Marks of Distinction
There were nine marks of distinction by which the rank or position of officials of the Chinese Empire may be readily recognised. A member of the first class, or highest order of rank, wore on the apex of his cap a dark-red coral ball, or button, as it is more generally called. Members of the second class wore a lightred ball or button of the same size. The third class was distinguished by a ball of a light-blue, and the fourth by a ball of a dark-blue color. An official of the fifth class was recognised by a ball of crystal, while a ball of mother-of-pearl was the distinguishing badge of the mandarin of the sixth class. Members of the seventh and eighth classes wore a golden ball, and of the ninth and last class, a silver ball. Each officer may be further distinguished by the decoration of a peacock's feather. This feather was attached to the base of the ball on the apex of his hat, and slopes downward. It was worn at the back.
The first of the outer garments worn by an official was a long, loose robe of blue silk, richly embroidered with threads of gold. It reaches the ankles of the wearer, and is bound round his waist by a belt. Above this robe was a tunic of violet colour, which extended a short way below the knees. The sleeves of this tunic were wide and very long, extending very considerably over the hands. They were usually folded back over the wrists. When an official was permitted to approach the imperial presence with the view of conferring with his majesty, or of performing the kow-tow, which in China was the ordinary act of obeisance, etiquette prescribed that he wear the sleeves of the tunic stretched over his hands. This rendered him more or less helpless. The custom is of ancient origin, and was adopted to preclude the possibility of any attempt on the life of the emperor by those whose duties call them occasionally into his presence.
On the breast-plate and back-plate of the tunic of a civil mandarin there is embroidered in silk, a bird with wings outstretched, standing upon a rock in the midst of a tempestuous ocean, and gazing at the sun. This bird varies in kind according to the rank of the wearer. Over his shoulders each officer wears a short tippet of silk, which is also richly embroidered, and which, by the device it bears, indicates the literary rank to which the wearer has attained. Bound his neck there is a long chain of one hundred and eight balls or beads. It was called the Chu-Chu, and was intended to remind the wearer of the land of which he was a native. Of the one hundred and eight beads of which the chain consisted, seventy-two are supposed to represent so many precious stones, minerals, and metals native to China; and the remaining thirtysix represent as many constellations or planets which shed their benign rays on the country. To the left side of this chain were attached two very short strings of smaller beads, supposed to impress upon the mind of the wearer the reverence he owes to his ancestors, and the filial piety at all times due to his parents and guardians. To the right side of the chain is attached a short string of smaller beads, to remind the wearer of the allegiance which he owes to the imperial throne of his country. These robes and decorations of state and office are not confined to officials only.
Honorary rank could be purchased, and it was common to see respectable citizens not at all connected with the service of the government attired in costly and magnificent robes, similar in their decorations to those worn by the highest officers of state.
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