrying it. Men of every banner of the Chinese Rattan-Shield Division of the Chinese troops of every province use them, though the kinds differ according to the districts.'","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 Rattan Shield carried by the Rattan-Shield Division.","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":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["851A-1896"],"accessionNumberNum":"851","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1896,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-21","recordCreationDate":"2006-02-27","availableToBook":false}}