Habit of a Chinese Mandarin of War in 1700

by Thomas Jefferys

The uncommon copperplate engraving dating back to the eighteenth century entitled “Habit of a Chinese Mandarin of War in 1700” provides insight into the European understanding of the military aristocracy during the initial era of the Qing Dynasty. The engraving is contained within the book known as “A Collection of the Dresses of Different Nations,” which was published by the well-known royal mapmaker Thomas Jefferys.

In 1700, China had its ruler as the Kangxi Emperor, which marked an era of extensive land acquisition and the strengthening of the Manchu dynasty.