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Dragon robes were lavish silk garments bestowed by the Chinese Emperor to the royalty of China's tributary states, most prominently [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû]] and Korea, as signs of their power and authority, and of their subordination and debt to the Chinese Emperor. Though records have been found indicating that robes were given on at least one occasion to a ruler in Java and even to a Sharif of Mecca, the robes seem to have only ever been worn or otherwise used in a symbolic and ceremonial way by the kings and aristocracy of Ryûkyû and Korea; the king of Ryûkyû only ever wore the robes when receiving Chinese ambassadors, however, and wore a royal costume in accordance with Ryukyuan native tradition for all other occasions<ref name=cammann>Cammann, Schuyler. ''China's Dragon Robes''. New York: The Ronald Press Co., 1952. pp157-159</ref>.

Dragon robes were lavish silk garments bestowed by the Chinese Emperor to the royalty of China's tributary states, most prominently [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû]] and Korea, as signs of their power and authority, and of their subordination and debt to the Chinese Emperor. Though records have been found indicating that robes were given on at least one occasion to a ruler in Java and even to a Sharif of Mecca, the robes seem to have only ever been worn or otherwise used in a symbolic and ceremonial way by the kings and aristocracy of Ryûkyû and Korea; the king of Ryûkyû only ever wore the robes when receiving Chinese ambassadors, however, and wore a royal costume in accordance with Ryukyuan native tradition for all other occasions<ref name=cammann>Cammann, Schuyler. ''China's Dragon Robes''. New York: The Ronald Press Co., 1952. pp157-159</ref>.

The robes were only produced in China, at the Imperial workshops at Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Shouzhou; their production in Ryûkyû, Korea, or elsewhere was forbidden by Chinese Imperial edict. After production, the robes would be brought to the Imperial capital for certification, and then to Ryûkyû, Korea, or another destination by [[Chinese investiture envoys|investiture envoys]], along with a golden & jeweled crown and belt, and other symbols of investiture. Robes were also sometimes obtained by Ryukyuan officials in Beijing.

The robes were only produced in China, at the Imperial workshops at Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Shouzhou; their production in Ryûkyû, Korea, or elsewhere was forbidden by Chinese Imperial edict. After production, the robes would be brought to the Imperial capital for certification, and then to Ryûkyû, Korea, or another destination by [[Chinese investiture envoys|investiture envoys]], along with a golden & jeweled crown and belt, and other symbols of [[investiture]]. Robes were also sometimes obtained by Ryukyuan officials in Beijing.

The right to wear dragon robes was enjoyed not only by the king of Ryûkyû, but by the entire royal family, and by certain high-ranking families of the aristocracy as well. Chinese robes were also, on rare occasions, given by the king of Ryûkyû as gifts to others; in [[1605]], King [[Sho Nei|Shô Nei]] bestowed a dragon robe from his personal wardrobe upon a prominent Kyoto monk who was about to return to Japan after a three-year stay in Ryûkyû. This same robe has since come into the possession of a group who display it during [[Gion Matsuri]] every year.

The right to wear dragon robes was enjoyed not only by the king of Ryûkyû, but by the entire royal family, and by certain high-ranking families of the aristocracy as well. Chinese robes were also, on rare occasions, given by the king of Ryûkyû as gifts to others; in [[1605]], King [[Sho Nei|Shô Nei]] bestowed a dragon robe from his personal wardrobe upon a prominent Kyoto monk who was about to return to Japan after a three-year stay in Ryûkyû. This same robe has since come into the possession of a group who display it during [[Gion Matsuri]] every year.

Chinese records of robes given to other countries are almost completely non-existent; some vague references in Ryukyuan records seem to indicate that Ryûkyû may have first received dragon robes in [[1442]].<ref name=cammann/>

Chinese records of robes given to other countries are almost completely non-existent; some vague references in Ryukyuan records seem to indicate that Ryûkyû may have first received dragon robes in [[1442]].<ref name=cammann/>

Ryukyuan officials also wore robes received from China (sometimes altered)<ref name=cammann/>, or robes patterned after those of Chinese officials but produced in Ryûkyû, up until the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644, after which the Chinese official costume changed dramatically and Ryukyuan officials adopted a system of uniform consisting of ''[[bingata]]'' robes, a native garment style influenced by the dragon robes.

Ryukyuan officials also wore robes received from China (sometimes altered)<ref name=cammann/>, or robes patterned after those of Chinese officials but produced in Ryûkyû, up until the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644, after which the Chinese official costume changed dramatically and Ryukyuan officials adopted a system of uniform consisting of ''[[bingata]]'' robes, a native garment style influenced by the dragon robes, for use within Ryûkyû. However, they continued to employ Ming-style robes for [[Ryukyuan embassies to Edo|embassies to Edo]], and for the king's use during many court ceremonies. The first Qing mission arrived in [[1663]], and granted permission to the king to maintain Ming styles, refraining from obliging the Ryukyuans from adopting Qing (Manchu) costume. As the king would continue to wear a Ming-style dragon robe up until the fall of the kingdom in the 1870s, Qing investiture envoys soon came to joke that the Ryukyuan king looked like he had stepped out of a theatre production, his costume being so different from what they were used to seeing outside of the historical settings of the theatre. Though examples of these Ryukyuan Ming-style robes do not survive, one bestowed upon [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] by the Ming court is extant, and is believed to be of very similar design.<ref>Sudô Ryôko 須藤良子, “’Ryūkūjin zagaku no zu’ ni miru Ryūkyū no fukushoku” 「琉球人座楽之図にみる琉球の服飾」, ''Minzoku geijitsu Ethno-arts'' 26 (2010), 244-245.</ref>

 

The first Qing mission arrived in [[1663]], and granted permission to the king to maintain Ming styles, refraining from obliging the Ryukyuans from adopting Qing (Manchu) costume. As the king would continue to wear a Ming-style dragon robe up until the fall of the kingdom in the 1870s, Qing investiture envoys soon came to joke that the Ryukyuan king looked like he had stepped out of a theatre production, his costume being so different from what they were used to seeing outside of the historical settings of the theatre.

The final set of dragon robes to be bestowed upon the King of Ryûkyû were brought by Chinese envoys in [[1874]].

The final set of dragon robes to be bestowed upon the King of Ryûkyû were brought by Chinese envoys in [[1874]].