Accession Number
LTL2018.2.3

Title
Rank badge (buzi) of a prince of the third rank, four-clawed front-facing dragon (Pair)

Artist(s)
Chinese

Artist Nationality
Chinese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
19th century

Medium & Support
embroidered silk

Dimensions
8 ¼ in x 9 ¼ in (20.96 cm x 23.5 cm);8 7/16 in x 9 1/16 in (21.43 cm x 23.02 cm)

Credit Line
Lent by the University of Michigan Museum of Anthropological Archaeology

Label copy

Rank badge (buzi) of a prince of the third rank, four-clawed front-facing dragon
China
Qing dynasty (1644–1912)
19th century
Embroidered silk
Lent by the University of Michigan Museum of Archaeological Anthropology, 10244a–b

While civil and military officials wore square badges, circular rank badges like this one generally indicate that the wearer was related to the emperor. Additionally, only members of the imperial family could use the dragon motif in rank badges. The original owner of this badge with a front-facing, four-clawed dragon was a Prince of the Third Rank (duoluo beile), a direct male-line descendant of the emperor. Someone of this rank would enjoy all but one the Eight Privileges (the use of red carriage wheels, purple horse reins, heated carriages, purple cushions, gemstone mandarin hat crests, leather whips to clear the path, and the employment of eunuchs). In return he was expected to serve the emperor in the capital.

Primary Object Classification
Textile

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
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