Dear friends, at this moment, we want to talk about the three portable boutiques in the life of the nobles of the Tang Dynasty - Kunlun Nu, Silla Maiden, and Bodhisattva. Speaking of these three treasures, they really have their own characteristics, and they have become irreplaceable treasures in aristocratic life. Is this unique hobby really just because they pursue luxury and vanity? Or is there a deeper cultural, historical, and social background hidden? Let's unveil the mystery of these three treasures one by one!
The first thing I have to say is the mysterious black ** Nanyang giant - Kunlun Nu. In 618 AD, Emperor Li Yuan founded the Tang Empire, which began a period of magnificent splendor in Chinese history. Especially during the reign of Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty (that is, during the Tianbao period), the Tang Dynasty developed by leaps and bounds, the national strength was extremely strong, the domestic economy was prosperous, and the culture was brilliant; At the same time, the Central Plains etiquette civilization and Chinese character culture have also been instilled into dozens of surrounding ethnic groups, and their influence is extraordinary. According to historical records, the number of countries that once sent envoys to the Tang Dynasty to pay tribute was as high as 70, and even the "Wandering Ghost Country" in northeastern Russia sent envoys.
In this bright and dazzling Tang Empire, exotic elements are everywhere. At that time, Chang'an, an international hub city, had gathered foreign friends from all over the world, the most eye-catching of which was undoubtedly the black race known as "Kunlun Nu".
The term "Kunlun" has the meaning of mountains and rivers in Chinese, and also refers specifically to black objects. By the time of the Tang Dynasty, the term began to be borrowed to refer to all expatriates with dark brown complexions. Most of these Kunlun slaves are located on the South China Sea Islands, and their complexions are as black as ink, and their short hair is as thick as sheep's fluff. Some of them are naked and only tie a piece of animal skin around their waists, and some have messy hair but hold spears in their hands, their faces are hideous but vibrant, which is the vivid reproduction of the Kunlun Nu terracotta figurines in the Tang Dynasty.
So how did these Kunlun slaves come to the Central Plains? There are three main points: first, it was sent to Chang'an as a tributary gift; second, they were originally natives of the South China Sea, but they were forcibly taken away by Tang Dynasty merchants and trafficked back; In the last case, he followed the missions of Southeast Asia and South Asia to visit Tang, but in the end he was left in Chang'an. However, regardless of their origins, whether they were forced to do so as slaves or hired by the nobles of the court to perform songs and dances for the pleasure of feasting and honoring the buyers. There were far more Kunlun slaves who came and went unusually than there were other Kunlun slaves, so it is likely that most of the Kunlun slaves were bought and sold as slaves.
In addition, there are some Kunlun slaves who actually came from far away North Africa, these humans are called "monk slaves", they were originally black slaves forcibly abducted by Arab merchants, and they also became dolls in the hands of Tang Dynasty nobles.
The Kunlun slaves here are all strong, tough and firm like cattle, very gentle and kind, and more loyal to their masters. They have been loved by many rich and expensive people in the Tang Dynasty, and the wealth of the family can even be directly illustrated by how many Kunlun slaves the family has. However, these slave owners who bought Kunlun slaves, for the purpose of control, often required them to undergo castration surgery.
In the prosperous Tang Dynasty, the appearance of Kunlun slaves undoubtedly added a touch of exoticism to the upper class, but it also let us see that behind all these beautiful scenes, there are all kinds of dark realities based on slavery.
Silla maid: A Korean maid who knows books and etiquette.
Compared with those "savages" who lived in the tropical South China Sea, the court ladies of Goguryeo and Silla in the east, especially in the hearts of the Tang Dynasty nobles, had an irreplaceable place! And these Korean women, known as the "Silla maids", are all from the Silla Kingdom in the southeast of the Central Korean Peninsula.
In the mid-7th century, Silla and the Tang Dynasty defeated and swallowed two powerful enemies, Baekje in the west and Goguryeo in the north. However, despite this victory, Silla did not submit to the rule of the Tang Dynasty forever, but fought again for the leadership of the peninsula for the 7-year thrilling war between the two dynasties! It was not until 676 that Silla finally bowed its head and conceded defeat in the face of the powerful Tang army, choosing to pay tribute to the Tang Dynasty every year as a sign of submission.
Among the lists of these tributes are many of the beautiful movie statues of maids carefully selected by the Silla court, which are the legendary "Silla maids". Before stepping into the Tang Dynasty, these Silla princesses had already received rigorous training in Chinese, singing and dancing, **, etc., in the hope of showing superior skills in the Central Plains.
Compared with the arrogant Kunlun slaves, the Silla maid is more gentle and modest, and her gestures are full of oriental charm. Their white and flawless **, slender and petite bodies are not significantly different from the women of the Tang Dynasty, but their deep facial features and flowing eyes exude an exotic and mysterious atmosphere anytime and anywhere. Therefore, as soon as these Silla maids came to Chang'an, they immediately became the focus of attention of the nobles, and even more wealthy people competed for **, treating them as the precious maids of the family.
At this moment, because of their talents and ladylike conduct, the Silla maids made the master extremely dependent on them. They are not only proficient in Chinese, familiar with the etiquette rules of the Tang Dynasty, but also have sweet singing voices and dancing postures, often singing and dancing at banquets, winning full applause. In daily life, Silla maids are known for their hard work and are deeply loved by their owners. Some lucky ones were even promoted to the master's concubine and lived a prosperous and wealthy life from then on.
All in all, in the bustling Tang Dynasty society, having a Silla maid has become a trend symbol! Not only did they realize their infinite longing for a foreign culture, but also showed a symbol of power and status! However, these Silla princesses were forced to leave their homes and become the playthings of others. Their joys and sorrows are quietly becoming a faint sorrow behind this prosperous world.
Bodhisattva: A blonde and blue-eyed song and dance princess.
If it is said that Kunlun Nu and Silla women already have obvious exotic characteristics, then in the last century of the end of the Tang Dynasty, the group of "Bodhisattva Barbarian" women who came from the depths of Central Asia undoubtedly pushed this trend to the peak stage of history.
According to the historical records of the Tang Dynasty, between 847 and 859 in the middle of the ninth century AD, there was a region called "Female Barbarian State" that sent envoys to the Tang Dynasty many times to pay tribute, and the female barbarian women carried by these envoys, with their unique clothing and beautiful appearance, made them attract much attention in Chang'an City, and were respected by everyone, thus obtaining such a beautiful title as "Bodhisattva Barbarian".
The Barbarian Kingdom was located in the northwest of the Tang Dynasty, probably the Central Asian region mentioned today. The women of the region have long blond hair, blue pupils, high noses, deep eyes, and a slender and plump body with distinctive and three-dimensional features. They wore a crown of gold flowers on their heads, jade pendants around their necks, and short red tiger skin robes embellished with intricate embroidery. And these women are not only dignified and beautiful, with melodious singing voices and light dance movements, they can be called rare beauties in Chang'an City back then, and they are favored by the upper class.
But at the same time, we can't ignore that most of the Bodhisattvas did not come to the Central Plains out of sincere willingness, but were plundered into the Tang Dynasty by those ** merchants as war spoils, and became a pleasure in the hands of powerful and wealthy people. Some of them sang and danced at the banquet to win the favor of their hosts and guests. Others were taken in as concubines by wealthy families and lived in luxury and comfort.
Golden hair, fair skin, and gorgeous red gauze dance skirts form a beautiful picture. The beautiful singing and dancing and exotic customs brought by the Bodhisattva Man undoubtedly greatly promoted the prosperity of the culture in the Tang Dynasty. Hidden behind this, however, is the brutal history of powerful tribes from Central Asia who used to be contributing their populations to the vast empire of the Tang Dynasty.
Dear readers and friends, the gorgeous picture scroll created by the ancient Kunlun slaves, Silla maids and Bodhisattvas is undoubtedly a masterpiece of the unique charm of the Tang Dynasty! Behind them, each of them, there is a touching and profound legendary chapter!
Whether willingly or out of desperation, they must turn their backs on the land left by their ancestors and step into the distant and mysterious eastern land of the Tang Dynasty in China. Some people have been reduced to slavery since then, while others have used meekness to win the acceptance of their masters; Some danced in the ornate banquets, while others became concubines in the master's house. They brought the unique sound melody and beautiful posture of the exotic country to Datang, making this story more colorful, and at the same time promoting the luxury enjoyment of society at a higher level. However, they still could not escape the fate of being slaves. There is no bridge of power choice, making the road to two very different worlds full of thorns and twists and turns.
All these encounters and separations mean the haze and cruelty hidden in the prosperous world. Can we find out from this that the once glorious republic has begun to weaken? All this seems to herald the change of dynasties and the transfer of civilizations again.