Chinese spices have existed since ancient times and were loved by scholars and writers. Why did they reach their peak in the Tang Dynasty?
In our daily life, whether it is summer or winter, there will always be a burst of fragrance when a girl passes by. In fact, the application of perfume is not only in modern times, but also in ancient times.
It's just that the perfumes at that time were called spices, and they were generally sachets worn on clothes to cover the odor on the body. For the literati, spices also have a special meaning. The ancients believed that the fragrance of plants was used to communicate with the heavens, so they liked natural spices very much, and this love extended to the literati. There will be situations where things are used to describe people.
Qu Yuan
"Fen Wu has this beauty in itself, but also attaches great importance to cultivation. Hu Jiangli and Pi Zhixi are admired by Ren Qiulan."
As early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Qu Yuan vividly combined himself with spices, describing himself as having a beautiful character. It can be seen that the history of spices in China is very long, but why did the things sought after by the upper classes reach their peak in the Tang Dynasty?
- Shennong knows spices, Chaoge produces rouge ===============================================
The use of spices has not only been recorded in Chinese history, but also recorded in the historical records of other countries. It can be seen that spices have been widely popular with the birth of human beings.
Although people in ancient times did not use modern techniques to make spices, they have figured out the basic uses of spices. In fact, spices were mainly used for medicinal purposes in ancient times. With the gradual improvement of living standards, they were used in daily life.
In the Shang Dynasty, women in the palace used spices to make rouge. This makes the spice out of the medicinal value and becomes a pure spice. The application of spices in daily life, although it has already started in the Shang Dynasty, but the common people definitely cannot afford it. Such expensive luxury items are rare only for princes and nobles.
With the development and changes of the times, spices are not only popular in the upper class, but some officials and eunuchs also buy spices. But in the Eastern Han Dynasty, because the minister Diao Cun had a bad tone, the emperor gave him the "chicken tongue fragrance", so that he could speak every day when he went to work, so the ministers in the court scrambled to follow suit, and it became a trend for a while.
ancient rouge
At this time, the spices still did not enter the homes of the common people, but took the high-end route and remained popular among the scholar-officials. Even in the Sui Dynasty, the spices did not become widely popular, and they have always lived in a niche circle.
"In addition to the night volcano burning agarwood, the incense is not counted, and all the incense in Hainan have arrived." This is the record of Emperor Yang's use of incense in "Xiang Cheng".
It can be seen that under the social conditions at that time, the habit of using incense was not widely spread. This was inseparable from the society at that time. Although the incense from other places would be transported to Kyoto at that time, it was impossible for the people to afford spices from other places due to the hardships at that time. Moreover, in the last years of the Sui Dynasty, there were disputes everywhere, and ordinary people could keep it. Life is already good fortune, and spices are not so widely spread.
After the Tang Dynasty, spices began to be widely popular. Such popular things are top-down, liked by nobles and sought after by common people. Even Xuanzong and ministers liked spices very much.
"Yang Guozhong tried to use agarwood as a pavilion, sandalwood as a fence, and musk frankincense as mud to decorate the walls of the pavilion. Every spring when the peony is in full bloom, guests gather in this pavilion to admire the flowers."
This is the record of Yang Guozhong's love of spices in "Tianbao's Legacy". It can be seen from the side that in the Tang Dynasty at that time, some commonly used spices had been used in life, and the price was not so expensive. Yang Guozhong could even use incense wood to make house.
Agarwood
The development of spices in the Tang Dynasty was not just as simple as the Tang Dynasty people liked spices, but more because of the place of spices in history. This is not only in line with the character of the literati, but also makes people feel happy. This is the background of the spice reaching its peak in the Tang Dynasty.
- In the Tang Dynasty, the road was wide open, and Hu merchants sold spices ============================================================================
The prosperous development of spices in the Tang Dynasty can be seen in the poems of the Tang Dynasty, "The incense of the jade furnace, the tears of red wax, and the autumn thoughts in the painting hall." Spring cream." These poems are clearly written, the use of incense in the Tang Dynasty has been very extensive, and even ordinary people can use cheap spices.
The spices in the Tang Dynasty were so flooded that they could be found everywhere. The reason behind this is not simple, but the comprehensive development of many aspects, which led to the peak of spices in the Tang Dynasty.
- The Tang Dynasty developed shipping, and Hu merchants imported spices
The openness of the Tang Dynasty society is very rare in ancient Chinese history. At that time, the people treated foreigners who came to the Tang Dynasty with the thought of tolerance and equality. The arrival of foreigners also contributed to the formation of social diversity in the Tang Dynasty, and foreigners came to the Tang Dynasty not to travel, but to do business.
Tang Dynasty Hu Shang
Spice is one of them. With the development of maritime transportation, more and more Hu merchants poured into the Tang Dynasty, and these people brought a very rich variety of spices.
These Hushang spices are deeply loved by the nobility, which is also reflected in many historical records: "Tianbaomo, Jiaozhi tribute dipper, like a cicada silkworm. Persian says that the old diptero tree festival only exists, and it is forbidden. It is called Ruilongnao, and only ten noble concubines are given to you, and the fragrance is more than ten steps away."
In fact, it is difficult for ordinary people to afford foreign spices, and they only choose to use local incense. However, the pursuit of spices by the upper class has created people's understanding of Huxiang.
The fusion of culture and society prompted the Tang Dynasty to improve the use of spices. Although on most people, the spices of the Tang Dynasty are still made into sachets and worn on the body. However, due to the improvement of the Hu people, the people of the Tang Dynasty increased the practice of incense or incense in their rooms, quilts and clothes.
The diversification of incense has brought the consumption of spices in the Tang Dynasty to its peak, because the use of spices is not only in one place, but in all aspects of life. It is not just a small sachet alone, but a large area of incense is used.
Incense is the consumption of spices in the Tang Dynasty especially. Such a large-scale consumption of spices is very profitable for Hu merchants, which further promotes the development of spices.
ancient incense burner
"Chang'an is a skilled craftsman and a slow-witted man who is often full of lamps, seven dragons and five phoenixes, mixed with the wonders of hibiscus and lotus root. It is also used as a bed incense burner, a quilt incense burner." This can fully explain that the art of incense in the Tang Dynasty has been known by the people.
- Xuanzong made agarwood as his house, and the people scrambled to follow suit
With the influx of Hu merchants and local local spices, there are already many varieties of ancient spices. During the Han Dynasty, with the opening of the Silk Road, foreign spices entered the market of the Han Dynasty. But Huxiang was not popular at that time, not because the smell of Huxiang was bad, but because the empress of the Han Dynasty liked the simplicity of the palace.
Such an idea of advocating frugality caused Hu Xiang to lose the market for women. Without the drive of the upper class, the people at the bottom were naturally ignorant, so Hu Xiang encountered Waterloo in the Han Dynasty.
After arriving in the Tang Dynasty, Xuanzong and Concubine Yang Guifei liked Hu Xiang very much, and the circulation among the nobles laid the foundation for the development of Hu Xiang in the Tang Dynasty.
"Three edges are carved with silver, the screen replaces the fence, the incense trough is placed in close proximity, and the incense comes out from the flower." This is the record in the book that Tang Xuanzong liked to use agarwood. Such aesthetics influenced the entire Tang Dynasty society. They all like spices very much, and this natural worship of the upper-level rulers is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
Tang Xuanzong and Yang Guifei
The development of spices in the Tang Dynasty is closely related to the nobles of the Tang Dynasty. It can be said that Tang Xuanzong's aesthetics led the fashion trend for a while.
- Buddhist temples prevailed in the Tang Dynasty, burning incense was the norm
In addition to the influence of the rulers on the people, another factor is that the strong spiritual needs make spices popular in Chang'an, which is not uncommon. The ancient temples of the Tang Dynasty, like us now, also need to burn incense to worship Buddha, and in Buddhism, burning incense is essential.
During the Tang Dynasty, Buddhism was still one of the three major state religions. As a variant religion from India, Buddhism has produced a little difference. The purpose of burning incense has not changed, and the types of incense burning have changed significantly. Most of the incense burned in temples in the Tang Dynasty were local spices.
Sandalwood was the most suitable for temples. The price at that time was not cheap, and the common people could not afford it. Nobles sometimes donated money to temples.
Over time, people believed that burning incense, a ritualized habit, was worthy of respect, and they would also burn incense in their own nunnery.
What makes incense burning in Buddhist temples even more powerful is that it has influenced the aesthetics of Taoism in this regard, and Taoism also likes this method that can make the courtyard full of fragrance and communicate with the gods in the sky.
Both religions like to burn incense, and most of the people in the Tang Dynasty were their followers, so they naturally began to burn incense subtly.
- The princes and nobles enjoy it, and the common people can also have it ==========================================================================
The consumption of spices reflects the economy of the Tang Dynasty to a certain extent, and consumption is always inseparable from the economy. Spice was considered a luxury in the former state of life. In ancient times, the people's goal has always been to maintain food and clothing, but the people of the Tang Dynasty could consume spices, which is the improvement of living standards and the improvement of the overall social level.
ancient censer