Hat; 1850–1900; stand; 1873
Jingdezhen
Rattan, bamboo, reeds, straw, grass, silk, porcelain and enamels
For Qing officials, the conical liang mao (cool hat) was formal summer attire. This one has a chin-strap and red silk tassels. Peacock plumes, awarded for commendable service, could be attached. A finial of coloured glass or semi-precious stones indicated rank. The porcelain stand is painted in pale colours characteristic of the 1850s to 1900s. Its shape is innovative.*
Reform to revolution
Qing China was shocked by its defeat to Japan in the Sino-Japanese War (1894–5). In the aftermath, Western imperialist forces increasingly vied for Qing land. In response, Chinese patriots sought to rapidly build a modern, cohesive nation that could stand up to external threats. Qing armies were modernised. Empress Dowager Cixi eventually permitted officials to create new ministries for foreign affairs, commerce, the police and education. Beyond China, Qing diplomatic delegations searched for alternative methods of governance. However, after a short, violent revolutionary insurrection in 1911, the last emperor Puyi abdicated in February 1912, ending 2,000 years of imperial rule.*
From the exhibition
China’s Hidden Century
(May 2023 – October 2023 )
China’s hidden century
Manchu armies from the northeast of China overthrew the Ming dynasty, founding the Qing dynasty and ruling China from 1644 to 1912. By 1796, the Qing ruled over one-third of all humanity and established one of the most prosperous empires in world history. In 1912 imperial rule collapsed. The dynasty’s final years were challenged by natural disasters, internal uprisings and foreign invasions.Despite this, the nineteenth century was an era of extraordinary cultural creativity, and of political, social and technological innovation, as people across China lived resourceful and resilient lives.
In 1796, the Qing ruled over one-third of all humanity and was one of the most prosperous empires in world history. By 1912 it had collapsed, bringing an end to some 2,000 years of dynastic rule and giving way to a modern Chinese republic. The Manchu dynasty that ruled at that point was challenged by internal uprisings and foreign invasion. Despite this, the 19th century was an era of extraordinary cultural creativity and of political, social and technological innovation.
In the shadow of these events lie stories of remarkable individuals – at court, in armies, among artists, in booming cosmopolitan cities and on the global stage – which this exhibition brings to life. An impressive 300 objects and paintings from 30 lenders are arranged into five themes: the court; the military; artists; urban life; global Qing; reformers and revolutionaries.
[*British Musem]
Taken in the British Museum
