Ambo Jianghuai Zheng: The trend of the ancients | Visit the exhibition

Wenbo Time and Space Author What is the daily wear of the Chinese in the ancient Anhui region of Suwan Wan? This is a very interesting question. Kong Yingda said in "Spring and Autumn Zuo Chuan Justice": "China has great etiquette, so it is called Xia; There is the beauty of obedience, which is called gorgeous. China is known as the "country of clothes", and clothing plays an important role in showing the country of Chinese etiquette and traditional culture, which is behind countless human fireworks and the joy of life.

The permanent exhibition of the Anhui Museum, "Jianghuai Treasure", displays a wealth of cultural relics unearthed in the Anhui region. When people appreciate these unique shapes and gorgeous ornaments, they not only feel the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient craftsmen, but also appreciate the culture and aesthetic taste of the times they carry.

Anhui Museum Jianghuai Zhen Exhibition

Carefully bunched silk butterflies, delicate and self-crafted

Spring and autumn bundled silk jasper ornaments

"Jade, the beauty of stone", Chinese people love jade for an extremely long time, and most of the words in Chinese characters that use jade as a side are also associated with beauty. Jade culture contains the patriotic national spirit of "rather than jade broken"; the unity and fraternity fashion of "turning war into jade"; the selfless dedication character of "moisturizing with warmth"; The integrity and integrity of "flaws do not hide Yu". Even the eternal topic of love is associated with jade, and the love story of "getting jade" has always been praised by the world. From ancient times to the present, people's love for jade has never declined, and it is vividly reflected in people's daily wear.

Entering the exhibition, you will be greeted by the silk-shaped jasper ornaments unearthed in the tomb of Cai Zhaohou, the king of Cai Guoguo in the late Spring and Autumn period (inside the west gate of Shou County, Anhui), which is somewhat similar to our current "bow", and is worn on the neck in combination with other pearl jade ornaments, equivalent to the necklace worn by modern people. This kind of silk-shaped jade pendant was quite popular in the Western Zhou Dynasty, and from the monarch to the common people, the jade pendant was used as a valuable gift to reward and give.

Looking closely at the jade ornament, the jade material is excellent, crystal clear, smooth and natural and clear, and the details are finely carved, and the ancient craftsmen are like carvings that add to this beautiful jade. Why did the ancient people use such a complex process of "butterfly shape", is it because they yearn for butterflies to dance freely? Or do you want to have a light, elegant posture like a butterfly?

The Son of Heaven gave Xia Xia, and the jade pendant appeared dignified

Yuan heart-shaped living ring jade pendant

This heart-shaped living ring jade pendant looks like a modern jade necklace, but it is not. The jade pendant was unearthed in 1956 from the Fan Wenhu Tomb in Qipan Mountain, Anqing City, and was unearthed at the waist of Fan Wenhu's wife Chen, rather than the neck position, so scholars judged that it should be a Xia Veil (also known as a shawl, similar to the current shawl) pendant, tied to the bottom of the Xia Veil to keep the Xia Veil flat and drooping, on the one hand, so that the Xia Veil is not easy to wrinkle, on the other hand, it prevents the Xia Veil from fluttering when the wind blows and hinders walking.

Talking about Xia Shu, I have to mention the ancient Chinese folk legend of "the Son of Heaven fell to the refugee woman to rescue". According to legend, at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, Jin soldiers committed southern crimes, and King Kang Zhao Zhi fled south and was chased and killed by Jin soldiers all the way, but fortunately a village girl in eastern Zhejiang was rescued and escaped from death. In order to repay the village girl's life-saving grace, when Zhao Zhidongshan made a comeback, he gave a holy decree to accept the girl into the palace but was refused, so he once again decreed that folk women in the Jiangnan area could enjoy the courtesy of the "Niangniang" ceremony when they were married, and wear phoenix crowns. Later, other women followed suit when they got married, wearing phoenix crowns and drapery, which is the story of the famous "Zhejiang women are crowned kings".

The "Ming Palace Crown Dress Etiquette Map" depicts the wearing of the coat of the crown princess of the East Palace and the pendant

Xia Qi, also known as "Xia Pi" and "Shaw", appeared in the Southern and Northern Dynasties period, the word "Xia Qiao" first appeared in the Tang Dynasty, Bai Juyi's "Neon Clothes Song and Weizhi" recorded that "Hongchang Xia Qiao step to shake the crown, fine and rich Pei Shanshan", to the Song Dynasty people included it in the ranks of dresses. The "History of Song, Public Opinion" contains: "His clothes, later only prepared Yi clothes, ceremonial robes, concubines prepared Zhai, fan third-class." Its regular clothes, concubine's big sleeves, raw color collar, long skirt, Xia Hang, jade pendant..." It shows that since the Song Dynasty, Xia Hangqi has appeared on Xia Hang.

By the Ming Dynasty, the development of Xia Shu was at its peak, and the official regulations on the pattern, color, production process and even Xia Qiao pendant were strictly regulated. In volume 61 of the Ming Huidian, it is recorded that "in the pendant, there are flowers and birds, clouds on all sides, and birds are like xia drapery, and they are used according to the grade." "The first and second pins of the woman, embroidered with gold and embroidered with clouds and clouds, and gold pendants; The third and fourth products are embroidered with gold Yunxia peacock pattern, and gold pendants with rhodium; The five products are embroidered with Yunxia Mandarin Duck pattern, gold-plated antifium flower silver pendant; The sixth and seventh products are embroidered with clouds and clouds to practice magpie patterns, and the silver pendant is used; Eight and nine pins of Xia drapery, with embroidered twig patterns, pendant with seven products.

Ambo also collects the Song Dynasty's openwork double dragon pattern Xia Hang, which is a chicken heart-shaped pendant, engraved with a double dragon pattern facing each other, and engraved with a bead pattern and a grass leaf pattern on the side, with a strong sense of three-dimensionality, complex but integrated shape, exuding a harmonious beauty.

Song openwork double dragon pattern pendant

In ancient times, the grape was the highest dress for a woman's wedding celebration and a symbol of wealth and power. Nowadays, the phoenix crown is also a very popular dress when getting married: the century wedding of He Chaolian and Dou Xiao has become the hottest topic discussed by netizens on the Internet, and the lower end of the bride's Chinese wedding dress is decorated with a pendant (below), which is more dazzling.

After learning about Xia Qiao and Xia Qiao, will you choose Phoenix Crown Xia Qiao when you get married?

The jade belt is wrapped around the waist, and it is luxurious and luxurious

Ming dragon pattern jade belt plate

"Gentleman is better than virtue in jade", gentleman Peiyu, shining with virtue. It is about wearing jade on the body, and the state of mind becomes peaceful and beautiful, transparent and free. This Ming Dynasty dragon-patterned jade belt plate in the collection of the Ambo Museum is composed of 20 jade plates of different nature, carved with dragon patterns, lotus flowers, bats and other patterns, and a closer look reveals that each jade plate has a different number of perforations, so that it can be fixed on the leather belt and tied around the waist.

The ancient mature jade belt use system on the mainland began in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, formed in the Sui Dynasty, and became increasingly perfect and strict in the Tang Dynasty. The prosperous economy and stable social environment of the Tang Dynasty created a new living space for handicraft manufacturing, and the development of jade belt plates ushered in the first climax of the Tang Dynasty. In order to unify its use system, the rulers of the Tang Dynasty issued several edicts strictly regulating the rank and shape of the jade belt. The "Records of Tang" states that Tang Gaozu Li Yuan "began to determine the system of belts." From the Son of Heaven to the princes and secretaries, they will be allowed to use jade belts above the second grade." The "New Book of Tang Public Opinion" states that Emperor Gaozong of Tang "used purple as the three-product uniform, gold and jade belt thirteen", and made clear provisions on the material and quantity of each grade belt. By this time, the jade belt plate was not only a ceremonial belt for the imperial court members, but also a symbolic item of their status rank, and the decoration was greater than the practicality.

Li Yuan's inscription | Source: "Portraits of the Ancients"

In addition to being used for daily clothing customization, jade belt plates are often used by the royal family to reward meritorious ministers. The Tang Dynasty general Li Jing made outstanding combat achievements, Nanping Jiangnan and Lingnan, Northern Annihilation of Turks, Xiding Tuyuhun, and he received a special reward from Tang Gaozu - Jade Belt. Upper-class noble women also used belts, but only queens, princes, county princesses, etc. could use jade belt plates. In this way, the Tang Dynasty jade belt plate is extremely rare, which can be described as the "Hermes" of the Tang Dynasty. Perhaps you can buy Hermes if you have money now, but the jade belt plate of the Tang Dynasty is a limited edition that only people with a certain status can have. The well-known idiom "python robe jade belt" also comes from this.

Life is full of beauty. The shadows of the ancients have been integrated into the dust and smoke of history, and only the jewelry of these hundreds of years ago is still circulating in the world, telling future generations of their former joy and glory. We can never go back to that moment, but these exquisite accessories recreate the splendor of the time, timeless and new, watching the people who come and go. "Everyone has a heart for beauty." , people in ancient and modern times without exception. Walking out of the exhibition hall, looking back at Junlai, I suddenly felt beautiful.

Visiting trivia

The exhibition "Jianghuai Treasure" not only contains jade, but also many exquisite ceramics, wood carvings and ivory carvings.

Jingdezhen kiln white glaze porcelain statue figure

Xuande blue and white fruit pattern large plate

Ivory round carving storyteller

Woodcarved iron crutches