Badge
Date17th century
Label TextInsignia badges, a late 14th-century innovation, signaled official rank. Animals such as the leopard, tiger, rhinoceros, and sea horse stood for military rank. The qilin, a mythical creature with a two-horned dragon's head, a fishlike scaly body, cloven hoofs and a broad tail, was the insignia for nobility in the Ming dynasty. During the Qing, it became the first rank emblem for military officers.
Object number33.140
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Going For Gold, November 3, 2012 - December 8, 2013
Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, The Patterns of Fiber: Textiles from the Seattle Art Museum Collection, December 18, 1980-March 1, 1981
Seattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Woven Symbols: Chinese Garments and Textiles, April 1, 1999
Credit LineEugene Fuller Memorial Collection
Dimensions13 3/8 x 14 1/4 in. (33.97 x 36.2 cm)
Overall h.: 17 in.
Overall w.: 16 3/8 in.
MediumSilk, peacock feather, and gold thread embroidery
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