Han Chinese Woman’s Skirt (qun) with Design of Floral Sprays, Bats, Auspicious Emblems, and Waves with Stylized Dragon Borders

This brilliant red silk satin skirt is embroidered with floss silks and couched with gold thread on panels with flowers, auspicious emblems, bats, waves, and rocks. These motifs are bordered by bands of stylized dragon scrolls in blue and white. When the skirt is wrapped around the body, the two decorated flat panels appear at the front and back. The embroidered decoration is concentrated across the lower edge of the skirt, which remains the only visible area under the calf-length upper garment that would be worn with it.