Pleated skirt panel

The butterflies and flowers embroidered on the silk skirt and the trims are not only decorative but also symbolic. The butterflies-among-flowers motif is associated with agreeable unions—a good friendship, a happy marriage, and the joyful reunion of lovers, couples, and friends.

The skirt has a repeating design consisting of blossoms and “four heads of the ruyi mushroom,” whose written character and visual presentation is a pun for “may your wishes be granted from all four directions.” The lower part of the front panel is covered with peonies and butterflies, which suggest nobility, happiness, and longevity. The pleated section of the skirt is embroidered with roses and orchids; this commonly alludes to the value placed on stoicism and loyalty.