In the matter of feminine attire, fashion is equally subjective to legislature, and has varied little throughout the centuries. With regard to the ladies of the Imperial household, the rules laid down for their guidance, in the matter of personal adornment, are as comprehensive as stringent. Custom not only ordains that the Emperor shall have one hundred and thirty wives, it also decrees what they shall wear. As chief wife and equal in all points to her Celestial consort, it is incumbent upon the Empress to be distinguished from her _entourage_ by the magnificence of her raiment. For this she depends upon the materials employed and the embroideries, as the costume common to all Chinese women of position is modelled on similar lines, namely, a long under-dress, usually of plain silk, arranged in stiff, overlapping pleats at the foot. This is surmounted by an over-dress in a contrasting colour, elaborately embroidered with the insignia of the husband's rank, and terminating just below the knees, while the sleeves reach to the wrist, where they are supplemented by tight inner sleeves, belonging to the under-dress, and almost completely concealing the hand. The collar is not more than an inch deep, and is round in shape, a becoming touch being added by a narrow scarf of soft silk twisted once about the throat, and knotted loosely, with the ends allowed to hang unevenly in front. A rare illumination depicts the Empress seated upon a throne of carved wood draped with green silk. On her head is a cope-like erection edged with dangling pearl fringe, her jewellery consisting of jade ear-rings and bracelets contrived from the same precious stone. Her under-robe is sumptuously embroidered in a dazzling variety of colours, pleated and lined with gold tissue, while the upper garment is of red silk, worked in an all-over design of dragons, emblematic of Imperialism by reason of the distinguishing five claws, the border being of dark blue richly embroidered in sombre tones. In her right hand she holds the sceptre, a twisted stick headed by a fabulous bird. Next in rank to the Empress are the three wives known by the title of Fou-gin. Etiquette decrees that they shall wear dresses adorned with feathers worked in five shades. Inferior again to these are the nine Imperial consorts known as Pins. To them are assigned robes of brilliant yellow, the thirty-seven Chi-fous donning white. The lowest wives of all are the Yu-tsis, eighty in number, and they are doomed to appear in black. The over-dress common to Chinese ladies is coat-shaped, and opens up the sides for a considerable distance, another distinctive feature being the sleeves, which boast a single seam under either arm and are cut in one with the remainder of the garment, which, in winter, is lined with the costliest fur.