The “Cloud Shoulders” is a decorative textile worn over the shoulders in ancient China. Initially, it was designed to protect the neckline and shoulders from dirt, but over time, it evolved into a decorative accessory, often made from colorful brocades. Its appearance, like clouds after the rain reflecting the sun or a rainbow in the clear sky, led to its name “Cloud Shoulders.”

The Cloud Shoulders first appeared in the Dunhuang murals from the Sui Dynasty. In the early stages, they were often designed to resemble wings, hanging on both sides of the shoulders, though some were worn around the neck. During the Song and Jin Dynasties, the style of Cloud Shoulders circling the neck became the mainstream trend.

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Cloud Shoulders reached their peak in development. Women often draped them over the collars of their casual attire, a symbol of their noble status. In the Ming Dynasty, Cloud Shoulders were mostly used as embellishments on ceremonial garments. By the Qing Dynasty, Cloud Shoulders had become widespread across all social classes, particularly becoming an essential accessory for young women during weddings.

The crafting of Cloud Shoulders is a highly intricate process. It requires tailoring based on the woman’s body shape, with a three-dimensional arrangement before cutting, ensuring that it fits the shoulders gracefully and appropriately. The embroidery on Cloud Shoulders involves various stitching techniques, and the designs are diverse and abundant.

The patterns on Cloud Shoulders are rich and diverse, featuring elements such as deities, flowers, birds, fish, insects, human figures, landscapes, and auspicious symbols, each representing different good fortune meanings. The cultural significance of Cloud Shoulders is profound. It is not just a piece of clothing, but a cultural symbol that embodies traditional Chinese values like “harmony between heaven and man” and “blessings, good fortune, and auspiciousness.”

In modern times, Cloud Shoulders have gradually faded from everyday life, yet they remain an important part of Chinese cultural heritage, frequently appearing in forms of art like opera and dance. Additionally, Cloud Shoulders have found their place in the fashion world, with many designers incorporating their elements into contemporary fashion, showcasing their unique charm.

Ⅰ.Types of Cloud Shoulders

1. Four-Compartment Ruyi Style

This is one of the most common styles of Cloud Shoulders. Its overall design is simple, elegant, and flows smoothly, giving off an impression of dignity and steadiness.

The Four-Compartment Ruyi Cloud Shoulder became officially part of official attire starting from the Yuan Dynasty, and it was used by both men and women. The four “Ruyi-shaped” cloud motifs extend in four directions, forming the “four-compartment” design. This symbolizes peace and good fortune in all four corners of the world, as well as smooth success in all endeavors. In Chinese, the word for “四 (four)” is a homophone for the word “事 (things),” hence the symbolic meaning.

If the Cloud Shoulder has eight directional motifs, it generally signifies peace and harmony during eight key Chinese holidays: Chinese New Year, Lantern Festival, Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Qixi Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Double Ninth, and Laba Festival. The “arrow passing through the colorful ball” motif, used in ancient times to propose marriage, carries a similar connotation.

It is worth noting that the cloud pattern often combines with the Ruyi motif. Studies suggest that Ruyi represents fertility worship of dragon and snake totems, symbolizing reproduction through the abstract depiction of snakes and eggs. In Han Dynasty stone carvings, you can also find representations of “snakes passing through the Ruyi,” a more abstract pattern featuring the snake passing through the Ruyi shape.

2. Willow Leaf Style

The shape resembles willow leaves—long and graceful. This style typically features a number of willow-leaf-shaped patterns, such as eight, sixteen, or eighteen leaves arranged in a radiating formation. The edges are often decorated with intricate embroidery, such as flowers or vines, symbolizing the vibrant colors of spring and eternal life.

3. Round Flower Style

At the center of this style is a round flower, surrounded by multiple layers of embroidered petals. The designs of the flowers are varied, including peonies, lotuses, plum blossoms, and more, each representing different qualities such as wealth, purity, and resilience.

4. Longevity Peach Style

Resembling the shape of a longevity peach, this design symbolizes longevity and health. The embroidery often features motifs related to longevity, such as peaches, cranes, and pine trees, in soft, elegant colors that evoke a sense of peace and harmony. These cloud shoulders are typically made with two layers of eight pieces, but can also come in other shapes such as strip-shaped, peony-shaped, willow-leaf-shaped, tassel-shaped, or bead-shaped. Each piece is embroidered with motifs of flowers, birds, people, mountains, and stories.

5. Children’s Cloud Shoulder

Children’s cloud shoulders are simpler in design and style. Whether with playful patchwork designs or affectionate embroidery, they are quite distinct from those used by adults. The example shown is a double-sided, square-shaped children’s cloud shoulder made of stone green satin, featuring double-sided embroidery craftsmanship. It highlights the love and care a wealthy family showers on its children.

Ⅱ. Patterns

Ruyi Patterns

The Ruyi heads found in cloud shoulders are typically divided into three shapes: the heart-shaped Ruyi, the mushroom-shaped Ruyi, and the cloud-like Ruyi.

The patterns on cloud shoulders are rich in meaning: they include auspicious cloud motifs, pomegranates and grapes symbolizing fertility and abundance, the “鹿(deer)” which sounds like the word for “禄(wealth)” in Chinese, and animals such as cats and butterflies, which are homophones for 耄耋 (“longevity” and “old age”) representing the ancient Chinese belief in longevity and good fortune. These motifs have long been a staple in traditional Chinese designs.

Cloud Shoulder Pattern

1. Deer Pattern

The deer (“鹿”) is a homophone for “prosperity” (“禄”), so deer patterns often symbolize good fortune, wealth, health, and longevity. Some people also use this motif to express their wishes for success in official careers, hoping for the blessings of auspicious deities.

2. Peony Pattern
Peony motifs are widely used in cloud shoulders, either alone or in combination with other flowers. As the “king of flowers,” the peony symbolizes prosperity and flourishing. When paired with other floral patterns, the peony often occupies a central position due to its association with wealth and nobility.

3. Lotus Pattern

The lotus pattern has been in existence since the pre-Qin period, gradually becoming a symbol of Buddhism after the Western Han dynasty. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it spread widely, and by the Song dynasty, it lost its religious connotations and began to represent the noble qualities of scholars, symbolizing purity and integrity.

4. Fruit Patterns

Classic fruit combinations include “winning three exams in a row” (“连中三元”) and “endless fruits” (“
瓜果绵绵”). The “three exams” pattern generally refers to the combination of lychee, longan, and walnut, which are round and sound like the word “元 (yuan)” (meaning “first place” in the imperial exam system). This combination represents smooth career advancement. The “endless fruits” cloud shoulder, as shown in figure, features a combination of melon, peach, Buddha’s hand, grape, apple, and pear, symbolizing continuous prosperity, success, and fertility, and is often used to wish for multiple blessings and children.

5.Double Dragons Playing with a Pearl Pattern

The “Double Dragons Playing with a Pearl” motif is a unique representation of dragon imagery, where two dragons are depicted either playing or competing for a fire pearl. This design dates back to the pre-Qin period, and the fire pearl is said to have evolved from the moon. As an auspicious symbol, this pattern was widely used in architectural paintings and the decoration of luxurious, noble vessels. Its structure is highly versatile, but the fire pearl is always positioned at the center, making it vibrant, dynamic, and full of energy.

6.Human Figures Pattern

This cloud shoulder design is divided into two sections: the upper part is decorated with a combination of the Eight Immortals and floral patterns, while the lower part features figures of immortals. The human figures are drawn from traditional folklore stories and are filled with creativity and folk life charm.

Ⅲ. Other Examples

In addition to these cloud shoulder styles, there are many other exquisite cloud shoulder designs. Here are some additional cloud shoulder examples.