The imperial yellow jacket of the Qing dynasty symbolized supreme imperial power, worn exclusively by emperors and empresses.

In ancient China, ordinary people were not allowed to wear yellow as it symbolised the imperial power, apart from one exception: the emperor’s yellow jacket. Magua is a style of jacket worn by Manchu males during the Qing dynasty (1644–1912). It was worn over the long robe as protection while riding horses. Huang magua, or the imperial yellow jacket, has a special meaning due to its colour. In Qing dynasty, only the emperors, empresses and empress dowagers could wear yellow. Ordinary people...