Zhang Qian and Rouge
Text/Gong Minquan
In 139 BC, Emperor Wu of han sent Zhang Qian on an envoy to the Western Regions. Zhang Qian brought the advanced and civilized civilization of the Han Dynasty, and brought back a large number of exotic cultures and ethnic customs, and Rouge was one of them.
Rouge, in the classics of the past, there are many names, such as "Yan Zhi", "Rouge Branch", "Fresh Branch", "Yan Zhi", "Stasis" and so on. This kind of red pigment cosmetics, the origin is the Xiongnu territory of Yanzhi Mountain, so the name "Yanzhi". The "Fu clan" was a xiongnu name for court women, and these noble women often used "stasis" to decorate their faces on their cheeks; so "stasis" later became their synonym.
The rouge produced in the Yanzhi Mountains of the Western Regions (present-day Yanqi County, Xinjiang) was actually made of a flower juice called red and blue flowers. After the seeds of this flower were brought back by Zhang Qian, they were vigorously promoted and planted by the imperial court, and the red pigment extracted from this flower was named "Yanzhi".
According to the "Notes on ancient and modern Chinese", "The red and blue flowers produced in Yanzhi Mountain contain two kinds of pigments, red and yellow, after the flowers bloom, the whole flower is plucked, and then put into the stone bowl and repeatedly pestle, after the yellow juice is removed, it leaves a bright red juice, and then add cow marrow, pig pancreas, spices and other substances in this red juice to make it a dense and lubricated grease paste." With this kind of grease paste makeup, burning wet blush, gorgeous and dazzling, later there was a name for rouge.
Since Zhang Qian brought rouge from the Western Regions, it was initially only used by women with status in the court nobility, and later spread to the people, becoming a cosmetics that all women use regardless of their status, age, and environment. Because since ancient times, no kind of ornament can be like rouge, moisturizing women's appearance, close to women's skin, touching their hearts.
Rouge burning wet blush, can be a kind of burning brilliance into the female soul, so as to exude female beauty, Zhang Qian's merits are forever.
About the Author
Gong Minquan, male, a native of Chenggu, Shaanxi, is a member of the Chinese Folk Writers Association, a member of the Hanzhong Writers Association, and a commissioner of literature and history of the CHENGGU COUNTY CPPCC. Literary and historical works have been scattered in domestic newspapers and periodicals, and have won many national, provincial and municipal awards, and literary and historical works have been included in "One Hundred Families of Tianhan Dynasty", "Chenggu Wenshi", "Chenggu Art Wenzhi", "Hanzhong Family Training", "Chenggu County Chronicle", and "Chenggu Geographical Names".