"The Illustrated Regulations for Ceremonial Paraphernalia of the Present Dynasty" is an illustrated manuscript commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor (r.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, and serves as a record of the Emperor's passion for a rigid ritualised life.

As one of the major imperial commissions the book is of monumental scale and collaborative in nature. As many as twenty-seven 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). 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 copies were produced and stored in libraries across the empire. 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 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.

The current page bears an explanatory text about the materials and the use of the banner flown at the gate of the Outer Division of the Guard at the Emperor’s travelling camp. The text may be translated as follows:“The banners flown at the gate of the Outer Division of the Guard at the Emperor’s travelling camp. Note respectfully: According to the regulation issued in the 20th year of the Qianlong reign, among the five banners flown at the gate of the Outer Division of the Guard at the Emperor’s travelling camp, the one placed on the East is bordered white; on the West, bordered red; on the South, standard blue and bordered blue border alternately; on the North, standard red. All are made of satin; and all keep to their colours. The standard red and blue banners have no borders. The bordered white and blue ones have red borders, and the bordered red, white borders. On all is emblazoned in gold a flying tiger surrounded by flames of fire. In all other respects they are like the gate banners of the Inner Division of the Guard.”