Ancient Chinese dynasties sitting etiquette

China is a traditional state of etiquette, even hands and feet standing, sitting and lying down to have "behavioral norms", such as "sitting with sitting phase, standing with standing phase" ...... in ancient China, especially before the Wei and Jin dynasties, for "how to sit" is quite a lot to talk about. In ancient China, especially before the Wei and Jin dynasties, for "how to sit" to pay attention to a lot. Kneeling", "Sutra", "Respectful sitting", "solemn sitting", "humble sitting ", or sitting on the ground, sitting upright, hands hanging down to sit ...... Ancient people "sitting" posture can be said to be countless.

"Sitting" - the most ceremonial sitting posture in ancient times

The ancient "sitting" and modern "sitting" are not the same. The ancient "sitting" was not the same as the modern "sitting". Before the Qin and Han dynasties, the concept of "sitting" is broader, "sitting", "crouch", "kneeling", "worship" and so on belong to the category of sitting, which was the most ceremonial sitting posture. "Sitting" is also called "sitting peacefully", "sitting squarely", "sitting on one's knees", and the idiomatic expression "The idiom of "sitting upright" refers to this kind of sitting.

Sitting comfortably is one of the most decent sitting postures in the early days, i.e., sitting with the knee on the ground, the calf flat on the ground, and the buttocks on the heel. According to the evidence, the ansatsu originated from the special posture of the gods to be sacrificed "corpse sitting", which was a kind of authoritative posture, and the aristocrats or people of status at that time were sitting in such a way in public occasions.

The same sitting posture, there are different "sitting method". The theory of the sitting posture, the ancients called "sitting capacity", the Department of "Rongjing" component. Western Han Jia Yi in the "new book" in the chapter dedicated to "Rong Jing", which "sitting capacity" so that requirements:

"Sitting with the standing capacity, calf does not differ from the foot does not fall, the view of the balance is said to be by the sitting, micro look down at the honored knee is said to be **** sitting, looking up to see out of the unusual within is said to be su sitting, abolition of the head of the elbow is said to be inferior to sit. Sit." In today's language is: the body straightened sit down, calves do not stretch a long and short, the soles of the feet do not touch the ground. Eyes flat, known as "sutra sitting"; head slightly lowered, gaze at the knees of the honored one across the table, called "respectful sitting"; lowered head, eyes do not go beyond the side of a few feet away, is "Su sitting"; head completely lowered, even the elbows of the elbows, is "humble sitting". When the head is bowed and the gaze does not extend more than a few feet away from the person, it is called "sitting in a humble manner".

What Jia Yi called "sitting in the scripture" is in fact the conventional "sitting in peace", i.e., "sitting on the ground". According to the analysis, Jia Yi's "Rongjing" may be the "etiquette teaching materials" written specifically for the lords and kings. It can be seen that "how to sit" was really important at that time.

In addition to the fixed occasions of "sitting", similar to today's public transportation like car behavior also has special requirements. Before the Qin and Han dynasties, people riding in the car is divided into "sitting ride" and "standing ride" two kinds of, that is, sitting and standing points, respectively, there are "sitting in the car of the capacity" and "standing in the car of the capacity" constraints. The two types of transportation are "sitting" and "standing", i.e. sitting and standing.

"Kei Gui" - the most casual sitting posture of the ancients pre-Qin period, will not sit or sit in a mess are not aware of the etiquette of the behavior.

Confucius' old friend, Yuan Yang, was once scolded by Confucius for sitting carelessly. On one occasion, Yuan Yang spread his legs and waited for Confucius, which is said to be "Yuan Yang Yiqi". According to the "Analects - Xianqian" records, Confucius saw on the spot on the spot angry, with a cane hit the calf of the original soil scolded: "young children do not Sun Di, long and no description of Yan, old but not dead, is a thief." Its rough meaning is, you do not know the etiquette from childhood, grow up to be a waste of money, and waste food for nothing in old age, is a vermin.

In fact, in daily life, people can't all be "sitting down", Confucius scolded Yuanyang is obviously too "on the line". Before the Qin and Han dynasties, in addition to the ceremonial nature of the sitting, there are a lot of living sitting, in the non-public occasions have squatting, skipping and other postures. Squatting and skipping relatively comfortable, free, is a more casual rest position of the ancients.

"Squatting" is the soles of the feet and hips on the ground, the two knees shrugged, that is, "squatting sitting". Duan Yucai of the Qing Dynasty, "Shuo Wen Jie Zi Note" said, "Min Gui, the buttocks on the mat, and stretch their feet in front." That is, the two legs straightened and pulled apart, in the shape of eight, looks like a dustpan. The original loam "Yi", should be this sitting position.

According to the analysis of excavated artifacts in Yin ruins in Anyang, Henan Province, squatting, skipping the two more life-like sitting, in fact, is the Yin and Shang period of the Oriental barbarians (today's Jiangsu, Shandong area of the original inhabitants of the sitting method, and the Central Plains "civilization" compared to the sitting, naturally appear primitive, vulgar, the Spring and Autumn period of the original soil of the sitting method known as the "yi". The Spring and Autumn period of the original soil sitting method is known as "razor", the source is here.

"Hands down sitting" - the ancient female anti-"naked" sitting

For the most primitive symbolism of squatting sitting, some folklorists believe that it is on the In ancient times, people's view of reproductive worship is a reflection of the amazing fertility of the frog is this sitting position, so squatting is also known as "frog sitting", on behalf of the female. Modern archaeological excavations of the ancient round-bellied artifacts are painted with these frog-shaped gods and men.

Squatting, skipping the two sitting method are easy to expose the lower body, legs straight open skipping especially easy to "go naked". Mengzi's wife once so open legs sitting by Mengzi saw, almost was "Hugh". According to the Western Han Dynasty's Han Shi Wai Zhuan, which was written by Han Ying,

Meng Zi's wife was living alone in the house and was sitting on the floor. Mencius entered the house and looked at her, and said to her mother in vain, "The woman is impolite, please go." There is a reason why Mencius reacted so strongly. At that time, women wore crotchless pants and did not have the habit of wearing underwear. What kind of behavior is "skipping"? It may not have been a big deal for Mencius, who was a stickler for propriety, to drive his wife back to her mother's house.

It is worth noting that this way of sitting is not just a matter of "nakedness" and impoliteness, but also an insult to the other side if someone sits like this. In the words of the "Historical Records - Gaozu Benji", called "not suitable to crouch to see the elders." Jing Ke, after realizing that he had failed to assassinate the king of Qin, was "leaning on a pillar and laughing, and was perched on a pole and cursing".

How do women sit? The origin of the Chinese character "女" can be seen. "Female" is a hieroglyphic character, from the oracle bone and small seal script, is the sitting posture: two knees on the ground, hips on both feet, hands interlocked in front of the hanging down. "Sitting with hands hanging down not only prevents "getting naked", but is also similar to the character for "female", "mother", "Concubine" is also this sitting position, which is the most elegant sitting position of women at that time.

"Sitting with feet hanging down"

The most trendy sitting position at the end of the Han Dynasty

The bed seems to be a kind of sleeper nowadays, but in the early days, its first function was to sit. Xu Shen's "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" said: "Bed, the body of a few sitting also". In the chair has not yet appeared and popular age, the ancient home is mainly sitting on the bed, or sitting on the mat. This bed is also known as couch, sitting couch in fact, and "sitting on the ground" is basically no difference, is still the knees to the ground, buttocks with the heels. But after the Wei and Jin dynasties, due to the emergence of the "Hu bed", the sitting method also has a new change.

The so-called "Hu bed" is a simple folding chair, because of the introduction of the Hu people from the West and named. Song Tao Valley in the "Qingyilu" "free seat," said: "Hu bed Shi turn off to cross the feet, wearing the tapes to sit, turn shrink in a moment, weighing not a few pounds." Sit on the Hu bed posture and modern conventional sitting method is very similar to the ancients called "drop foot to sit", was the most trendy sitting method.

The earliest recorded celebrity "drop-footed sitting" is the Eastern Han Emperor Liu Hong (Lingdi), the "Book of the Later Han Dynasty - five lines of the Zhi I" recorded: "Lingdi good hu clothing, hu tent, hu bed, hu sitting, hu rice, hu air Hou, hu flute, hu dance, Kyoto, the noble relatives are competing for the. " Because of the emperor's favorite, this new wave of sitting method first popular among the nobles in the capital. At present can see the earliest Hu bed sitting statue, in Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes Northern Wei 257 caves even sitting Hu bed.

To the Sui Dynasty, Yang Guang, Emperor Yang taboo Hu, to engage in "to Hu movement", where dip "Hu" word name are changed, such as we often eat cucumbers, the name is from the "Hu Gua

On the basis of the bed, the Tang Xuanzong Li Longji's entourage also created a special for its tour when sitting on the "free seat". Since then, the bed constantly reformed, slowly designed a backrest, armrests, which can be "leaning", so the "chair" appeared, so the bed was renamed "chair". The first year of Ming Jiajing You Ziqiu painted "Lin Hall Autumn Banquet", people are sitting on the back of the chair. Chair, not only changed the sitting method of the ancients, and is still affecting people's sitting posture.

"Sit Gong" - the Song Dynasty people sat out the highest realm

Before the Five Dynasties, although there has been a "Hu bed", "sitting with feet down". "Sitting with feet hanging down" is not uncommon, but "sitting on the ground" is still regarded as an honorable way to sit. For example, the Tang Dynasty painter Yan Liben's "step in the emperor's carriage", the Tang Emperor Li Shimin is still sitting cross-legged, rather than "hanging feet".

During the Five Dynasties period, the traditional "sitting on a couch" and the new trend of "sitting on a chair" began to go hand in hand in social occasions. The Southern Tang Dynasty painter Gu Ma-zhong's character scroll Han Xizai Night Banquet, there are these two ways of sitting. After the Five Dynasties, people's sitting method has been basically unified as "hanging feet sitting" - in sitting posture, the Chinese ancient people from now on to realize the "modernization".

But the traditional way of sitting did not because of the popularity of the "drop foot sitting" popularity, and completely disappeared, on the contrary, but also as a means of fitness, health means favored, and the Song Dynasty and even the "sitting" up to a realm. The famous "twenty-four seasons sitting map" is rumored to be created by Chen Tuan, a famous "sleeping" master and Taoist figure in the Song Dynasty. According to the changes in the 24 seasons in 12 months, to take different sitting posture, in order to achieve the purpose of health, because Chen Tuan had given the name "Mr. Xieyi", the jianghu also known as "Chen Xieyi Sitting Figure".

As in the upcoming cold dew festival, there are "cold dew September festival sitting map", the sitting method is: "appropriate daily chen hour is sitting, lifting the two arms, dance on the body, left and right three or five degrees, knocking teeth, spitting, gargling." It is said to cure rheumatism, headache, hemorrhoids and many other diseases, but this is said to be reliable and no evidence.

This "sitting work", in fact, is the ancient Dan family advocated the "internal alchemy", but also for the later generations of health practitioners to promote. Ming Dynasty health monograph "Zunsheng eight paper" the author of the Gao Li had actively advocate "sitting", and recorded Chen Tuo's sitting map. It should be noted that this sitting with the Buddhist "meditation", that is, "disk sitting", "meditation", there is a difference.