Text | Little F
Edit | Spring and Autumn Jade History
«——【Preamble】】 ——»
Winters in ancient times were harsher and longer than they are today, and the winters may be slightly warmer than in ancient times, when ruts left behind by passing vehicles would quickly freeze into ice ruts due to the very cold weather.
The development of modern technology allows us to enjoy the comfort of heating in the ice and snow world, but in ancient times, these facilities did not exist, and before the Song Dynasty, cotton was still a scarce item, so how did the ancients survive the cold winter?
The ancient magnates' method of keeping out the cold
As early as ancient times, Peking Man has learned to use fire to keep warm, protect the fire, and run back and forth around the leaves or fur of wild animals to maintain body temperature.
In ancient society, the lifestyle of the elite class was extremely luxurious and practical, and their careful consideration of keeping out the cold was everywhere noble and exquisite, not only the residence was expensive and well insulated, the interior decoration was noble and gorgeous, and even the small details of daily life were also exquisite.
The aristocratic residences were rich in ornamental materials, ranging from expensive stone and sturdy steel to rare mahogany, whose high heat capacity not only helped to keep the interior warm, but also a symbol of wealth and status for the elite.
The decoration is magnificent, the stepped layout, the large-scale building complex, the staggered corridor waist and eaves, everywhere shows the nobility and majesty of the social status, the whole is mainly mahogany, the surface is brushed with vermilion lacquer, it is very imposing and decorative effect.
Vermilion lacquer not only moisturizes and retains heat, but also adds to the solemnity and beauty of the residence, and the luxurious class also fills the inside of the mahogany with silver paper to keep warm.
The interior decoration is also unique, with mahogany furniture like works of art, jade utensils to add to the interior style, and a variety of exquisite tapestries and well-woven plush carpets on the walls, making the whole residence dreamlike, warm and comfortable.
Considering the cold climate, the elite paid great attention to indoor heating equipment, and the common hanging stoves on the wall had excellent heating effects, and these hanging stoves were often made of red copper.
Burning high-quality anthracite ensures low smoke emissions and a long burning time, making the room warm and undisturbed by the climate.
In ancient times, some literati also used "paper quilts" to keep out the cold, this kind of quilt used wild rattan as raw materials, and through a series of processing means to make paper, because the paper quilt has the characteristics of good luster and strong warmth, it is very popular in the literati circle of the Southern Song Dynasty.
But for ordinary people, paper quilts are usually unaffordable for its expensive price, and Lu You also has a poem that mentions it, "Paper quilts are surrounded by snowy days, white than fox armpits and softer than cotton." It means that it is whiter than the fur of a white fox and warmer than silk.
The fire pit is also the oldest way to heat the house, and a similar practice has also been found in the ruins of the Qin Changle Palace, where two cylinder tiles are interlocked, made into a pipe wrapped around the wall, and connected to the stove for heating.
During the Han Dynasty, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty also built a greenhouse hall, first spread white sandalwood on the bottom of the furnace to keep it clean, and then kneaded it into a double phoenix with charcoal chips and honey, and put it into the furnace to burn in winter.
In ancient times, the price of charcoal was ridiculously high, taking the Song Dynasty as an example, the price of a scale of charcoal was about 200 Wen, and the same price could buy six buckets of rice, and the amount of charcoal used in a winter was only affordable by the elites.
For the magnates, their houses remained warm even in the cold winters, just like in spring, and if they wanted to go out and enjoy the snow, they would wear fox or mink fur to keep warm.
Even without heavy quilts, silk and satin can be used to protect against the cold, and they can choose animal skin cotton clothes or other warm clothes as they like, but for ordinary people, many warm appliances cannot afford to keep warm.
In addition to winter clothing and fire protection, eating venison and antler velvet in winter can improve the body's metabolic strength and resistance, so it has always been loved by the powerful, who will also eat some vegetables and fruits to achieve the purpose of keeping warm and reducing fire.
The way of ordinary people in ancient times to keep out the cold
The elegant décor and luxury used by the magnates, while the common people used more modest building and decorative materials, and the thatched houses, although dewy and cold, were the dwellings that had to be lived in in the past.
Before the popularization of cotton, the ancients already had another equally effective method of keeping out the cold - hemp. Hemp has a long history of use, and its toughness and warmth were in no way inferior to later cotton under the conditions of the time.
As early as the Shang and Zhou dynasties, hemp began to appear in people's daily life as an important fiber material, hemp is not only used to make clothes, but also widely used in the production of various utensils, thus promoting the process of civilization to a certain extent.
The tightness of hemp makes it have good thermal properties, especially in winter, and thick linen clothing has become an important means for people to resist the cold.
Animal fur was also an important choice for ancient people to protect themselves from the cold, animal fur could play a good role in keeping warm, and in ancient tribes, such as jungle dwellers, still wore animal skin clothing to protect against the cold.
Although less soft than modern cotton clothing, this primitive leather garment was still effective in keeping the body warm, and the tribesmen were proficient in the art of making animal skins and saw it as a symbol of ethnic identity and merit.
In order to nourish and keep you warm during the harsh winter days, the ancients also invented methods of making bacon and pickles, and after the autumn harvest, they made the meat into bacon, which when eaten to nourish the body and help fight the threat of cold.
They also store vegetables and preserve them by pickling them for the cold winter months, which not only provide nutrients but also provide more calories for people to better adapt to the cold winter days.
As a good helper to ward off the cold, wine also occupies an important position in ancient life, especially in the icy and snowy environment, drinking alcohol can not only provide calories, but also boost the spirit and enhance the resistance to the cold.
The ancients knew that a glass of wine could warm the limbs, although excessive drinking was not good for the body, but moderate drinking was still a widely accepted Xi of the ancients, so in the cold winter, drinking to warm has long become a consensus.
Fire was indispensable to protect against the cold, not only providing the necessary heat, but also cooking warm food, so that the ancients could enjoy the extra warmth of hot food.
There are also the kang collapse in the Han Dynasty has been popularized and has been developed to the present, as well as peppers and green onions in the Sichuan and Shu regions, which are all products of wisdom to adapt to local conditions and cope with the cold environment.
epilogue
In ancient times, different regions and different nationalities had many unique ways to keep out the cold, but with the progress of the times, human beings have been changing in the way of keeping out the cold, and we should not ignore the value and significance of those ancient wisdoms.
Just as the preservation of the flame is essential for the continuation of primitive societies, the inheritance of traditional culture is also indispensable for the harmony and stability of modern societies.