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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>.

Patterns varied across the centuries, at the whim of the Chinese Emperor, but always prominently featured dragons, often directly on front, back, and sleeves, with more dragons on the skirt. The robes worn by the Chinese Emperor himself bore dragons with five claws on each hand; only the King of Ryûkyû was permitted the same, while all other royals and officials who wore dragon robes (e.g. the king of Korea) were restricted to dragons with four or three talons. The designs on the robe generally represented a celestial map, with images representative of earth and sea at the bottom, and clouds and the heavens towards the top, with a variety of [[Buddhism|Buddhist]], [[Taoism|Taoist]] and other symbols scattered across the composition.

Patterns varied across the centuries, at the whim of the Chinese Emperor, but always prominently featured dragons, often directly on front, back, and sleeves, with more dragons on the skirt. The robes worn by the Chinese Emperor himself bore dragons with five claws on each hand; only the King of Ryûkyû was permitted the same, while all other royals and officials who wore dragon robes (e.g. the king of Korea) were restricted to dragons with four or three talons. The designs on the robe generally represented a celestial map, with images representative of earth and sea at the bottom, and clouds and the heavens towards the top, with a variety of [[Buddhism|Buddhist]], [[Taoism|Taoist]] and other symbols scattered across the composition.

Records on the Chinese side 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.