China's Ming dynasty artifacts at the IMA

Empress’ court overvest, 1595

This embroidered vest is decorated with dragons rising to a sky filled with wish-granting clouds and characters meaning “ten thousand longevities,” a birthday greeting that could only be used for the emperor and empress. An inscription even dates the creation of the item to the fifth day of the 11th month in the 23rd year of the reign of the Wanli emperor, two days before the 50th birthday of the Empress Dowager Li, the most powerful woman of the period.