Barbie Chinese Empress The Great Eras Collection 16709 From Head to Toe, each piece of Chinese Empress Barbie doll's costume merits description. Beginning with her hat, called a Manchu cap or Chao Guan. Her elaborate satiin coat, Chao Pao, s emblaoned with a four-toed dragon, symbolizing her rank as a female member of the Chinese royal family, only males were allowed to wear the five-toed dragon. The sleeves of the coat are long enought ot cover the Empress' Fingertips as a meber of the royalty, her hands must be kept covered. Underneath her gown, the mandarin collar jacquard dress, Chao Qua, is in yellow, a color reserved for Chinese royalty. She wears red slippers fitted over molded platforms, typical of the period. Her Jewelry is faux jade, the official "jewel" of the royal Family. She wears faux jade drop earring and one "jade and one "golden" necklace, the Chao Zhu, whose length also indicated her rank.  Chinese Empress Barbie captures the ritual beauty and traditons of hte Chinese royal Family. By combining symbols of the past and present, her costuer tells us much about he royal family and how they lived.