The robe embroidered with dragon patterns was made for the exclusive use of an emperor during the Qing dynasty. The ritual of embroidering dragon patterns on the emperor's robe, however, dates back to as early as the Zhou Dynasty (11th century-256 B.C.).

在所着长袍上绣有龙的图案是清代皇帝独有的权利。不过，早在周代（公元前11世纪至公元前256年）就有为帝王的长袍刺绣龙形图案的仪式。

During the Yuan and Ming, the emperors were already wearing robes graced with dragon patterns, but it was not until the Qing that they were named “dragon robes” and became part of the official attire system. A dragon robe is either yellow or apricot-yellow dragons in color, and embroidered with nine yellow dragons and five-hued auspicious cloud patterns. 

从元代到明代，皇帝已经穿着绣有龙图案的袍服，但是直到清代，这些袍服才被命名为“龙袍”且成为官服系统的一部分。龙袍的颜色常为黄色或杏黄色，绣有九只黄龙与五朵祥云图案。


The clouds are interlaced with twelve other patterns—the sun, the moon and stars (representing the light of the throne), mountains (synonymous to stability to changes) auspicious bird (denoting elegance and beauty) water reeds (which represent purity and cleanness), and fire (meaning light). According to imperial Qing rituals, the emperor's dragon robe was a kind of auspicious attire for lower-grade celebrations and ceremonies—it as by no means the highest grade of imperial attire. 

祥云同其他的十二个图案交织在一起——太阳、星月（象征王权的光辉）、高山（坚定与转变的同义词）、凤凰（表示优雅与美丽）、水葫芦（象征纯粹与洁白）与火（意为光明）。根据清王朝的礼仪，龙袍是一种参与较低级别盛会与纪念活动的吉祥服饰——绝非最高级别的吉祥服饰。

The dragon robe that was passed down from one emperor to another is embroidered with a dragon on the front and the back, before or behind the knees, on the shoulders, and on the lining of the chest. Thus a total of nine dragons are embroidered on a dragon robe. Observed from the front or behind it, five dragons could be seen at a glance, because in Chinese tradition the figures nine and five tallied with the dignity of the throne.

龙袍由前一位皇帝传给后一位继任者，在前胸、背部、膝盖前后、肩膀上和衣襟内。因此总共九条龙绣入一件龙袍当中。无论是从前还是从后观察，总有五条龙可以被看见，因为数字“九”和“五”与高贵和王权相符合，即为“九五至尊”。