This hanging is made from a First Civil Official's rank badge. The strips, consisting of brocade fragments featuring four-clawed dragons, was made in the style of the Kangxi period. The crane motif was typically used in badges for civil officials of first and second ranks during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). There is also evidence of hand painting, probably done by a Tibetan monk or devotee who had re-fashioned the hanging from cloth donated by a Chinese official. Throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties (1365-1911), the imperial court and officials donated and presented gifts of silk and clothing to the Tibetan monasteries. These monasteries in turn helped to preserve these old textiles as they stored them in their repositories, which were often dark and dry. The textiles were only used occasionally during festivals and this helped to retain their colour and condition.
