Eyeglass Cases in China's Qing Dynasty

Embroidered eyeglass cases formed a relatively typical aesthetic framework within the flourishing development of handicrafts during the Qing dynasty. This paper examines the cultural connections centred on Qing dynasty embroidered eyeglass cases, approaching them through the lens of the intrinsic structural framework of Chinese traditional aesthetic culture—comprising the official, scholar, and commoner cultures—and further exploring the practical and aesthetic connections among Qing dynasty eyeglasses, embroidered eyeglass cases, and the craftsmanship involved. Through observation of pictorial materials from Qing dynasty embroidered eyeglass cases housed in multiple museums and private collections, cross-referenced with historical documents and field research, this study supplements and enriches the aesthetic cultural content embodied in these cases. It aims to discern, through the localised evolution of imported goods, the cultural modes of reproduction whereby traditional ethnic practices assimilate foreign artefacts.