Drawing by william alexander, draughtsman of the macartney embassy to china in 1793. A soldier bearing a ceremonial standard with characters allegedly displaying a title of the chinese emperor. His dress is of nankeen cotton and tied around his waist with the yellow or imperial girdle; his hat, which is fastened under the chin, is made from neatly woven straw; its top is covered with a fringe of red silk, converging from the center, where a feather is placed. His sword, as it was customary with the chinese at that time, is worn with the hilt behind and point forwards. Alexander noted that on september 30, 1793, the british ambassador participated in the greeting of the emperor, who was then returning from his summer residence to his palace in peking; on this occasion, each side of the road along the canal leading to peking was lined, as far as the eye could reach, with mandarins and soldiers bearing banners and large silk triple umbrellas, paying tribute to the chinese royalty. Image taken from the costume of china, illustrated in forty-eight coloured engravings, published in london in 1805. Date: circa 1800.
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