When we look at the palace drama, we will find a particularly interesting phenomenon, that is, when officials or eunuchs of the Qing Dynasty kneel down to the emperor to ask for peace, they must first pat their sleeves a few times, and then kneel down to salute the emperor. So what do they say when they pat their sleeves?
The official uniforms of the Qing Dynasty evolved from the Manchu costumes, that is, the flag uniforms. We all know that the Manchus are a people on horseback, because they need to ride and shoot frequently, and the north is relatively cold, so it is necessary to design the sleeves to protect the palms and keep warm, so they invented this sleeve that can be put down, called "arrow sleeves".
This sleeve is shaped like a horse's hoof, which fully reflects the characteristics of the Manchus who are good at riding and shooting. Later, although the eunuch officials no longer needed to ride horses and shoot arrows, this sleeve had become a feature of the Qing Dynasty's imperial dress, and it also played a decorative role. In normal times, the horseshoe sleeves are usually turned up. Because although this kind of sleeve can be put down when it is cold, it is more cumbersome in normal times, and it is inconvenient to take things, so it is generally rolled up.
But when meeting the emperor, it is necessary to pat the sleeves a few times, put the horseshoe sleeves down, and then kneel down, this action is to show loyalty to the emperor. At the same time, a few pats on the sleeve is also to show that there is no money hidden in the sleeve, indicating that his sleeves are fresh. Wait until you have seen the emperor, and then roll it up.
This is the same as the shirt we wear now, usually when we wear a shirt is more casual, for convenience, we usually open the cufflinks and roll up the sleeves. But on formal occasions, we put the sleeves down and button up the cufflinks. Therefore, Qing officials slapped their sleeves twice when they met the emperor to show respect for the emperor.
In addition, during the Qing Dynasty, it was the lowest status of officials, and the most direct manifestation of this status was in terms of etiquette. In the Qing Dynasty, when officials ascended to the dynasty, they had to perform the great ritual of three prayers and nine prostrations, but in previous dynasties, only the emperor ascended the throne or had large-scale sacrifice rituals, such as the need for three prayers and nine prostrations when offering sacrifices to the heavens. Although the courtiers only need to kneel on one knee when they see the emperor, they have to call themselves slaves. For example, "Slave XX to the emperor please peace".
During the Qing Dynasty, feudalism developed imperial power to the extreme, and with the awakening of people's consciousness, the emperor was constantly reducing people's status, and it was no wonder that the Qing Dynasty would perish.