Touched by Indigo - Royal Ontario Museum

1
CUT IN THE TRADITIONAL WAY, this unlined jacket is characterized
by a high collar rounded at the front, a front opening attached
with five pairs of knotted buttons and loops for closing, and side
slits.
The pattern is dyed on one side only. Unlike most patterns
arranged in a grid format, the irregular layout of
the motifs makes this pattern look
free and spontaneous. Clusters of
flowers intermittently connected
with slender twigs are randomly
scattered among
patches of dots. Their picturesque
quality evokes various
poetic images, such as:
in the aftermath of a sudden
snowstorm in late spring severed
twigs with blossoms scatter
on the ground covered with melting
snow; or windblown flowering twigs
afloat on water with glistening sunlight;
or windblown flowering twigs settling on a mossy ground in a summer
garden.
Another unusual feature to be noted about this pattern is the
mottled effect on most of the flower petals. It appears to have been
achieved by removing a certain amount of the top layer of the paste
that have been applied to these areas before it hardened completely.
This would allow a tiny quantity of indigo to seep through the thinned
paste when the fabric was dyed. The resulting variegation not only
makes the flowers look more interesting than if they were uniformly
solid whites against a blue ground. It also evokes a feeling of soil or
wrinkles, damages suffered by the delicate flowers. Following this
train of thought, the extra texturing further heightens the poignancy
of the unpredictable fate of flowers in changeable nature.
THIS UNLINED TRADITIONAL-STYLE JACKET has a modern
cut. The sleeves are joined to the front and back at the armpit
instead of at the arm. They are also slightly tapered at the cuffs. Two
patch pockets have been added to the front. Their pattern matching
the ground pattern so perfectly that they are hardly noticeable.
Otherwise, the front opening, standup collar, side vents, and froggings
are all classical features.
The design concept on which the pattern
on both sides of the jacket's fabric
is based is called gezi hua (framed
motifs). Here, the frame resembles
the markings on a turtle's carapace.
The turtle has a long lifespan and
is a fitting symbol of longevity.
This auspicious association suggested
by the frame pattern is reinforced by
chrysanthemum flower heads enclosed
in octagons and simplified images of
prunus that fill all the small squares.
Chrysanthemum is said to be beneficial
to humans. Drinking tea made by
dipping chrysanthemum flower heads in
hot
water not only cleanses the system, but also strengthens the eyes.
Perhaps based on this common belief, a Chinese folklore claims that
people living in Jingzhou who drank water from a pool surrounded
26. WOMAN'S JACKET, Cotton, 1993, Xi'an, Shaanxi province, On loan from Mrs.
Sara Irwin, 12004.7.3, L 70 cm x W. 147.7 cm
27. WOMAN'S JACKET, Cotton, 2002, Shanghai municipality, On loan from Mrs.
Patty Proctor, L2004.8.2, L 76.2 cm x W. 150 cm