Ancient Methods of Keeping Out the Cold When there was no cotton, what did the nobles and commoners rely on to keep out the cold?
On a dark and windy night, the night watchman on the ancient city wall walked up and down the city wall with an oil-stained wind and fire lamp, waving the lamp and beating the wooden fish in his hand to tell the time. The ethereal and lonely drumbeat echoes through the streets that have been dead for a long time. Listening to the night drums, the inhabitants of the city tossed and turned, continuing their sweet dreams. This is the custom of the night in the ancient city.
However, with so much emphasis on daytime sleep, we can't help but wonder why the aborigines braved the cold to go out in the middle of the night. What does the sound of these gongs and drums mean to them?
Shift Work: Creative Time Service in Ancient Societies.
Back in ancient times, people relied more on the movement of celestial bodies due to the lack of precise timekeeping equipment. During the day, they can observe the position of the sun, but at night they lose this basis. It is found in many ancient books"Dusk"with"Long night"but this is because the ancients could not accurately perceive the passage of night time.
The training system was set up precisely to compensate for the lack of nighttime hours. Initially implemented in the courts and ** departments, the system gradually became available to the public and became an indispensable nighttime public service in the city.
Shift workers in Luoyang City during the Tang Dynasty: protectors and timekeepers.
In 618 AD, Li Yuan established the Tang Dynasty, with the capital of Chang'an, and the Imperial Court in Luoyang. According to the "Old Tang Dynasty Book - Criminal Law Chronicles", there were two classes of night watchmen in Luoyang at that time, with 12 people in each class, divided into five shifts, constantly reporting the time and being on night duty.
Luoyang's city walls are tall and thick, and the wide streets are lined with trees. As the night's watchman's gongs echo through the quiet streets, heralding the passage of time β from the majestic seven-sided drum to the raucous three-sided drum and finally to the faintest drum β residents know it's time to get up and start their day.
Shift workers move around familiar neighborhoods and mingle with local residents. They are not only responsible for setting the time and reminding people to pay attention to their daily routines, but they are also responsible for maintaining night policing. As soon as they find a suspicious person, they arrest them. Sometimes, they even confront thieves directly, which shows that they are very capable of working.
A night watchman can be the spokesperson of the times or the guardian of the night. With their protection, people can sleep peacefully.
Women's costumes in the Song Dynasty: a characteristic of an ancient city.
In 960 AD, Zhao Kuangyin established the Song Dynasty and built the capital of Bianjing. During this time, the night watchman assumed the role of a police officer, in addition to regular patrols, to maintain law and order in the city. Unlike the Tang Dynasty, the Song night watchmen patrolled in chariots, armed with iron cones, ropes, and other tools to arrest people.
Another unusual feature of the Song dynasty was the introduction of a rare system of female wake-ups in ancient times. Like the men, these red-robed women are responsible for stealing bells, preventing fires, and apprehending criminals. They became a unique night scene in the capital of the Song Dynasty.
In history, the most famous female transformation in the Northern Song Dynasty was Lin Daiyu. She is not only dignified and generously dressed, beautiful and moving, but also has unique skills and is deeply loved by the people. Lin Daiyu is diligent, meticulous, and never misses night patrols. If the thief is caught, the locals will give him a cash reward of Jinpa and chicken and duck.
It can be said that the transvestism of women in the Song Dynasty enriched the cultural connotation of the night of the ancient city with its unique charm, showing the advanced status of the female group in the society at that time.
We can ask ourselves if it's necessary to stay up all night setting the time. In fact, the importance of the ancient bedside clock was much more than just striking the time.
Defenders of public order.
In the old days, when there was no electric lighting, the night was dark and unknown for the average person. The night watchman carries a lamp that brings light to the people and symbolizes the power of justice.
Darkness gives the ill-intentioned an opportunity. Guards patrol the streets, checking that the doors of all houses are closed and arresting those they deem suspicious. They are very familiar with the local population, and the sound of gongs attracts a lot of support, which helps them to arrest thieves and maintain public order.
It can be said that if there is no patrol at night, people will not be able to live and work in peace. The night watchman makes sure that the residents can work and live with peace of mind.
Prevent fires from occurring and spreading.
In the past, most buildings were made of wood, and in the event of a fire, the consequences were unimaginable. At that time, people needed fire for lighting, so it was easier to make a fire.
A night watchman shouted while patrolling at night"The air is dry, be careful with the candles"γIn this way, he reminded people to be alert to the source of the fire and prevent it from spreading. When a fire is discovered, the night watchman beats gongs and drums and shouts loudly, calling on people to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading.
Historically, the work of the fire prevention department has always been very important. The Susong and Lin'an fires of the Song dynasty further emphasized the need for learning and fire prevention.
Reflections on the Evolution of the Concept of Time in Ancient Societies.
At first, only the royal family had the privilege of setting the time. On the other hand, the opening of the timekeeping system marked a gradual shift in the concept of time in ancient societies. From the royal family to ** to ordinary people, the meaning of time has gradually taken root in the hearts of the people.
With the rhythm of the night, the aborigines gradually developed the habit of resting on time. This is very important for the orderliness of work and rest, as well as the regularity of production and life. In this regard, the rhythm of the night was also an aspect of the progress of civilization in ancient societies.
The collapse of the vigil system in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
With the development of society, the health system began to be abandoned in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The main reasons for this are as follows.
With the rise of handicrafts, many guards turned to small businesses while living on their own. They work during the day and work night shifts at night to earn money. This reduces the professionalism of the night watchman.
In addition, responsibility for the actual maintenance of law and order is gradually being transferred to specialized police officers, inspectors and other personnel. The functions of the fire and burglar prevention judges were weakened.
In addition, people's perception of time has improved. Precise mechanical timekeeping instruments were put into use, and people no longer relied solely on night watchmen to tell the time. This undoubtedly reduces the need for night watchmen.
Of course, it is undeniable that the vigilante system has played an important public service role for a long time in history. It protected the sleep of the ancients and witnessed the progress of the social order in ancient China.
This history has become a fascinating chapter of an ancient civilization that deserves to be remembered and studied.
In ancient Chinese history, we can see,"Epistems"As a creative public service, the system had a profound impact on the lives of the ancients.
It helps people make the most of their time, arrange work and rest, and maintain peace and order in society. Countless enthusiastic night watchmen take advantage of the darkness to guard the lights of every house.
Shift workers do not pursue personal honor, but contribute to the management of the company in their own way, playing an irreplaceable role. This is enough to inspire and educate future generations.
In today's society, we no longer need services. However, the spirit of public welfare and social responsibility have become an important part of the spirit of the Chinese nation, and they are also the values that our generation should promote.