A FINE PAIR OF RANK BADGES (BUZI) WITH HERON China, Qing dynasty, last third of 19th ct. 29,5 x 28,5 cm Black silk satin embroidered with gold, silver and copper threads in appliqué technique. Small coralred beads for the sun, green silk for the bird's eye. Lining: blue silk. The heron, symbol of the sixth civil rank, is depicted standing on a rock in waves and looking up to the left towards the red sun. Surrounding him are dense clouds stylized in ruyi form, bats, spiral tendrils, also Daoist (leaf fan, fruit basket, castanets, coins and sword) and Buddhist treasure ornaments (wheel of doctrine, endless knot, snail horn and fish). Flowering plants grow on the rocks at the sides. The frame is filled with stylized lotus and vines. The use of differently colored metal threads is characteristic of the late 19th century, as is the design of this badge, with the embroidery completely covering the background. The sun is represented by tinycoralred beads, which is very appealing contrasting with the silver threads in the embroidery, which have darkened a bit by time. From an old South German private collection, assembled between 1970 and 2002 - Cf.: Similar buzi with mandarin duck, Jackson/Hugus: Ladder to the clouds, no. 12.027, p. 165. Very good condition, lining slightly soiled