Original title: [History in Cultural Relics]
What utensils did the ancients use for hygiene and epidemic prevention
![Original title: [History in Cultural Relics] What utensils did the ancients use for health and epidemic prevention? Oracle and bone inscriptions with the word](https://cdn-dd.lujuba.top/img/loading.gif)
Oracle The word "wash"
Western Zhou Dynasty Bronze plate
; Gilt copper plate
; silver-washed
; copper mirror
; Spring and Autumn Period; Chu style bronze plate
; Han Dynasty; gold-plated copper Boshan Furnace
; Han Dynasty; animal ring retort; Taipei National Palace Museum collection
Western Han Dynasty pottery steamer and iron cauldron National Museum collection
Ming Dynasty Chen Hongshou "Reclining on a Fumigated Cage" (Part)
(All pictures in this edition are information pictures)
Since the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, prevention and control have become particularly important. The concept of self-protection of "wash hands frequently and wear masks" is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. So, how did people carry out hygiene and epidemic prevention in ancient times when there was no running water, hand sanitizer, or disinfection equipment? You might as well take a look at the unearthed cultural relics.
2,000 years ago, bronze toilet utensils were used to wash hands.
More than 2,000 years ago, washing hands was a very ritualistic thing, and it was not just a casual wash. The ancients believed that stagnant water is unclean, so you must use running water to wash your hands so that dirt can be washed away by the water. Today, the most scientific explanation for this good habit is that it can avoid cross-contamination.
To say that the ancients were really particular about it. In the Zhou Dynasty 2,500 years ago, people began to wash their hands with running water. One of the important inventions is the 匜. Later, it became a mature product and lasted for a long time. In recent years, many of them have been unearthed in domestic archaeological discoveries.
In the Museum of the King of Nanyue in the Western Han Dynasty , there are complete sets of bronze toilet utensils from the Western Han Dynasty, including a set of bronze washware, a total of 16 pieces, and a silver one. This group of large and small copper wires fit together and have corroded together over time. One of them has an inscription with the word "胃", indicating that they were made by the South Vietnamese country.
According to scholars, from the perspective of archaeological data, as one of the important bronze ritual vessels in the pre-Qin period, the 匜 appeared earlier. In the middle of the Western Zhou Dynasty, the bronze kettle came into being as a kind of water vessel to meet the needs of the ritual of fertile water. The late Western Zhou Dynasty and the early Spring and Autumn Period were the development period of bronze 匜. The middle and late Spring and Autumn Period was the peak period of the development of bronze 匜. and the early Warring States period was the decline period of bronze 匜. Although there were still copper coins found in the Qin and Han Dynasties, the number was very small. Therefore, the value of this group of bronze rings unearthed from the tomb of the King of Nanyue is particularly outstanding.
People still commonly use the word "wash". The shape of the word "wash" intuitively reflects the way ancient people washed their hands - two hands were poured with water on top, and a vessel for collecting water was connected below. The thing used for watering is just a vessel; the vessel used to collect water is relatively complicated. During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, banquet utensils were used. The ancients had to perform the ritual of washing the basin before and after the banquet. The "Book of Rites Nei Principles" records: "When entering the bathroom, the younger ones offer plates, the elders offer water, and please wash the basin. Wash the soldiers, "Give me a towel." Use a bowl to pour water on your hands and use a plate to catch the discarded water. In the early middle period of the Western Zhou Dynasty, the combination of basin and circumference was popular, while from the late Western Zhou Dynasty to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the combination of pen and circumference was more popular. After the Warring States Period, the ritual of washing and washing gradually became obsolete, and the dish was also replaced by washing. The shapes and sizes of these water containers are different, representing different usage habits and etiquette forms. Washing hands with running water shows that people at that time already knew that the water for washing hands was not clean after reuse. Although it saves water, it can easily cause cross-contamination and increase the chance of getting the disease from the mouth.
The ancients washed their hands not only for cleanliness, but also for the purpose of showing respect. According to "Zi Zhi Tong Jian", Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty "when he received a minister's chapter, he would burn incense, wash his hands and read it." This is what it meant.
With the development of the times, the stream used for discharging water from the top gradually evolved into a handle, which naturally transformed into something similar to the ladle (that is, a ladle) used by later generations. In the Qin and Han Dynasties, although 匜 still appeared, there were changes in form and function. At this time, 府 generally appeared in the form of multiple pieces - just like the ones unearthed from the tomb of the King of Nanyue, and they were smaller in shape. Due to the "collapse of rites and the collapse of music", the decline of jian, fou, etc. also accelerated the decline of 匜.
The earliest legal judgment in my country was found on a piece of paper - "朕" (personal name) in a bronze kiln in Qishan County, Shaanxi Province . The main inscription on it is that a man named Mu Niu got into a lawsuit with his boss Shi (name) over five slaves. Judge Uncle Yang's father announced the verdict against the cattle in front of the King of Zhou, requiring him to return the five slaves to his superiors, to be whipped five hundred times, and to fine him a lot of copper (copper was very precious in ancient times).
The toilet utensils unearthed from the tomb of the King of Nanyue also include washers, basins, basins, mirrors, etc., which are made of silver and copper. It can be inferred from the unearthed conditions that people at that time cherished these artifacts, and many of them still have repair marks on their bottoms. After all, casting copperware was a high-precision technology and a high-cost industry under the technical conditions of the time. "Shuowen Jiezi" says: "Jian is also a big basin." It has a wide range of uses. Nanyue King Museum Scholars pointed out that in the late Western Zhou Dynasty, the jian was used as a bathtub for holding water, ice and bathing. When bronze mirrors were not yet popular, ancient people often used them to hold water in them to reflect their appearance.
Since at least the pre-Qin period, the use of basins has been similar to what we do today. Regarding basins, the most common records are that they were used as water vessels, that is, to hold water, such as "basin to hold water", "basin for bathing water", etc. It can be said that it is an instrument with many uses.
During the Qin and Han Dynasties, everyone paid attention to hygiene and cleanliness
"Wash your hands before eating and after going to the toilet" is a modern hygiene slogan, and the ancients have also required this for a long time. The ancients paid most attention to personal hygiene by keeping their head, feet, hands and body clean. Of the four, hand washing is the most frequent. In the pre-Qin period, "wash" often referred to foot washing. In oracle bone inscriptions, the upper half of the word "wash" is in the shape of a foot, and the lower half is in the shape of water, which has this meaning. And washing hands was not called "washing" at that time, it was called "washing". The word "wash" in oracle bone inscriptions means putting your hands in a basin to wash.
Washing the food before eating has been a hygienic standard in the Qin and Han Dynasties. "Huainanzi · Interpretation and Training" says: "Wash the cup before eating, wash the cup before drinking, wash it and then feed it, you can support the family in old age." When washing tableware, you must wash your hands first, this is what "Book of Rites·Shao" "Everything you wash must be washed". Kong Yingda, a native of the Sui and Tang Dynasties Kong Yingda commented on this: "wash, wash your hands; wash, wash your hands. Anyone who drinks alcohol must wash his hands, and when washing his hands, you must wash your hands first."
If you don't pay attention to personal cleanliness, you will often be laughed at. For example, there was an official named Liu Kuan in the Eastern Han Dynasty. He didn't like to wash his hands and bathe, and he was famous in the capital at that time. Therefore, "Book of the Later Han Dynasty: Biography of Liu Kuan" said that he was "not good at washing and bathing, which is a proverb in the capital."
During the Qin and Han Dynasties, not paying attention to personal hygiene was unacceptable to the society at that time. There is a saying in "Salt and Iron Theory: Special Paths": "Xi Tzu is considered unclean, and a despicable man covers his nose." This means that even if it is as beautiful as Xi Tzu, if it is unhygienic, ordinary people will cover their noses when they walk by.
As for washing hands after going to the toilet, the ancients were also very particular about it. There is a story about "Wang Dun going to the toilet" in "Shishuo Xinyu·Ruolu": After Wang Dun came out of the toilet, a maid held a gold basin full of water in her hands, and behind her was a glass bowl filled with bath beans, a high-grade cleaning product. When Wang Dun saw this, he mixed the bath beans with water and ate them, calling them "dry rice". Wang Dun was the cousin of Wang Dao, the prime minister of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. This story happened when Wang Dun first married Princess Wuyang (actually Princess Xiangcheng), the daughter of Emperor Wu of Jin Sima Yan, and he went to the toilet in the emperor's house. The story is not to say that the custom of "washing hands after defecation" does not exist, but it is a joke that Wang Dun has little knowledge and does not know bath beans.
Later, "washing hands after defecation" has become a hygienic habit that ancient people must develop from childhood. For example, the Qing Dynasty Li Yuxiu 's enlightenment book for schoolchildren "Xun Mengwen" (" Disciple Rules ") requires: "Be sure to wash your hands in the morning and rinse your mouth; after defecation, wash your hands frequently."
People gradually discovered that many physical problems Most of his problems were probably caused by unhygienic eating, so he gradually began to pay attention to hand washing. More than 2,000 years ago, it was written in four places in the "Book of Rites·Nei Principles": "When the rooster crows for the first time, wash your hands with salty water." The so-called "wash" refers to washing hands. The Eastern Han Dynasty philosopher Wang Chong "Lun Heng · Ridiculous Ri" also said: "Wash away the dirt on your hands."
Of course, most of the hand-washing recorded in these classics is still concentrated among aristocratic groups, officials and intellectuals. Nowadays, both at home and abroad, all people pay attention to hygiene and love cleanliness.
The etiquette of Woxi is also very complicated. For example, when receiving guests in an ordinary home, the host has to do it for the guests. : The elder is holding a pot to water, and the son is holding a basin to collect water. After the guests wash their hands, the host also hands over a hand towel. In addition, in some places today, children have to bring water to their parents. , still retains the owner The custom of handing towels to guests is an ancient custom.
In ancient times, it was important to respect teachers, so disciples should also wait for the master to wash themselves. We take clothes and wash them together. Mr. Wang makes them, and washes them thoroughly. "That is to say, the disciple should gently bring the washing water to the room before the master gets up; when the master gets up, he should give it to the master to wash; and then put away the toiletries.
As a Chinese wedding prototype Weddings in the Zhou Dynasty included washing hands and faces before the newlyweds entered the banquet and the bridal chamber. Adjusting the meaning of cleanliness in marriage.
Because of the existence of the ritual of washing, handwashing became a technical job at that time. If you do not wash well, you may not only be looked down upon, but you may also get into big trouble. "Zuo Zhuan·Xi Gonger" "Thirteen Years" records: "The prince of Jin came to Qin, and the uncle of Qin had five women, and he was pregnant with Yan. Serve Zawo and wash it, then wave it away. Angry, he said: "Qin and Jin are the same, why should they belittle me?" ’ The young master is afraid, so he surrenders. "At that time, Qin Mugong gave five women to the exiled Chong'er (later one of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period) as concubines, including his own daughter Huaiying. Huaiying was originally married to Jin Huai Gong ( Chong'er's nephew), this time she remarried. One day, she helped Chong'er wash his hands. He shook the water on his hands and got it on Huai Ying. Huai Ying thought it was contempt for him and was furious. At this time, Chong'er was asking Qin Mugong to help him regain the power of Jin. How could he dare to offend his father-in-law? To apologize, he took off his clothes and locked himself up to express his apology. Chong'er has always had a soft body, and this example shows it even more vividly.
In order to make washing cleaner and more convenient, ancient Chinese people gradually discovered and used some things that help remove dirt. One of them is bath beans, which are made with soybean powder, pig pancreas powder and other medicines. The detergents were in the form of pharmaceutical powders and were used to wash hands and faces and make the skin smooth before the Song Dynasty. , when washing the face, washing hands, and bathing the body, there is no lump of "soap", but bath beans.
There is also a story in "The Poet and the Rhinoceros" written by Peng Cheng of the Song Dynasty: "(Wang Anshi) has a dark face. The disciples were worried about it and asked the doctor, saying: "This dirty sweat is not a disease." ’ Go into the bath and order Mr. Dou to wash his face. "Wang Anshi, a great politician and writer, can't wash his face every day. Is it because he is too busy at work? Or is he too tired to write articles?
The ancient Chinese also used the pods and fat beads of the plant acacia , which are inorganic For the decontamination of soapberry fruit, Zhuang Chuo of the Song Dynasty recorded in "Chicken Ribs": "There are few honey locusts in central Zhejiang, and fat beads are used for bathing and washing clothes. ”
Ancient people also used steaming and fumigation for health and epidemic prevention
Many documents record how the ancients prevented and treated epidemic diseases. Through some unearthed cultural relics, we can see that in addition to cleaning and washing hands, they also disinfected clothes and incense for sterilization. and other methods.
steamed
In ancient times, at high temperatures In terms of sterilization, Li Shizhen 's method is very scientific. In "Compendium of Materia Medica (Jinling Edition)", there is a suggestion that "in case of Tianxing plague, take out the patient's clothes and steam them in a steamer, and the whole family will not be infected." ml0 A kind of vessel called zèng was found among the unearthed cultural relics. It is a kind of cooking utensil, which is shaped like a basin and has a hole at the bottom. It is usually placed on a steamer. It allows steam to flow upward during the heating process. In short It's like a steamer.
"Steaming on the steamer" means placing the patient's clothes on the steamer and using the steam generated by boiling water to sterilize them at high temperature. Under standard atmospheric pressure, the temperature of the water vapor produced when water boils is the same as water, which is 100°C. Steaming for a long time can achieve the effect of inactivating viruses.
Li Shizhen in the Ming Dynasty also proposed a method of disinfecting patients' clothes. The ancients did not have disposable clothes, let alone protective clothing. This method of steaming and sterilizing clothes is very practical.
In addition to disinfecting clothes, ancient people have noticed the importance of avoiding external evils and isolating patients for plague prevention. "Book of Jin·Biography of Wang Biao" records that "there is a disease in the courtier's family, and if three or more people are affected by the disease, they will not be allowed to enter the palace for a hundred days even if they are not sick." That is to say, we not only pay attention to the isolation of existing patients, but also pay attention to the isolation of those who have been in contact with patients but have not yet become ill.
fumigation
Using fumigation to ensure the cleanliness and hygiene of clothes is Li Shizhen’s summary of previous experience.
Hong Chu of the Song Dynasty recorded the "Incense Method" in "Hong's Fragrance Book", which is actually the "Incense Method for Clothes": To smoke clothes, put a large pot of boiling soup under the fumigation cage, and cover it with the fumigated clothes. It moisturizes the Qi and spreads the precious fragrance into clothes. Then burn a piece of incense cake in the soup stove... put the incense on it and smoke it, so that the smoke will always be absorbed. After fumigation, fold the clothes and leave them alone for several days.
"Chen's Fragrance Book" "Incense Utensils" introduces a kind of "incense tray": use the deep one, purge it with boiling soup to make it rich, and then put it on the stove to make the incense stick easily. It is not difficult to see from this that in ancient times, fumigation required soaking the clothes in the steam of boiling water until they were semi-wet, which virtually played a role in sterilization, and then fumigating the clothes to facilitate the adhesion of the aroma.
The method of scenting clothes with incense has been a court etiquette in the Han Dynasty. There is an article in "Han Guan Yi" that "Shang Shulang enters Zhi Taichung". There is a special female maid responsible for "clothes and quilts, holding incense burners and fumigating." Taichung, give the envoy protective clothing."
During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Northern Qi writer Yan Zhitui recorded in the "Yan Family Instructions" compiled by him: "When the Liang Dynasty was in its heyday, the descendants of Guiyou...all smoked their clothes and shaved their faces, and applied powder and vermilion on them." In Zhang "Old Stories from the East Palace" written by Chang, which records the etiquette and customs of the Jin prince, also contains the following record: "When the prince accepted his concubine, there were two smoked cages with lacquered handkerchiefs, three smoked cages with large quilts, and three smoked cages with clothes." The two corroborate each other, and it can be seen that using scented clothes had become a social custom at that time.
Between the Jin Dynasty, Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty, the aromatic prescriptions of fumigation were recorded by doctors. It makes people speculate that the purpose of fumigation in the early days was not only for pure olfactory experience, but also for the prevention and treatment of diseases.
As early as the Han Dynasty, people discovered that incense can kill bacteria. Liu Che, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, was obsessed with incense. He ordered skilled craftsmen from all over the country to cast copper incense furnace using sophisticated techniques gilded with gold and silver. The lid of the furnace simulated the three fairy mountains of Penglai, Fangzhang and Yingzhou in the Bohai Sea. The mountains overlapped each other. Yu Boda It contains elegance, so it is called "Boshan" fumigator.
Judging from the incense burners unearthed in various periods, burning incense in the burner not only improved the burning physical and chemical capabilities of the spices, but also kept the burning body clean and sanitary, so it quickly became popular throughout the world. During the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, plague spread in Hanzhong, and the use of incense and incense was used to suppress the spread of the plague.
Long before the appearance of the Boshan stove, incense had entered people's lives. In addition to wearing grass leaves, burning herbs was also a method used by ancient people to cleanse their rooms.
In the final analysis, if you want to be less likely to get sick, or even not get sick, you must do a good job of personal hygiene.
(This article was edited and organized by Min Yuan)
Source: China Gansu Net-Gansu Daily
