Qing Dynasty silk embroidery civil rank badge with silver pheasant combined with peacock, 19th century.This badge is a hybrid, made up of the front half of a peacock badge sewn together with the back half of a silver pheasant. The peacock can be recognized by its blue and green coloring, while the silver pheasant can be identified by its five distinctive long, scalloped tail feathers. Each half would have been part of a separate badge for an official of the Third Rank (the peacock) and an official of the Fifth Rank (the silver pheasant). Both birds and the surrounding clouds and waves are rendered in Peking knot stitch on a dark blue background, while the left half also features a bat (a symbol of good fortune) and a scrolling cloud rendered in couched gold thread.The Chinese tradition of wearing rank badges (buzi), also known as Mandarin squares, to demonstrate civil, military or imperial rank began in 1391 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and continued throughout the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). These insignia were sewn onto or woven into the wearer’s garments to indicate their rank. Attached to the front and back of a ceremonial robe, rank badges were woven in pairs with identical imagery. One remained in one piece; the other was divided vertically up the center to attach to the front of a robe with a center opening, as in this piece.A badge featuring a bird identified the wearer as a civil official. To attain such a position required years of intense study, so birds may have been selected because of their literary associations. Each rank was represented by a different species, and while there were slight variations over time, by the Qing Dynasty the order from highest to lowest was: (1) crane, (2) golden pheasant, (3) peacock, (4) wild goose, (5) silver pheasant, (6) egret, (7) mandarin duck, (8) quail and (9) paradise flycatcher. While they did come from separate badges, the two halves share a similar color palette and style, and marry well together.