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Rare Qing Dynasty K'o-Ssu "Cut Silk" Military Rank Badge with Bear

About the Item

Rare Qing Dynasty k'o-ssu ("cut silk") military rank badge with bear, late 18th or early 19th century. The Chinese tradition of wearing rank badges (buzi), also known as Mandarin squares, to demonstrate civil, military or imperial rank began in 1391 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and continued throughout the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). These insignia were sewn onto or woven into the wearer’s garments to indicate their rank. Attached to the front and back of a ceremonial robe, rank badges were woven in pairs with identical imagery. One was divided vertically up the center to attach to the front of a robe with a center opening, as in this piece. Rank badges featuring animals indicated a person in the military. They are harder to find than civil rank badges, which feature birds. The real or mythical animals that decorate military rank insignia symbolize the wearer’s strength and courage. Each rank was represented by a different species, and while there were slight variations over time, by the Qing Dynasty the order from highest to lowest was: (1) mythical qilin, (2) lion, (3) leopard, (4) tiger, (5) bear, (6) panther, (7 and 8) rhinoceros and (9) sea horse (not the undersea creature, but an actual horse galloping through the waves). This badge, made for a military officer of the fifth rank, features a blue bear with a light blue mane and tail looking up at the sun, symbolizing the Emperor. Bears and lions (the animal associated with the second rank) are visually similar, but the bear can be differentiated by the curls at the base of its tail, while the lion has curls at the end of its mane and tail. The bear is standing on a rock rising out of the sea, and is surrounded by auspicious symbols, such as the fish, the conch shell, and, at the very top edge, bats. While many Qing Dynasty rank badges were rendered in embroidery, this one is an example of the painstaking weaving technique known as k'o-ssu. Unlike continuous weft brocade, in k'o-ssu each colour area is woven from a separate bobbin, making the style both technically demanding and time-consuming. It is achieved by taking plain colored warp threads and using various continuous colored silk weft threads to follow a painted pattern. Shuttles of weft threads weave one small color section of the design, which is then ended. The next small section is done in the same way and ended. In working this way, a slit is created between each color, giving an overall effect of carved silk. There is some damage, particularly on the top right corner of the badge, where some small pieces have worn away, showing the orange silk backing. But the bear itself is intact, and the losses do not detract from the integrity or beauty of the piece. The badge has been professionally framed on an acid-free mat with anti-reflective, UV-absorbing museum glass, a product which allows amazing clarity and uncompromised protection. The dimensions given are of the framed piece; the badge by itself is 10.2" wide and 10.25" high.

Dimensions:

Height: 15.25 in (38.74 cm)Width: 15.3 in (38.87 cm)Depth: 0.5 in (1.27 cm)

Materials and Techniques:

Silk

Place of Origin:

China

Period:

Late 18th Century

Date of Manufacture:

Late 18th-Early 19th Century

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses.