Skirt for a Han woman (ma mian qun), satin-weave silk; embroidery in silk and metallic threads, China, 1850-1900

Embroidered silk satin skirt. The skirt is made in two sections, each composed of several pieces of satin which are pleated on to a wide plain-weave cotton band having a loop at each end for attachment. Lined with blue silk. The outside of the skirt is trimmed with narrow black satin bands which end in scalloped scrolls, woven braids, and a border of white satin embroidered in pink, blue, green and white silks and silver threads in satin stitch and couching with a design of flowers, scrolls, butterflies and endless knots. Two panels of embroidery in coloured silks in Chinese knot stitch and couched silver thread and white cord depict vases of flowers and fruit. The lower part of the skirt is embroidered elsewhere with butterfly, bamboo and flower motifs in blue, green and white.

Like a film capturing the fleeting moments of the swish and sway of a skirt, the pleats of this Han woman's skirt are edged with black satin to imbue a sense of movement and grace. The pleats are simple, but the visual effect is bold and dramatic.
The construction of the pleats would have begun after the hems were completed. When the skirt is worn, five pleats twould be visible on each side, with two folded over one way and two the other, with each pair facing the central pleat. The bottom is decorated with wish-granting ruyi design. This red satin skirt would have been worn on special occasions, as red is a joyous colour for the Chinese.

T.290-1960