Daoist priest’s robe (jiangyi), 1662-1722, in., Embroidered satin, China, 17th-18th century, The most notable feature of many Daoist robes is the 'cosmic diagram' on the upper back. This usually square composition contains various celestial symbols. Within a circle at its center, a pagoda surrounded by sunrays represents paradise, with clouds and stars. The colored disks outside the circle are stars, and three heavenly gates appear between the sun and moon along the square’s top edge. The scheme represents cosmic harmony and reflects Daoism’s focus on cosmology

---

Size: 6436px × 5196px
Location:
Photo credit: © Penta Springs / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: .57-1/4, 1662-1722, 17th-18th, celestial, center, century, china, circle, clouds, colored, composition, cosmic, cosmology—, daoism, daoist, diagram, disks, edge, embroidered, feature, focus, gates, harmony, heavenly, jiangyi, moon, order, origin, pagoda, paradise, priest, reflects, represents, robe, robes, satin, scheme, square, stars, sun, sunrays, surrounded, symbols, top, universe, upper