Text丨Fat Boy Entertainment said
Editor丨Fat Boy Entertainment said
In the dynasties before the Northern Song Dynasty, the cold winter was a very serious challenge for the ancient people.
At that time, cotton was not widely cultivated, so there was no way to keep warm with cotton.
In contrast, we who live in modern times have air conditioning, floor heating, and warm down jackets to wear in winter, which is not too beautiful!
But when we look back at ancient times, there were no intelligent heating equipment, no cotton clothes and quilts, what means did the ancients before the Northern Song Dynasty use to resist the cold?
Let's explore the wisdom of the ancients to keep out the cold and feel their way of survival in the cold.
The history of cotton cultivation
Textile materials have a very long history of human existence, dating back to the Neolithic Age, 5,000 years ago.
As early as the 27th century B.C., China had mastered the technology of sericulture and silk products, becoming one of the earliest silk producing countries in the world.
With the development of technology, the craftsmen of the Western Zhou Dynasty have been able to weave extremely light and thin silk, although it is not richer than the color of later generations, but it has been extremely mature at the technical level.
The rulers also attached great importance to this industry, carried out standardized management, and also set up special institutions to train weaving talents.
During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the feudal system began to rise in society, and silkworm cultivation was also valued.
It wasn't until handicrafts became an important part of the agricultural economy that silk production technology took a big step forward.
People's demand for textiles is growing, and cotton has gradually entered people's field of vision as a high-quality textile raw material.
But did you know that cotton has not been widely cultivated in China since ancient times.
According to historical records, cotton was introduced to China through the Silk Road during the Han Dynasty.
But at that time, cotton was not cultivated on a large scale, but was used as a precious fiber to make fine textiles.
The wheel of time slowly rolled forward, and the technique of growing cotton gradually spread in China.
During the Tang Dynasty, cotton cultivation began to be popularized in some areas and became one of the important cash crops.
The value of cotton is beginning to be recognized, not only because of its soft fibres and good moisture absorption, but also because it is drought-tolerant, adaptable, and suitable for growing in a variety of climates.
By the Song Dynasty, cotton cultivation was further popularized and gradually replaced silk as the main textile raw material.
The vigorous development of the cotton textile industry at this time not only injected new vitality into China's textile industry, but also emerged a group of "outstanding talents" who played a major role in cotton planting.
Huang Daopo is one of the representative figures, and was even crowned by later generations as "clothed by the world".
The introduction of cotton and the spread of planting technology not only enriched the choice of textile raw materials by the ancients, but also promoted the development of the textile industry and wrote a new chapter in China's textile history!
Without cotton clothes and quilts, what did people before the Song Dynasty wear for winter?
It is hard to imagine that before the Northern Song Dynasty, there was no cotton and cotton fabrics, how could ancient people survive?
However, as a Chinese nation with unique oriental wisdom, we naturally have a variety of strategies and means to deal with the cold winter.
Seeing this, many people can't help but ask: If the ancients only wore thin silk products, would they have been able to survive the long winter?
In fact, in addition to wearing silk products, everyone will also rely on "natural warm materials" to survive the winter.
The weather in the north is incomparable to that in the south, and in winter the temperature often approaches below zero, and such weather is simply unbearable for ordinary people with clothes made of silk.
Therefore, before the Song Dynasty, people would choose to keep warm by "wearing animal skins".
For the nobles of the kings and grandsons, they had enough economic strength and resources to obtain more precious furs.
It is stipulated in the "Book of Rites and Monthly Order": Meng Dong, the first Qiu of the Son of Heaven.
The delicate and soft fox, mink and tiger skins became the first choice of the aristocracy because of their unique warmth and gorgeous appearance.
These furs not only keep the wearer warm, but also show off his noble status and wealth.
And ordinary people, naturally, are not likely to have enough financial resources to obtain the fur of these exotic beasts.
Their choice is relatively easy to obtain and more affordable animal skins such as rabbit, dog, and sheepskin.
Although the texture of these furs is not particularly delicate, they also have a certain warmth effect that will help them survive the cold winters.
Of course, the people before the Song Dynasty were also very clever, they used silk, linen and various animal fluff to make the lining of clothes and bedding, and it was certainly not cold to cover their bodies when they slept at night.
In addition to dressing, there are also "tricks" for heating the house
In addition to wearing clothes, the temperature at night in winter plummeted, and what kind of coping did people before the Song Dynasty come up with?
In order to make the house warmer, the ancient people made a "stove", this invention can be said to make the ancients before the Northern Song Dynasty, even in the cold winter, can also sleep soundly.
It is recorded in the "Dongguan Hanji Peng Pet Record" that the sound of shrimp and toads was heard in the pet hall, and under the stove, he chiseled the ground and begged for it, but he couldn't.
It can be seen that in the Eastern Han Dynasty, the ancients had already used this method to keep warm.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the ancestors also thought of a simpler but equally effective way of heating: the floor heating system.
Liu Ruoyu, a eunuch in the Ming Dynasty, wrote "Zhizhong Zhi" Volume 17 "Da Nei Regulation Chronicles" has: "The right to the east is called Maoqin Palace, where the first emperor created the kang and is always in the palace."
They lay pipes under the room and heated the floor by boiling hot water or steam, making the whole room warm and comfortable.
Seeing the emperor treated him like this, I have to say "aristocratic luxury".
Heating the house is not an easy task, but the ancients, with their unique wisdom and creativity, these methods tend to be more modern, full of wisdom and human touch of life.
Relying on "diet" also allowed the ancient people to survive the cold winter
In addition to working "wearing" and "living", ancient people also found their own way in eating.
They will eat a lot of warm foods, like ginger, pepper, lamb, etc., which are regular guests at their table.
These foods not only provide the energy your body needs, but also warm your body.
Hot pot has actually been around for a long time.
Lin Hong of the Song Dynasty "Mountain Family Qing Offering" contains: "Xiang You Wuyi Six Songs, Visit the Stop Master." In case of snow, you can get a rabbit, and there is no one to make. Shi Yun: 'In the mountains, only thin loquats, wine, sauce, and pepper materials are fertile, and they are installed on the stove with less than half a cho, and wait for the soup to sound. Because of the use of its method, it is not only easy to do, but also has the joy of Tuan Luan's warmth. ”
From the record of "Shanjia Qing Offering", we can already see how the people of the Song Dynasty ate "fish hot pot".
For them, eating rabbit meat hot pot "Diaxia Offering" with good wine, how can they feel the cold outside the house in winter?
Bai Juyi wrote in "Ask Liu Nineteen": Green ants make new wine, red clay small stove. If you want snow in the evening, can you drink a glass of nothing?
The poem "King of Poetry" Bai Juyi vividly tells us how ancient people drank with friends around the fireplace.
On long winter nights, three or five friends get together, and for the ancients, there is nothing better than such a life.
So don't underestimate the wisdom of our ancestors, in order to survive, we have also sought many ways.
Although there is no modern heating and air conditioning, such a convenient heating equipment, but they use simple and practical methods to get themselves through the cold winter, how can they not be amazed?