How ancient Chinese people warmed their hands in winter
古代御寒“神器"——烧炭的手炉为何不会烫手?
Made of bronze or ceramics, ancient hand warmers had a variety of designs. Round, square and octagonal shapes are typical, with some fashioned to look like pumpkins, flowers and turtle shells.
古代的手炉多由青铜或陶瓷制成,设计多样,主要样式有方、圆和八角形,还有一些手炉形似南瓜、花朵和龟壳。
Inside a hand warmer, there were burning charcoal or simple coals. Some coals were blended with fragments and pressed into flower shapes, emitting a pleasant scent when burned.
手炉内放置着燃烧着的木炭或煤块。有些煤饼中混合了香料,压制成花朵形状,燃烧时散发出宜人的香气。
There is no accurate written record regarding the origin of this tool, but there are some tales about its invention.
关于手炉的起源没有明确的书面记载,但民间流传着一些故事。
One folk story concerns Emperor Yangdi from the Sui Dynasty who visited Jiangsu in the winter. Due to the bitter cold, the local official asked manufacturers to make a small warmer for the emperor that could be held in one's hands. Thus the hand warmer was created.
传闻隋炀帝下江南时,由于冬季天气严寒,当地官员要求店家为隋炀帝制作一个可以拿在手里的小暖炉。于是手炉就此诞生。
By the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the tool was in widespread use. Techniques for producing the tool were extensively employed in the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911).
到了宋代(960年-1279年),手炉取暖已经流行开来。明清时期(1368-1911)手炉的制作技艺得到广泛普及。
Many poems and books from this period recorded people using hand warmers.
这一时期的许多诗歌书籍都记载了人们使用手炉的场景。
The Dream of the Red Chamber, the classic novel by Cao Xueqin from the Qing Dynasty, also featured a maid sending a hand warmer to the protagonist Lin Daiyu in one chapter.
清代小说家曹雪芹的经典著作《红楼梦》其中一章描写了侍女为林黛玉送手炉的情节。
综合来源:中国日报网,重庆科技报
编辑:董静
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