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All East Asia

Qing Dynasty Chair Cover from China

Chair cover (detail), China, Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), Kangxi period (1661-1722). Silk and metal-wrapped yarns; slit tapestry weave (kesi); 163 x 52 cm. The Textile Museum Collection 2011.8.1. Collection of Joseph W. Fell.

Design of bird among lush flowers

China’s Qing Dynasty flourished during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor: The empire expanded, and the arts thrived. During this period, the most coveted job for an educated man was a position in the imperial government. Civil service jobs were rooted in a rigorous exam system based on Confucius thought, and were comprised of nine ranks, each symbolized by a bird.  

A long, vertical textile with a brown border and natural scenes with birds in the middle.

This exquisite silk cover was probably commissioned by a second-rank officer to adorn a wooden armchair in his home. The design features two golden pheasants — the symbol of the second civil service rank — together with a host of auspicious symbols. 

The top of the textile, which hung over the chair back as an anchor, includes the Chinese shou symbol and peach blossoms for longevity, and clouds for perpetual youth. On the back of the chair, pheasants mingle with peony and magnolia blossoms to represent wealth, good fortune and prosperity. Covering the seat are four of the eight Buddhist treasures: a conch shell, fish, parasol and lotus flower. Hanging down in front of the chair legs, the bottom of the textile depicts a dragon with four claws and ocean waves that represent the sea as the source of all life. 

This chair cover is thin, delicate, finely woven and includes metal-wrapped yarns — indicating that it was made for an important occasion, not for relaxing or comfort. The officer who owned it likely prized this cover among his most valuable possessions. 

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Portrait of an imperial censor and his wife (detail), China, late 18th/early 19th century. The Metropolitan Museum of Art 2015.75. Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2015.
Wooden chair with arms
High-back armchair, China, late 17th/early 18th century. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art 81-27/40 B. Bequest of Mrs. George H. Bunting Jr.
Researched by Barbara Szoradi

Barbara Szoradi began weaving and spinning in the early 1960s, and has been a docent with the museum since she retired as an elementary school teacher in 2018. She is also an art information volunteer at the National Gallery of Art and is active in the Asian American Forum.