The Yiguoyuan Robe

Meaning and construction

*Yiguoyuan* (literally, “wrapped all around”) is a term for a kind of long outer garment mentioned in Qing costume writing and literature. It generally denotes a relatively enclosed robe or padded coat without side slits, rather than the name of a historical person. Clothing dictionaries describe a sleeved long outer garment that might have a round neck and overlapping front. Its actual length, season, fabric, and use could differ by example.

In chapter 94 of *Dream of the Red Chamber* (*Honglou meng*), Jia Baoyu is described at home wearing a fur-lined *yiguoyuan* coat, demonstrating the term's association with domestic warmth. *The Travels of Lao Can* (*Lao Can youji*) also refers to a white-fox-fur *yiguoyuan* robe. These literary examples argue against identifying the term with one specific material.

Related styles and limitations

Qing long garments varied in how they were slit at the sides or around their lower sections; the presence or absence of such openings affected movement and appropriateness for different settings. Some reference works discuss *yiguoyuan* alongside *yikouzhong*, but the latter name could designate different forms, including sleeveless coverings, in different periods. The connection therefore requires contextual examination. The use of *yiguoyuan* in a mixed Manchu-Han cultural environment does not establish an exclusively Manchu origin or imply that only Bannermen wore it.

Related encyclopedia entry: The Magua Jacket in Qing Dress.

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