CIRCA: LATE 1800’S / 1900
Elegant and strikingly beautiful Chinese Civil Rank Buzi (pu zi) or ‘insignia badge’ (often referred to as Mandarin Squares); this example is hand woven using ‘couching’, or the couched-stitch method, a specific technique used to attach / overlay the gold and silver encased gilt silk threads onto the background silk square. (As can be seen from the close up photos, the red coloured silk threads that have been used for much of the couching help to accentuate the vibrancy of the square.)
It is from the late Qing / aka Ch’ing Dynasty, that is from not earlier than the late 19th century, and was made for the wife of a mid ranked civil official of the 5th Level. It depicts a Silver Pheasant, as can be discerned by the five long ‘frilly’ tail feathers, which is the designation for a 5th Rank / Level Civil Official as the table below shows, while the direction the bird is facing, i.e. to the right, signifies its is for the officials wife. This badge, with no split down the centre, is from the back of a robe (as Buzi’s were generally made in pairs, one for the back and one for the front of a robe, and the badge for the front of the robe will always be split into two halves vertically to accommodate the centre opening of the robe).
The size is 24cm wide x 22.75cm high (9.5” x 9”), which is slightly smaller than normal for a Buzi, although not altogether uncommon for the very late Qing Dynasty when the Empire was falling into turmoil as the 1800’s drew to a close, and the once rigid rules that governed Chinese society were becoming more ‘malleable’. There are some missing and lose gilt threads, otherwise it is in very good condition, unmounted and backed by a light blue cotton panel and is a strikingly beautiful well proportioned uncluttered piece of quality workmanship.
There were nine ‘levels’ in both civil and military ranks and the specific bird or animal depicted in the square indicated the wearer’s rank – various birds species were used exclusively for civil ranks, while various animal species were used exclusively for the military ranks. The below table shows the birds associated with the nine civil ranks.
