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AN IMPERIAL FUR-LINED EMBROIDERED SILK SURCOAT
GUNFU
Xianfeng/Tongzhi Period (1851-1874) An emperor’s surcoat was called a gunfu (lit. ‘royal garment’), and is
The surcoat constructed with a center front opening, the black damask distinguished from a bufu (lit. ‘a garment with a badge’) which would
finely woven with auspicious seasonal flowers including peony, lotus, have been worn by imperial princes and high ranking officials. An
chrysanthemum and plum, embroidered with four front-facing five- emperor’s surcoat was embroidered with four front-facing five-clawed
clawed dragon roundels with symbols of the constellation of the three dragons set within medallions with symbols of the sun and the moon
stars, the mountains, the moon and the sun applied respectively to the on the shoulders, and shou characters, or the constellation and the
front, back and shoulders, the interior lined with squirrel fur. mountain after the second half of the nineteenth century on the chest
45in (114.3cm) long and back. The lining of this jacket is squirrel fur, huishu, (灰鼠) which
was utilized even for the Imperial wardrobe after 1820 when sable and
$8,000 - 12,000 other pelts became scarce.

清咸豐/同治 御製石青緞繡龍紋襯灰鼠皮袞服 For illustrations and further discussion regarding gunfu and bufu,
refer to John E. Vollmer, Ruling from the Dragon Throne, Ten Speed
Provenance Press, 2002, pp. 113-116. See also Christie’s, New York, sale 2108:
Legend gallery, 25 March 2017, lot 191 The Imperial Wardrobe, Fine Chinese Costume and Textiles from the
Bonham’s San Francisco, 17 December 2013, lot 8253 Linda Wrigglesworth Collection, 19 March 2008, lot 113. An emperor’s
winter surcoat with a similarly embroidered front dragon roundel, also
來源 ornamented with the constellation symbol, is illustrated and discussed
Legend藝廊， 2017年3月25日，拍品編號191 in Robert L. Thorp, Son of Heaven, Imperial Arts of China, Son of
舊金山邦瀚斯，2013年12月17日，拍品編號8253 Heaven Press, Seattle, 1988, p. 74.

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