{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O127601"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O127601/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NC0902/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NC0902/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021NC0902","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NC0905","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NC0903","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NC0904","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O127601","accessionNumber":"FE.15-2006","objectType":"Sleeveless jacket","titles":[{"title":"kanjian","type":"generic title"},{"title":"beixin","type":"alternative title"},{"title":"jinshen","type":"alternative title"}],"summaryDescription":"This hip-length, sleeveless jacket with a stand-up collar and deep armholes (<i>kanjian</i>) would have been worn over a long robe. This garment style is also known as <i>beixin</i> or <i>jinshen</i> (‘close-fitting), and was popular for men and women from the mid-19th to the early 20th century. \r\nThe decoration on this striking example exemplifies the fashion for applied edgings. The bright pink silk is smothered with broad black satin bands, embroidered with fluttering butterflies, and wide turquoise silk ribbons with magenta edges and woven patterns in gold and silver. These embellishments have been laid on the surface with meticulous precision, and secured with tiny, almost invisible stitches.\r\nThe gilt brass buttons adorning this jacket were mass-produced in China by the ‘Shunxing Foreign Company’ (順興洋行). Like many of their counterparts, the company was strategic in its domestic production and marketing, having learnt the importance of incorporating designs that reflected traditional Chinese culture. \nGilt metal buttons often featured auspicious motifs that convey a wish for happiness, longevity or fertility. Here, the button depicts five bats encircling the character for longevity (<i>shou</i>). The bat, pronounced <i>fu</i> in Chinese, is a homophone for ‘blessings’, and symbolises the ‘Five Blessings’: long life, wealth, health, love of virtue, and a peaceful death, here with an emphasis on longevity. ","physicalDescription":"Sleeveless jacket for a woman (<i>kanjian</i>). Front fastening with six gilt buttons, small standing collar, sleeveless, short slit at sides and on the back. Blue plain weave lining. Pink silk satin damask ground. All borders are trimmed with a narrow black satin bias cut band, a wider black satin band embroidered in multi-coloured floss silks ( blue, green, pick, purple) in satin stitch and couched work with butterflies and a wide warp-patterned ribbon. (turquoise with purple edges at both sides). On the back and front of the vest, trims form shapes of auspicious ruyi cloud.  This waistcoat would have been worn over a dress.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silk (textile)","id":"AAT243428"}],"techniques":[{"text":"embroidery","id":"x40351"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Satin-weave silk; embroidery in coloured silks","categories":[{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"},{"text":"Clothing","id":"THES48975"},{"text":"Informal wear","id":"THES48935"},{"text":"Womenswear","id":"THES49044"}],"styles":[{"text":"Qing","id":"AAT18478"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2021NC0902","2021NC0905","2021NC0903","2021NC0904"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES394743"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Sleeveless jacket","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"China","id":"x29398"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1875-1908","earliest":"1875-01-01","latest":"1908-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs Muriel Carpenter in memory of Ebenezer Mann","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"70","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"64","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"maximum","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Textile was brought back from China by missionary Ebenezer Mann, who served with the China Inland Missionary Society from 1905 - 1945.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Sleeveless jacket for a woman (<i>kanjian</i>), satin-weave silk; embroidery in coloured silks with applied figured silk ribbons, China, 1875-1908","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["FE.15-2006"],"accessionNumberNum":"15","accessionNumberPrefix":"FE","accessionYear":2006,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-30","recordCreationDate":"2006-09-05","availableToBook":false}}