Minneapolis Institute of Art

Daoist priest's robe

China

Date

19th century

Medium

silk, cotton

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This rare summer robe, made of hand-painted gray silk gauze, was worn by a mid-ranking Daoist priest during warm-weather rituals. Its light, translucent fabric is rich in cosmic imagery, affirming the priest’s spiritual authority. On the back, a central pagoda—symbol of the divine realm—is encircled by disks for the twenty-eight constellations, a rainbow pattern representing paradise, and diagrams of the five sacred mountains. Zodiac animals appear in surrounding roundels. The front displays auspicious motifs such as dragons, cranes, peaches, and yin-yang symbols, evoking balance, longevity, and transcendence. When worn during rituals, the robe allowed the priest to symbolically unite with the cosmos and act as a mediator between earthly and celestial realms. China, Asia

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