The Baturu Vest

Form and name

The *baturu kanjian* was a short sleeveless garment distinguished by an unusually elaborate arrangement of fastening buttons. *Baturu* is associated with bravery and warriors, but the garment's name is not proof that each wearer possessed a military award or an honorific title. It belongs to the larger category of sleeveless vests, or *kanjian*, rather than to an independently prescribed rank of court robe.

In a study of Qing clothing, the Palace Museum identifies this form as a multi-button waistcoat. Other vests opened symmetrically at the front or adopted overlapping or *pipa*-shaped fronts. The *baturu* style was marked by multiple rows of fasteners extending across the front in different directions. The study explains that this design could allow the wearer to undo an inner vest more conveniently while wearing outer clothing, an arrangement relevant to contemporary domestic use and mobility, including riding.

Changing use and object identification

The multi-button vest was associated at some stages with the clothing of princely and aristocratic households, but its use subsequently extended beyond these circles. Versions existed in unlined, lined, padded and gauze fabrics, and the textile or colour could vary with season and wearer. Consequently, an example displayed in a museum or reproduced for the theatre cannot automatically be classified as a princely ceremonial garment. Reliable identification depends upon the original fastening construction, cut, materials, date and provenance rather than the popular label alone.

For related historical context and vocabulary, consult Horse-Hoof Platform Shoes.

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