编辑推荐From Library Journal With Hugus, a collector who supplies many of the examples here as well as much of the more scholarly text, Jackson, the writer of Splendid Slippers: A Thousand Years of an Erotic Tradition, tackles another intriguing Chinese social phenomenon: official rank and its insignia as represented in the imperial costume of Ming and Ch'ing dynasties (1368-1912). Each rank was identified by a finely woven or embroidered silk square that was worn on the front and back of a surcoat. The iconography--birds for civil ranks and real and mythological animals for military ranks--indicates not only official status but also the general Chinese worldview. Although the pictures and text are at times somewhat uncoordinated, the beautifully reproduced full-color illustrations of the badges together with archival photographs do provide a multifaceted view of the ancient system. This first comprehensive book on the topic--providing a historical and cultural background as well as information for decoding Chinese symbols on imperial dress--serves as a guide for art, military, and cultural historians as well as collectors. Recommended for larger collections of Asian art and culture in both academic and public libraries. -Lucia S. Chen, NYPL Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. |
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