This silken violet piece of cloth is a female headgear worn by the deceased as part of the burial costume. It is ornamented with gold threads embroideries of lotus flowers. This piece was handmade in the 1930s in China, in the province of Chaozhou.

Length 60 cm
Width 28 cm
Height 1 cm

This embroidery is a Bian Fu representing a Chinese mythological creature of a dragon head and a bat. In Chinese Culture, such design combination represents auspiciousness and good luck. Coloured silk threads are added to enhance the overall look combined with the gold threads.

Length 37 cm
Width 37 cm
Height 1 cm

This picture shows the reverse side of the Bian Fu. This handmade piece of cloth has been crafted by highly skilled and trained artisans in the Chinese province of Chaozhou in the 1930s. Even though this is the back of the Bian Fu, the finest of stiches are still used with no faults visible.

Length 37 cm
Width 37 cm
Height 1 cm

This pair of wrist bands is part of an armour costume wore by a spiritual medium or an opera dancer performing a trance of a Taoist’s God. The whole piece is covered with handmade gold and silk embroideries surrounded by rabbit fur and closed with three round brass buttons.

Length 27 cm
Width 25 cm
Height 1 cm

This pair of ankle bands are part of an armour costume wore by a spiritual medium or an opera dancer performing a trance of a Taoist’s God. Embroidered with gold threads, the “Wan” motif is surrounded with diagonal lines – which represent waves – and clouds.

Length 30 cm
Width 27 cm
Height 1 cm