How emperors and nobles kept warm without down quilts during winter in ancient China

In ancient China where winters were harsh without electricity or down quilts, emperors had foot-warming maids and nobles kept domestic cats and dogs for warmth.

Photo: Zhihu Before electricity, central heating, and down quilts, winter in ancient China was not simply a season but a test of class.

Cold was shared by everyone, but warmth was usually not.

During the Han dynasty (206 BC-220), emperors used specially designed “Warm Chambers” to protect themselves from the winter cold.

The walls were plastered with a mixture of mud and Sichuan peppercorns, thought to preserve heat while resisting dampness and insects; curtains and screens helped keep out draughts.

The above image depicts what life was like for ordinary folk in ancient China.

Photo:www.bilibili.com These rooms are often regarded as one of the earliest examples of an indoor heating system in China.

By the Wei and Jin periods (220–420), records show that people in northeastern China were already using the kang, a heated brick bed, to keep warm in winter.

In the Song dynasty (960–1279), young people from elite families often carried a tang pozi, a copper hand-warmer filled with hot water.

By the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), tang pozi and other hand warmers had become especially popular among imperial consorts.

Delicately crafted and often decorated with patterns, they contained burning charcoal that gave off gentle heat without scorching the skin.

For the better off, centuries ago special warming feather beds were available.

Photo:www.bilibili.com During the Tang dynasty (618–907), some members of the royal family even had maidservants warm their beds before they slept.

Historical accounts describe the extravagant habits of figures such as the high official Yang Guozhong, who used plump maids as a human screen against the wind.

A Tang prince was even said to forgo a brazier in winter, choosing instead to warm his hands inside the clothing of beautiful maids.

With the growing popularity of pet-keeping, some officials of the Song dynasty (960–1279) slept with their cats and dogs in winter for warmth.

In some cases, the special feather beds came with a cover to retain more heat.

Photo:www.bilibili.com The poet Lu You once wrote that the wind and rain outside were so unsettling that he would rather stay indoors with his cat to warm his feet.

For ordinary people in ancient China, however, winter was far harsher.

While emperors and nobles dressed in fur, many poor people stuffed chicken fea

原文链接: 南华早报