But compared to ancient times, how did they spend the night when they had no electricity?
Let’s first understand the order of Chinese dynasties:
(1) Xia, Shang, Zhou [ Western Zhou , Eastern Zhou (Spring and Autumn Period, Warring States )]
(2) Qin, Han ( Western Han , Eastern Han )
(3) Three Kingdoms (Wei, Shu, Wu)
(4) Jin ( Western Jin , Eastern Jin )
(5) Five Hus and Sixteen Kingdoms
(6) Northern and Southern Dynasties [ Southern Dynasties (Liu Song, Xiao Qi, Xiao Liang, Nan Chen) Northern Dynasties ( Northern Wei , Eastern Wei , Western Wei , Northern Qi , Northern Zhou )]
(7) Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms [ Five Dynasties ( Later Liang , Later Tang , Later Jin , Later Han , Later Zhou ); Ten Kingdoms ( Former Shu , Later Shu , Yang Wu , Southern Tang , Wu Yue, Fujian, Ma Chu, Southern Han , Nanping , Northern Han)]
(8) Song ( Northern Song , Southern Song ), Liao, Xixia , Jin
(9) Yuan , Ming and Qing
If you think it is difficult to remember, there is a jingle memory method:
Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors Beginning, Yao, Shun, Yu According to legend
Xia, Shang and Western Zhou Dynasty, Eastern Zhou Dynasty is divided into two periods
Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period, unifying Qin and Han Dynasties
Wei, Shu and Wu were divided into three parts. The two Jin Dynasties and the Southern and Northern Dynasties coexisted. The Sui and Tang Five Dynasties passed on
After the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, the dynasty came to an end.
In ancient times, the working people followed the rule of "work at sunrise and rest at sunset". "The day's plan lies in the morning" (i.e. 7-9 o'clock in the morning), and Haishi refers to the night (i.e. the evening hours). 21-23 hours)
When talking about ancient nightlife, we have to talk about the ancient "curfew" system.
一 What is a curfew? How did the ancients divide the night?
Curfew refers to the night, and prohibition means prohibition.
Curfew has been around since the Zhou Dynasty period. It is recorded in "Scott's Biography" , which says: night , the night is divided by stars, the night watchman is forbidden, the morning walker is forbidden, the night walker is forbidden .
During the Qin and Han Dynasties, in order to protect the safety of the city, the court paid more attention to curfews. Because the country had a large population base, in order to implement the national curfew policy, it needed the support of local officials, and local officials needed the support of major local families, so the curfew was The family began to supervise the night time. The night was divided into darkness by sunset. The ancients called it "twilight", also called "night". One night is divided into five watch, namely, first watch, second watch, third watch and fourth watch. Five updates. ".
A curfew is essentially a kind of nighttime activity control that restricts people from going out and moving freely. It is intended to prevent thieves, or prevent displaced people from gathering in the dark to cause trouble, or to prevent enemy spies. After all, in that turbulent time Dynasties were afraid of foreign enemies, because without bright lights at night and it was difficult to manage, many emergencies could happen at night.
二 When will the curfew end?
We are all familiar with history. We know that people in ancient times lived in a country that was in dire straits and turbulent. With the end of the Sui Dynasty, all the heroes of the world came together. In 617 AD, Tang Guogong Li Yuan raised troops in Jinyang and proclaimed himself emperor in Chang'an the following year. The Tang Dynasty was followed by the Li Shimin of the Ten Wise Kings (namely Tang Taizong), creating the peak of the Tang Dynasty. At that time, all the nations came to the dynasty, and the rich and colorful nightlife of ancient times was developed. In "Si Zheng" in the first chapter of the original work "The Twelve Hours of Chang'an", when Cui Liulang introduced Chang'an City to Cao Poyan, he said: "You can't go out at night, as it will violate the night ban.But don’t worry today, there will be a Lantern Festival in the evening, and the curfew will be temporarily relaxed.” It means: According to ordinary nights, ordinary people are not allowed to go out for activities at night, which will violate national laws, but tonight is the Lantern Festival, The country has temporarily opened up the curfew.
三 What kind of nightlife programs did the ancients have?
People in the prosperous Tang Dynasty had a new way of exploring and pursuing their own night activities.
This also proves the vitality and prosperity of a country.
1. Night banquets and drinks
The night life of the Tang Dynasty first kicked off in the form of dinners and drinking parties until the rooster crowed.
For example, in the " Complete Tang Poems " volume, "Farewell to Anqing Prefect Li" said: " The sun sets just after the first feast, and the drunkenness lasts until the rooster crows. "It is conceivable that the scene at that time was very similar to our Tianliang culture in Guangdong. We are constantly drunk.
How can it take such a long time to just eat and drink? So they often use fine wine and delicacies as the basis, and then patrol the lamps to encourage drinking. Fun, this is just like our current entertainment
2. Drinking game
Whenever after drinking a few taels of fine wine, people in the Tang Dynasty joined the drinking game. It was nothing more than some literati and poets who were more worried about drinking and singing. Chatting will always resonate with the guests, especially those who have great ambitions but are like ants, and their sorrows can be vented here.
3. Xun Huan Brothel
They also added some during the banquet. Entertainment games and art programs are used to add to the fun.
The participants can enjoy themselves to the fullest.
They specially invite young and beautiful "prostitutes" to accompany them (also called "prostitute feasts")
For example, the poet of the Tang Dynasty Bai Juyi. , he liked to have close friendships with women in brothels, and it is said that the number of them was "more than a hundred". In his "Yin on Wine" he once wrote: "The public office retreats, and the prostitutes come to visit." shop. Walking on the stilts and following closely, they sing and chant as needed. The five horses neigh with the golden title, and the twin girls dance with the twine. It may not have existed in the past, but it will still be better than nothing in old age. They sing about the Han Dynasty in chorus, and clap their hands to Wu Xi. I'm still drunk tonight, so I should ask Hongxiu to help me. "
Even his eternal masterpieces " Pipa Xing " and " Song of Everlasting Sorrow " mentioned the improper relationship with prostitutes
It is not difficult to understand, if there is no alcohol and no setbacks and vicissitudes. , How can I use half a pound of ink in my belly?
Personally, I think that the traditional Japanese lounge culture was inspired by the night culture of the Tang Dynasty. I wonder if everyone agrees with this view.
The above major nightlife programs? The highlights of this chapter are that the nightlife programs of the ancients in the Tang Dynasty also included activities such as hidden hooks , chess and cards, and night rafting. Because these are relatively sensitive, we will not go into details.
As people's requirements for diet continue to increase, The phenomenon of gatherings at night is also common.
High-end banquets among literati and refined scholars are the topics and comparisons among ordinary people.
However, with the Anshi Rebellion during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, the past grand occasion was gone. Returning, people's nightlife was also deprived, and the curfew was restored.
Summary
As ordinary people, if we want a family to live and work in peace and contentment, and if we want to live in a free space, we must have a strong country. As a foundation, it's like we live in China, one of the safest countries in the world. This is something I feel lucky to have. It is precisely because of its power that we can live and work in peace and contentment and have a colorful life.
