In the deep palace compound of the Qing Dynasty, there lived a group of women who were called "heaven and earth" by the world. They were the emperor's concubines, living in a splendid palace, and every day they were dressed in gorgeous costumes and wearing gold, silver and jewelry, which was enviable.
Not only do they wear gorgeous costumes, but they also have an air of dignity in their mannerisms. The most striking thing is the long nail covers they wear on their fingers. Some people may think that these nail sets are in the way, but they actually have an important role.
The origin of long nail covers can be traced back to the early Tang Dynasty, when the concubines of the court began to use long nail sets to beautify their hands.
These nail sets, originally derived from the art of jewellery making, have evolved over time into an art form in their own right. The concubines expressed their emotions and moods through the colors and patterns of their nail covers, such as red for joy, green for peace, and purple for mystery and nobility.
During the Qing Dynasty, the popularity of long nail covers reached its peak. At that time, almost everyone of the concubines had a set of delicate long nail covers. These nail covers are usually made of precious gold, silver, jade, and other materials, and are engraved with elaborate patterns, each of which has a profound meaning and represents the status and status of the nobility. And the nail covers worn by these concubines are not just a simple beauty tool.
In ancient times, women's beauty was seen as an important social capital, especially in an environment such as the court. The beauty and demeanor of the concubines were not only a reflection of their own charm, but also an important factor in the emperor's favor.
In order to better capture the emperor's gaze, the concubines not only had to maintain elegant manners and delicate looks, but also used various beauty tools to enhance their charm. Long nail sets, one of them.
However, there's so much more to long nail covers than that. In the court, the ranking of the status of the concubines was extremely important. It is said that long nail covers were also used as a special marker to help the emperor identify his concubines.
Whenever there was an important court event, the concubines would wear carefully selected nail covers, and the colors and patterns on these nail covers often reflected their status in the harem and the degree of favor of the emperor.
In addition to this, long nail covers have a more practical purpose.
It can not only protect the concubines' fingers from damage in their daily lives, but also play a role in self-defense to some extent. Legend has it that when a court maid was attacked by robbers while she was out on the road, she used the sharp part of her fingernails to defend herself and escaped safely.
Over time, nail sets have become a cultural heritage, and although they are no longer used in modern society, their cultural and historical value is still profound.