Description

This skirt is made of dark plum silk self-patterned with small floral medallions and butterflies on a sprigged ground. The two main panels and the twelve pleats on each side are edged with black satin. They are then accentuated with narrow blue embroidered borders of flowers and butterflies.

This so-called "three blues" (sanlan) embroidery design was a favourite among older women. The sombreness of this skirt, however, is offset by a densely embroidered pattern of iridescent butterflies hovering over bright green clusters of peonies, prunus, and lotuses on the lower half of the main panel. Less conspicuous, but also playing the same role, are the green flower twigs embroidered on the pleats.