Emperor’s semiformal court robe

This imperial robe, lavishly woven in gold thread, contains imagery intended to signify the wearer’s power and the unity of royalty and divinity. As emblems of the emperor and his family, nine dragons are distributed over the surface of the robe; eight of them are visible and the ninth is hidden when the garment is worn. Since the number nine is associated with both the throne and the dragons, the robe connects the two both visually and numerically. Scattered on the background are stylized lotus blossoms as well as various auspicious motifs and royal signs above ocean waves and mountains.