{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O121510"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O121510/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM5011/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM5011/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BM5011","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O121510/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O121510","accessionNumber":"883-1896","objectType":"Page","titles":[],"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 shows an explanatory text about flags and noticeboards conferring the Imperial Command. 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 <u>The Illustrated Regulations for Ceremonial Paraphernalia of the Present Dynasty</u>, 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 shows an explanatory text about the flag and noticeboard conferring the Imperial Command. 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":"Manuscripts","id":"THES48922"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2007BM5011"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"007","id":"THES393745"},"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":"\"Flags and Noticeboards conferring the Imperial Command are carefully designed in accordance with the pattern of the present Dynasty. The flags are made of lue Satin, and two feet six inches square. In the centre is emblazoned the character ling (command). This is expressed in Manchu as well as Chinese, and on the flag is stamped the Seal of the Board of War. The staves are of wood, varnished red, have a red-hair tassel, and are eight feet in length. The Noticeboards are made of the China wood and are varnished red. They are seven inches and five tenths in diameter, and in the upper part are carved in the shape of Lily leaves, which are varnished green. In the middle is emblazoned the character for Command in both Manchu and Chinese. They are fixed on spears, which are eight feet long. Their iron points are capped with wood, and are varnished yellow, and ornamented with Dragons. A red-hair tassel hangs from beneath these. On the board and on the side of the spear is emblazoned in gold the character for Command, according to the recognised number, in Manchu and Chinese. These boards are conferred on the two provincial veceroys, the ten acting provincial commanders-in-chief, eight governors and provincial generals, and five brigadier generals.\"","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 from an illustrated manuscript, Beijing, 1736-1795.","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":"Qing\n\nReason For Production: Commission","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"flags","id":"AAT195678"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["883-1896"],"accessionNumberNum":"883","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1896,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-21","recordCreationDate":"2006-02-28","availableToBook":false}}