A RARE IMPERIAL CHINESE MIDNIGHT BLUE-GROUND FORMAL 'DRAGON' ROBE, CHAOFU.A RARE IMPERIAL CHINESE MIDNIGHT BLUE-GROUND FORMAL 'DRAGON' ROBE, CHAOFU. Qing Dynasty, 19th Century. Dark blue silk couched on the chest, back and each shoulder with five-clawed front-facing dragons each encircling a flaming pearl all amongst embroidered cloud scrolls and tasseled Buddhist Symbols, and above precious objects and knotted peonies issuing from foaming waves, the waist band with two confronted five-clawed dragons on the front and the back enclosed within a Y-patterned silk edging, the two pleated aprons each with six dragon roundels above two further pairs of confronted dragons above knotted peonies and foaming waves, the interior flap with an additional dragon reaching towards a flaming pearl and another dragon roundel, the sleeves of dark brown ribbed silk and the lining of pale blue silk damask woven with a floral motif, 148.5cm x 234cm. Provenance: from the collection of a lady of title. 清十九世紀 藍釉龍紋朝服 來源：女爵收藏。 The chaofu, also known as attire of state, is the most important of the ceremonial costumes of the Qing court comprising: chaopao or robe of the state, piling or projecting epaulets, hat, girdle, court necklace, and boots. The two-part construction of chaopao, consisted of a short side-fastening jacket attached to a pleated skirt, derived from Ming styles of court dress, and adapted by the Manchu to incorporate features reflecting their equestrian heritage. The current midnight-blue chaopao embroidered with four front-facing five-clawed dragons on upper body and four profile five-clawed dragons on the skirt, correspond to the specifications cited in Huangchao liqi tushi (Illustrated Precedents for the Ritual Paraphernalia of the Imperial Court) for a first-rank or second-rank prince. The addition of the nineteen dragon roundels to the upper section of the pleated skirt, a specification originally solely reserved for the Emperor, is likely a result of loosening adherence to regulation for court attire towards nineteenth century.