{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O121533"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O121533/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM5014/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM5014/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BM5014","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O121533/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O121533","accessionNumber":"886A-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 the flag of the grand marshal of the Chinese forces. The text is arranged in seven 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 of the grand marshal of the Chinese forces. The text is arranged in seven 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":["2007BM5014"],"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":"\"The flags of the grand marshals of the Chinese army are carefully designed according to the pattern of the present Dynasty. They are made of yellow cloth and bear on the face the character suai (marshal). Vertically they measure ten feet eight inches, and across fourteen feet. The staff, which is of bamboo and painted red, is bound with rattans, and is sixteen feet long and four inches and six-tenths round. On the head is a cap beneath which is fixed a blue streamer with a pointed end, fifteen feet in length and one foot in breadth. Such flags are hung on the platform of the generals at the Drill Hall.\"","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"},{"text":"綠營","id":"CIT0282937"},{"text":"總督","id":"CIT288598"},{"text":"巡撫","id":"CIT290123"},{"text":"旗幟 (軍事)","id":"CIT283544"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["886A-1896"],"accessionNumberNum":"886","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1896,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-21","recordCreationDate":"2006-02-28","availableToBook":false}}